Prof. Mark Sawoski Memorial Scholarship

Dr. Mark Sawoski“Professor Sawoski was an exceptional teacher and such a kind man.”

Dr. Mark Sawoski earned his B.A. at Tufts University, and his M.A., M.A.L.D. and Ph.D. at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.   

Mark began his career at RWU in 1987 as an assistant professor of international relations.   He was one of the founding members of what is now the Department of Politics and International Relations and the creator of the International Relations major.

Before coming to RWU, Mark served in the Carter Administration in the State Department.  In the early 1990s, he took a leave of absence from RWU to serve in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the Clinton administration, where he was a key member of the team that fostered the Dayton Peace Accords.

Mark returned to RWU in the fall of 1997 where he has, for more than thirty years, taught hundreds of students about Russia, China, international law, and international negotiations. Mark is famous in the department for his affection for maps, his detailed lectures that are beloved by students, and his up-to-the-minute information about the complexities of global politics. Always an innovative teacher, Mark embraced simulations in his classes (and in Model United Nations) so students could practice what he taught. Mark was also quite fond of stories about his beloved family and his boat.  

“I have so many fond memories of him, his great sense of humor and his thought-provoking classes.”

“Professor Sawoski’s theories of international relations taught me things that I still use to see the world.”

“Professor Sawoski’s negotiations class is when I decided I wanted to do International Relations …”

Gifts may be made via the secure online form below. For those wishing to mail a check, please address them to our gift processing center:

Roger Williams University
Attn: Gift Processing
Department 7020
PO Box 4110
Woburn, MA 01888-4110

Checks should be made payable to Roger Williams University with the Prof. Mark Sawoski Scholarship Fund indicated on the memo line. If you have any questions, please contact Advancement Services at advservice@rwu.edu.

“I still pull insights from Prof. Sawoski’s classes into my daily life.  His Negotiations class has literally shaped most of my professional interactions.”