As global tensions rise and a new world order takes shape, Arts & Science alum Stuart Jones draws from his U of T degree to help policymakers and the public navigate the defining economic and political challenges of this century.
“Democracies are strained worldwide, and in this time of so much uncertainty we realize our mission is more important than ever,” says Jones, program assistant and European affairs specialist with the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C. focused on transatlantic relations.
“At the Atlantic Council, we say: shed light, not heat. We’re analyzing issues on the premise of building a peaceful and prosperous global future.”
Focusing on German affairs and the Western Balkans, Jones helps to foster cooperation between those countries and the United States. For example, Jones organized a congressional delegation to the region, accompanying Washington staffers to Serbia, Albania, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, meeting with lawmakers to discuss European Union expansion and regional security policy, including the role of NATO.
Jones got his start in U of T’s International Relations Program. It’s the oldest and largest of its kind in Canada, where outstanding students engage with global thought leaders and acquire analytical tools to explore enduring questions of war, peace and power.
“Brilliant classmates and dedicated professors enabled me to make an impact early in my career,” says Jones, who earned his honours bachelor of arts degree in 2021 as a member of St. Michael’s College.
“I’m doing work I genuinely care about.”
Jones further bolstered his foreign policy acumen through iPRAKTIKUM, an experiential learning program in the Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures. This included an internship with MotionLab.Berlin, conducting research on democratic transparency in Canada and Germany.
A Dean’s List scholar, Jones served as an executive member of the European Studies Students’ Association and an undergraduate curriculum counselor for the German department, a role he pursued after uncovering a passion for learning languages: “I took German 100 and fell in love with the way it was taught, then I added Italian in my third year because, why not?”
“Stuart was a fabulous student,” recalls Associate Professor Stefan Soldovieri, chair of the Department of German. “Curious, industrious and a respected interlocutor among his peers. It has been a real joy to follow his career path from a German language beginner to the Atlantic Council.
“In German, you would call Stuart a Senkrechstarter — someone who takes off like a rocket!”
Despite living in Washington and making frequent trips to Europe, Jones often returns to Toronto to visit his twin brother, also a U of T alum. And he stays connected to Canada’s foreign policy priorities, volunteering with the Canadian International Council.
“The alumni community beyond Toronto is special because when you meet another graduate, no matter where it is, you form this instant connection,” says Jones, who works with another U of T grad at the Atlantic Council.
“The more you open yourself up to opportunities through U of T, whether as students or alumni, the better.”