SEAL
Southeast Asia Link (SEAL) is an IR/PS student-run organization that is dedicated to fostering an in-depth understanding of the diversity of Southeast Asian nations in terms of their unique culture, politics, and economy. Every year, SEAL works with the community and faculty to create our innovative speaker series, which is our cornerstone academic offering that takes place over the course of the academic year. Previous speakers include Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, the Singaporean Ambassador to the United States; Professor Emmanuel de Dios, the premier Filipino political analyst; Professor Kullada from Chulalangkorn University, Thailand; and Duncan McCargo, senior lecturer in politics at the University of Leeds and an expert on Thai politics.
SEAL serves as a liaison between IR/PS and the Southeast Asian world at large by creating volunteer opportunities in the San Diego area, and by linking IR/PS Southeast Asia regionalists with current Southeast Asia professionals, jumpstarting career opportunities for IR/PS's MPIA, Ph.D., and GLI graduates.
Creating a sense of community within SEAL, as well as within the broader IR/PS community, is an important aspect of our organization. Events like the annual SEAL cooking class give Southeast Asia students and their faculty an informal opportunity to discuss current events, IR/PS regional concerns, as well as future goals. SEAL also collaborates with other IR/PS regional student events and organizations in order to facilitate cross-cultural understanding, such as the Asian New Year Festival held every Winter quarter, organized by SEAL, LASO, Asameshikai, Mannam, and China Focus.
If you have any further questions about the organization, please contact Co-Presidents Laura Fornadel, Maura Deignan or Christa Ogata.
