About Us
The Kozmetsky Center of Excellence seeks to deepen understanding of the complex challenges of an increasingly integrated world-
The Kozmetsky Center aims to enrich the intellectual life of St. Edward's University and to serve as a resource for informing the broader public on critical global issues. We facilitate discussions among experts, students, faculty and the broader public in a variety of forums. Past speakers have included American and foreign diplomats, policy makers, university scholars, and leaders of the business, non-profit and cultural communities. We also periodically host short-term resident visiting scholars and practitioners from the United States and around the world to share their expertise and diverse perspectives with the St. Edward’s University community.
The Kozmetsky Center contributes to advancing the mission of St. Edward’s University to educate students from all walks of life and prepare graduates with the tools needed to contribute to a more just world.
Please see www.kozmetskycenter.org for information on additional upcoming and past programs, ZOOM recordings, publications and student educational and professional opportunities.
The Kozmetsky Center posts information on international internship and educational opportunities throughout the academic year.
The Kozmetsky Center sponsors our monthly "Forum on Global Investment, Finance, Emerging Markets and Political Risk" in cooperation with the World Affairs Council Austin. The forum brings together St. Edward's University students with the Austin and global private sectors to support preparation for careers in international business, non-profits, diplomacy and policy.
The Kozmetsky Center Briefing Series features succinct policy relevant articles prepared by our US and international speakers based on contributions to SEU campus programs providing a resource for students, academic research and the policy, private sector and civic communities.
Recent Events
The Kozmetsky Center of Excellence at St. Edward's University and the Center for European Studies and Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies at the University of Texas at Austin co-sponsored our seventh annual “Transatlantic Security Forum” entitled "NATO, Russia, China: World Order and 21st Century Global Security Challenges” on November 15-17, 2021 with support of the United States Department of Education Title VI National Resource Program. We were delighted to hold this seventh annual session in cooperation with the Public Diplomacy Engagement Division of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO, Research Committee on Geopolitics of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) and World Affairs Council Austin. The forum provided expert perspectives on implications of shifting global relationships and world order for transatlantic and broader global security. Among major topics, speakers assessed the impact of COVID19 to include discussion of political systems, values and responsiveness to the pandemic, lessons of the withdrawal from the twenty-year war in Afghanistan, consequences of climate change, weapons proliferation and terrorism, regional clashes and conflicts, cyber and information security, competing visions of world order, geopolitical and security implications of shifting relationships among major powers and other topics of critical relevance to transatlantic and global security. We were especially interested in facilitating dialogue among a diversity of national and regional experts exploring the most pressing security challenges facing the global community at this critical juncture contributing to deepening understanding of opportunities and obstacles to advancing security cooperation among nations.
The Kozmetsky Center of Excellence in Global Finance was established through a $3 million gift from Ronya Kozmetsky and her late husband, George. The couple, noted for their philanthropic leadership in Central Texas, established the RGK Foundation in 1966 and since then have awarded grants totaling more than $60 million to support humanitarian concerns in the areas of education, community and medicine/health.
Ronya and George Kozmetsky envisioned a Center of Excellence in Global Finance that would make an impact far beyond the campus of St. Edward's, benefiting not only students at the university — through interdisciplinary scholarly activities on campus and in international forums — but also individuals around the world who will be affected by sustainable financial stability.
The Kozmetsky Center contributes to academic programs and the learning experience of students at St. Edward’s University on several levels. The core objectives for our programs and activities in support of the St. Edward’s academic community include:
- Introducing a diversity of regional and global perspectives;
- Offering the contributions of leading academic experts and practitioners across disciplines and professional areas of expertise;
- Contributing to the development of sustained productive international exchanges and partnerships throughout the world;
- Providing resources to enhance the university course learning experience through guest lectures, seminar discussions and professional networking opportunities for SEU students with our visiting program participants;
- Supporting the utilization of new communication technology to integrate global perspectives in learning and understanding issues;
- Supporting university student experiential learning objectives by offering the Kozmetsky Center Senior Internship Program and utilizing the Kozmetsky Center's extensive local, national and global networks to provide professional internship and service learning opportunities for SEU students;
- Advancing understanding of potential public-private sector collaboration in pursuing opportunities and addressing challenges;
- Exploring the application of theory/academic expertise to supporting real-world issue problem solving and cooperative efforts in policy and community service.
