The Foreign Service Journal, September 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2013 81 AFSA NEWS On June 7, the inaugural Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens Strategic Writing Award was awarded to Alison Dilworth at a ceremony at the National War College in Washington, D.C. This prestigious award recognizes the best paper written during the academic year on a strategic issue in the Middle East. Acting National War College Com- mandant Ambassador James Foley presented the award to Ms. Dilworth for her paper, “Keeping Faith: Maintaining Stability in Egypt through FSOWins Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens Strategic Writing Award an Elected Muslim Brother- hood.” The award was estab- lished this year by the family of Amb. Stevens—who him- self was a 2010 graduate of the National War College—to continue his legacy at the institution with the hope that the award will challenge its students to think strategi- cally and propose innovative solutions to current prob- lems in the Middle East. “I learned more here than I could have imagined,” Alison commented when she accepted her award. “Study- ing in such an energetic academic environment truly challenged me to expand my horizons and improve profes- sionally. The interactions with my military and civilian colleagues were invaluable and I would recommend the master’s program to anyone who wants to succeed in the interagency community. “I am humbled and hon- ored to receive this award. I had the good fortune to work with Amb. Stevens when he was the political chief in Jerusalem, and I learned so much from him on policy and strategy, but even more on how to be an exceptional leader and a friend.” Alison joined the Foreign Service in 1997 as a consular o cer. She has served over- seas in Paraguay, Jerusalem and Cairo, and domestically in the department’s opera- tions center, as a special assistant in consular affairs and as the director of the intercountry adoption divi- sion. Her next assignment is the deputy political/eco- nomic chief in Warsaw. n