MSU History Grad Student Receives Radványi Memorial ScholarshipMississippi State University Department of History graduate student Christina E. Gusella of Alexandria, VA, has been named this year’s recipient of the International Institute’s Dr. János Radványi Memorial Scholarship.

Awarded by the International Institute’s Office of Study Abroad, the scholarship honors the legendary international security and strategic studies pioneer who died in 2016 at the age of 93 following an extended illness.

The scholarship was established by many of Radványi’s friends around the world, as well as his daughter, Julianna Radványi-Szűcs of Budapest, Hungary, and his son, János Radványi, Jr. of Soquel, California.

Gusella is receiving a $1,500 award and copy of Radványi’s book “Delusion and Reality: Gambits, Hoaxes and Diplomatic One-Upmanship in Vietnam.” Gusella is currently a master’s student in Mississippi State’s Department of History, where her research centers on Cold War propaganda and Soviet cultural diplomacy in the 1960s. She was selected for her dedication to building a broad understanding and appreciation for global political, cultural, economic, environmental and security issues through international education.

As part of scholarship requirements, Gusella will maintain a travel blog throughout her ten-week study abroad experience in Moscow, Russia, scheduled for summer 2017. In addition to attending language and cultural exchange courses, Gusella says she is looking forward to conducting research at the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF) and having the opportunity to visit famed historic sites. She plans to document her observations through writing and photography. She also anticipates writing her dissertation on some aspect of Russian history, which her trip will assist with greatly.

Prior to receiving political asylum in the United States in 1968, Budapest native Radványi served as Hungary’s ambassador to the United States.After relocating to California to complete a doctorate in history at Stanford University, he joined the MSU history faculty in 1972. He founded the Center for International Security and Strategic Studies a decade later and, in 1996, the university named him the first chair holder for the International Security and Strategic Studies chair.

His scholarly work focused on research, including extensive writing and the teaching of special seminars. Radványi devoted full attention to vital international problems with emphasis on the post-communist era’s complex security issues. He also was active in the new research field of environmental security. Gusella says she is deeply honored to be awarded the Radványi Memorial Scholarship.