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Nina Balandina

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Nina Balandina

Presidential Fellow

School: Graduate School of Education and Human Development

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Nina's LinkedIn

Nina Balandina is a first-year graduate student pursuing a PhD in Comparative and International Education, with a professional placement in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (OGPA) and the International Services Office (ISO). As a doctoral student, her research focus lies at the intersection of geopolitics and higher education, where she explores the challenges that geopolitical conflicts pose to the internationalization strategies of higher education institutions. She actively participates in academic conferences and collaborates on research projects with faculty members at GW and internationally.  

In her role as a fellow, Nina works to improve the inclusivity of GW support services and address the unique needs of graduate and international students. At OGPA, she assists with a project about parental leave policies for graduate students. She analyzes strategies to enhance funding opportunities and resources on campus for students who take parental leave, ensuring they receive the support they need during this important time. At ISO, she facilitates connections between international students and their advisors regarding visa-related matters. 

Completed: Master of Arts, International Education

Pursuing: PhD, Comparative and International Education 

Internship and Work Experiences:

  • Co-researcher in a project "Critical media analysis of representations of refugee students in Australia, Canada, and the US"
  • Research Assistant - Global American Higher Education 
  • Graduate Student Fellow - GW Graduate School of Education and Human Development
  • Fulbright Intern - Amideast
  • Volunteer Facilitator - Ukraine Youth Action Network Virtual Exchange Project, MapWorks Learning

Nina is interested in the intersection of geopolitics and higher education, campus internationalization, research methods, education in emergency, refugee students’ experiences in higher education, international students’ experiences

Nina is placed in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (OGPA) and the International Services Office (ISO).

Throughout her placements, Nina has played a vital role in a wide variety of projects, including the below:

  • Policy Development: Researched and developed recommendations to enhance GW's Parental Leave Policies for Graduate Students and Postdocs through a comparative analysis of U.S. universities.
  • Presidential Fellowship: Served on a PAF Review Board, refined rubrics, and evaluated applications, ensuring alignment with the Fellowship’s goals.
  • Event Planning: Assisted in organizing the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition and contributed to the upcoming REACH Workshop for graduate student support systems.
  • Communications: Authored news articles for the PAF website, highlighting key activities and initiatives.

Professional Development Takeaways:
In these varied projects, Nina developed a strong foundation in policy analysis, event planning, and communications. Her involvement in research and evaluation projects sharpened her analytical skills, while her work in organizing events and writing for a broad audience enhanced her organizational and content creation capabilities.