Ambassador McAfee Scholarship Recipients
Announcing the 2026 Ambassador Marilyn McAfee Scholarship Recipients Left to Right: Logan Cake, Isabela Cosio, Marc-Anthony Nehme According to Dwight D. Eisenhower, “The exchange of students... should be vastly expanded. Information and education are powerful forces in support of peace.” When many students consider studying abroad, the cost is often detrimental, and many students miss out on opportunities to expand their worldview and engage in cross cultural dialogue. This is where the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville's Ambassador Marilyn McAfee Scholarship comes into play. The Ambassador Mairlyn McAfee Scholarship is awarded each year to undergraduate and graduate students from
Leading EDGE Dialogue: China Town Hall
Here’s a recap of China Town Hall. Hooray! Please click HERE to read the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville member Paul Herman’s detailed recap of the event.
2026 Admiral Jonathan T. Howe Academic WorldQuest
Academic WorldQuest 2026 Brings Global Competition to Northeast Florida On February 12, the energy was electric at the University of North Florida as 47 teams representing 19 high schools from across Northeast Florida gathered for the 21st Annual Admiral Jonathan T. Howe Academic WorldQuest. As the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville’s flagship education program, Academic WorldQuest challenges high school students to think critically about the world around them — from geopolitics to global culture. This year’s competition pushed students to demonstrate their knowledge across a wide-ranging and timely set of topics, including pop culture and soft power in international relations, migration and immigration, the U.S. Constitution and foreign policy, tariffs and
Global Issues Evening with Andrew Ross Sorkin: “1929: The Inside Story of the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History”
Here's a recap of Andrew Ross Sorkin's Global Issues Evening. Hooray! Please click HERE to read the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville member Paul Herman’s detailed recap of the event, which University of North Florida’s Distinguished Voices Lecture Series.
Global Issues Evening with Brett McGurk: “Unique Perspectives on Geopolitical Hotspots”
On November 4, the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville welcomed Brett McGurk, White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, for a Special Engagement conversation on “Unique Perspectives on Geopolitical Hotspots.” In dialogue with Ambassador Nancy Soderberg, McGurk offered an insider’s view of shifting dynamics across the Middle East. The Council was honored to host Mr. McGurk for this candid, wide-ranging discussion on diplomacy, security, and America’s role in a rapidly changing Middle East. Please click HERE to read Council member Paul Herman’s detailed recap of the evening, presented in partnership with the University
Global Issues Evening with Amb. John Sullivan: “Midnight in Moscow”
On October 21, the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville welcomed Ambassador John J. Sullivan, former U.S. Ambassador to Russia (2019–2022), to the University of North Florida for a gripping Global Issues Evening titled “Midnight in Moscow: Perspective from the Front Lines of Russia’s War Against the West.” Drawing from his firsthand experience in Moscow, Ambassador Sullivan provided a sobering yet incisive look into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s worldview and the geopolitical ambitions driving the war in Ukraine. As the evening concluded, Sullivan urged the audience to interpret Moscow’s refusal to engage in recent U.S. proposals