The international studies major with minors in political science and anthropology was connected to the organization of former national security professionals by Lauren C. Anderson ’79, a geopolitical and international security consultant and former FBI executive.
Most students study national security through textbooks. Ednah Asiema ’26 prefers to study it through the lens of those it affects most.
Asiema has spent her academic career tracing the invisible threads of state power — from the way authoritarian regimes co-opt tradition to the way filmmakers document human rights abuses and how Black soldiers in the United States Colored Troops experienced their time in the military. When she discovered an opportunity to learn from the very people who navigate those structures at the highest levels, she didn’t just see a fellowship; she saw the next chapter of her research.
Asiema discovered the fellowship through Lauren C. Anderson ’79, a Muhlenberg trustee and former FBI senior executive she met through Vish Dsouza ’26. Known for her dedication to mentoring fellow Mules, Anderson encouraged Asiema to apply to The Steady State, an organization of veteran U.S. national security professionals.
Lauren was incredibly generous with her time. ... Her mentorship has shown me firsthand how alumni engagement can open doors to opportunities that align deeply with one’s values and aspirations.
“Lauren was incredibly generous with her time, walking me through the fellowship’s purpose and supporting me throughout the interview process,” Asiema says. “She continues to stay in touch, and her mentorship has shown me firsthand how alumni engagement can open doors to opportunities that align deeply with one’s values and aspirations.”
As a fellow, Asiema is contributing to a range of daily operational and content-focused efforts, including social media, the Substack publication (which Anderson publishes in), and “The Steady State Sentinel” podcast (which Anderson co-hosts). She is also assisting with law-related projects, relevant as she prepares to pursue an LL.M. degree from the University of Edinburgh Law School after graduation.
“Ednah brings a thoughtful, globally informed perspective that is analytically strong and grounded in human experience across different cultural contexts,” Anderson says. “In her work with The Steady State, particularly on our Substack and podcast, she has engaged in complex issues and shown a natural ability to communicate clearly. I also admire her confidence; it’s not easy to enter an environment of practitioners at the top of their fields and run with it. Ednah is exactly the kind of emerging leader we want to support: intellectually rigorous, curious, and committed to meaningful impact. I’m delighted to have her as a colleague.”
Ednah is exactly the kind of emerging leader we want to support: intellectually rigorous, curious, and committed to meaningful impact.
