AFSA NEWS 50 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2026 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL AFSA on the Road Connecting with Students at Northwestern AFSA President John Dinkelman recently traveled to Northwestern University to speak with students in Ambassador Ian Kelly’s course on foreign aid and U.S. foreign policy, the latest stop in AFSA’s ongoing outreach program connecting the association with the next generation of foreign affairs professionals. In a talk titled “The Future of Foreign Aid,” Dinkelman traced the long, historically bipartisan arc of U.S. foreign assistance, from its roots in the post–World War II Marshall Plan through the decades when USAID administered the majority of U.S. aid. He noted that international affairs spending has long accounted for less than 1 percent of the federal budget while delivering outsized returns, pointing to global health programs credited with sharply reducing HIV/ AIDS, malaria, and other deaths worldwide. Dinkelman also addressed the consequences of the 2025 stop-work order that halted the bulk of U.S.-funded global health and development programs, including rising mortality, increased instability in affected regions, and the loss of tens of thousands of U.S. jobs. He closed with a look ahead, describing the State Department’s move toward a “Trade Over Aid” model and the open questions surrounding how foreign assistance will be funded and staffed in the years to come. The visit reflects AFSA’s continued commitment to engaging students and educating the public about the work of the U.S. Foreign Service. n AFSA President John Dinkelman addresses undergraduate students at Northwestern University on May 26. AFSA matter of efficiency but “a purge intended to create a culture of fear.” Megan Fotheringham, former deputy director of USAID’s Office of Infectious Disease, was also one of the speakers. She said the agency’s loss went beyond staff numbers to include institutional memory: relationships with foreign health ministries, an outbreak response playbook, and decades of taxpayer-funded expertise that cannot be quickly rebuilt. AFGE National President Everett Kelley and AFSA President John Dinkelman closed the program, each framing the day as a joint effort by two unions on behalf of one workforce. As Dinkelman put it, “If this fight is going to be fought, it has to be fought together. It cannot be fought alone.” AFGE representatives spent the afternoon in follow-up meetings with congressional offices. The event drew numerous reporters, and articles appeared in Axios, Government Executive, Federal News Network, and NPR. Several members of Congress also highlighted their support for the event on their social media pages. n Missing Badge Continued from page 49 AFSA President John Dinkelman (left) alongside AFGE President Everett Kelley. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) delivers remarks at the “Missing Badge” event. AFSA/MARK PARKHOMENKO LR PHOTOGRAPHY/LELAND RENATO
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