When Roy Ginsberg came to The Fund for American Studies in 1973, the organization was still known as the Charles Edison Youth Fund, named for one of its five founders.

Ginsberg attended what was then TFAS’ only Institute, the Institute on Comparative Political and Economic Systems (ICPES). Ginsberg’s trip to Washington from Bradley University was his first visit to the nation’s capital.

With his Capitol Hill internship and the historic political storm brewing in the summer 1973, he quickly became immersed in the political culture. Watergate-era-Washington provided the perfect laboratory for hands-on learning. Despite the dramatic changes in U.S. and world politics, Ginsberg says ICPES is essentially the same now as it was in 1973.

“It works well, so there has been no need for change,” said Ginsberg.

Ginsberg interned with U.S. Rep.Dan Flood (D-Pa.) for the duration of his stay at Georgetown University and chose to stay six more weeks to gain additional experience.

Following his graduate study in international politics and several years in government, Ginsberg took a position as a professor of political science at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He currently serves as the director of Skidmore’s international affairs program. He specializes in the politics of the European Union and has written several books on the subject.

Ginsberg has long been an active member of the ICPES Board of Visitors, and in the past, has taught the comparative politics course in ICPES. Each year, Ginsberg recommends his best students from Skidmore College, hoping to provide them with the same kind of experience he had.