Hellenic Institute of Strategic Studies Concludes 2024 Internship Program at Webster Athens Cultural Center

HELISS interns stand onstage alongside HELISS President Ret. General Ioannis Baltzois during the event.

As part of its collaboration with Webster University and its Athens Campus (Webster Athens), the Hellenic Institute of Strategic Studies (HELISS) concluded its 2024 internship program with a special educational and cultural event organized in early May at the Webster Athens Cultural Center.

HELISS, a non-profit organization based in Athens, focuses on strategic studies, analyses, and research. The Institute aims to raise public awareness, influence decision-making institutions, and support national strategies through various activities, including book editions, studies, seminars, quarterly magazines, conferences, lectures, and internship programs.

The HELISS internship program provides university students with the opportunity to work alongside senior professionals in fields related to international studies, contributing significantly to their professional development. “Our interns reflect our certainty and our hope for a better new generation,” said HELISS President Ret. General Ioannis Baltzois.

HELISS President Ret. General Ioannis Baltzois speaks at the podium of the Webster Athens Cultural Center.

Internship Coordinator and Member of the Board of Directors, Marietta Panayotopoulou, emphasized the importance of this internship experience for the students: “Our young students are at a delicate period of their lives trying to understand what they like and what they can do professionally. We do our best to support them.”

The interns expressed their gratitude to the Institute’s board of directors and the internship coordinator for the valuable experiences and lessons they gained, noting that their time at HELISS would remain unforgettable.

"This internship program constitutes a valuable tool for our students to grow as professionals alongside with the high-caliber mentors of the Hellenic Institute of Strategic Studies," said Rector Vasilis J. Botopoulos.

Assistant Professor Peggy Manouka welcomed the Institute and interns at the Webster Athens Cultural Center, emphasizing: "It’s a pleasure and an honor for us to host students from Greek public universities at our Cultural Center, awarded for their quality work in international relations and areas of conflict. May this event signify a new era of exchange between Hellenic and American education."

The event was attended by members of the HELISS Board of Directors, interns, supervisors, ambassadors, parents, and friends. The evening began with a solo violin performance by a young musician and concluded with piano music, creating a wonderful and warm atmosphere.

Webster University Athens brings the best of American education to Greece. Webster Athens is the only fully owned and controlled (academically and financially) accredited campus of a U.S. university in Greece. Webster Athens Campus celebrates a cross-cultural perspective in the heart of Ancient Athenian land. Located near the Acropolis, Webster Athens sits in the midst of one of the most vibrant, multicultural, archaeological and commercial centers in the world, at the confluence of Europe, Asia and Africa.