Dr. Sharyl Cross, Director Read About Our Former Directors
Dr. Sharyl Cross was appointed Director of the Kozmetsky Center and Distinguished Professor at St. Edward’s University in 2013 and is a Global Policy Fellow at the Kennan Institute for Advanced Russian Studies, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. From 2005-2013, Dr. Cross was Professor in the College of International & Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany serving as Director of Academics for both the Program in Advanced Security Studies and Senior Executive Seminar and in key leadership capacities for strategic outreach engagement initiatives in Russia, Eurasia and South East Europe. Prior to the Marshall Center, Dr. Cross was at the United States Air Force Academy where she had been appointed Distinguished Professor of Political Science. She is a tenured full Professor and former Chair of the Department of Political Science at San Jose State University in the California State University system.
Professor Cross earned a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1990 with concentrations in international relations, comparative politics, and American foreign and security policy. While in the UCLA graduate program, she was also a resident fellowship scholar and consultant at the RAND Corporation completing the UCLA and RAND programs in Russian area and policy studies. Originally from Arizona, Dr. Cross graduated Phi Beta Kappa with Honors in Political Science from the University of Arizona in 1983.
In 2004, Dr. Cross taught in Lille France as Visiting Professor of Transatlantic Relations at the Institute of Political Studies/Sciences Po. She has been the recipient of three (2001, 2004, 2006-2007) post-doctoral research grants at the Kennan Institute. In 1999, Dr. Cross was awarded a Fulbright Senior Scholar grant to support affiliations as Visiting Research Scholar and Professor of International Relations at the Institute of USA and Canada Studies in the Russian Academy of Sciences and Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MGIMO). She was a Visiting Assistant/Associate Professor of Transregional Security Studies at the United States Air War College at Maxwell AFB from 1994-1996, and was a recipient of a post-doctoral fellowship at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University to support continuation of her dissertation research.
Her most recent book China, Russia, and Twenty First Century Global Geopolitics co-authored with Paul J. Bolt was published by Oxford University Press in 2018. Professor Cross’ edited books include Shaping South East Europe’s Security Community: Trust, Partnership, and Integration, Macmillan, New Security Challenges Series, 2013, The United States, Russia, and China: Confronting Global Terrorism and Security Challenges in the Twenty First Century, Praeger Security International Series, 2008, Global Security Beyond the Millennium: American and Russian Perspectives, Macmillan Press, 1999, and The New Chapter in United States-Russian Relations: Opportunities and Challenges, Praeger, 1994. She has published extensively in leading professional peer reviewed journals and has received awards in support of her research from NATO-EAPC, U.S. Air Force Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), Office of the Secretary of Defense, California State University, American Association for University Women, International Research and Exchanges Board, and University of California, Institute for Global Conflict and Cooperation.
While residing in Germany, Dr. Cross directed a major multi-country and multi-disciplinary project for the Marshall Center devoted to exploring dimensions of countering violent extremist ideology involving participation of more than 60 nations. She also routinely lectured on international security topics at NATO School in Oberammergau Germany. She has briefed and consulted for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, United States European Command, U.S. State Department, and U.S. Congress. In 2013, she received the U.S. Army Commander’s Award and Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s (DSCA) Director’s Award issued with approval of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee recognizing contributions to building international security cooperation during eight years in residence in Germany at the Marshall Center.
Dr. Cross is on the editorial boards for the peer reviewed Journal of Strategic Security and the Journal of Southeastern Europe. She also currently serves on the executive boards for both the “Geopolitics” and “Religion and Politics” Research Committees of the International Political Science Association, and on the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Council in Montenegro. She is a frequent speaker for major professional foreign policy forums in Europe and Eurasia, and has lectured throughout the United States for the Council on Foreign Relations, World Affairs Council and other leading academic and policy centers.
Global Policy Scholar, Kennan Institute, Wilson Center Washington DC biographical profile
Kozmetsky Senior Intern For 2021-2022, 2022-2023 Emma Viquez
Emma Viquez is majoring in International Business with minors in French and Global Studies. After college, her long-term goal is to pursue a career with an international organization, such as the United Nations or the Federation Internationale de Football Association. This dream is driven by her passion for foreign policy, international relations, and sports. Emma has maintained an outstanding academic record as a Dean’s list recipient, Honor’s Program participant, Martin Scholar, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar, and was awarded the D2 Athletics Directors Association 2020-21 Academic Achievement Award. In addition to academics, she is involved on campus as a member of Phi Alpha Delta, founder of the organization BridgeSEU, and Women’s Soccer athlete. Outside of campus, she has served as an intern for the Chief Marketing Officer of the AT&T Stadium and the non-profit organization American International Health Alliance in Washington, DC. In addition to playing soccer for the university, Emma also plays for the Costa Rican Women’s National Team. Playing soccer has allowed Emma to travel worldwide and inspired her to learn Spanish, French, German, Arabic, and Sign Language.
Support Staff
Camille Saad, Campus Media
Carolyn Palaima and Juanita Servin, External Grants
Kiran Nasim and James Carey, Technical Support