Meet Rangel Scholars
2022 Scholars
Tristin
Black
Tristin Black is a third-year Honors Scholar and James Graham Brown Fellow at the University of Louisville, majoring in Political Science Pan-African Studies minor. Tristin is a longtime participant in Model United Nations and serves as Secretary for the United Nations Association on campus. Tristin worked as a Research Fellow in the University of Louisville’s Center for Asian Democracy, which allowed him to construct a database of election profiles and examine challenges to democratic consolidation in the Asia-Pacific region. In high school, Tristin’s passion for international affairs inspired him to study abroad in Jakarta, Indonesia as part of the State Department’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y). This experience affirmed Tristin’s commitment to pursue a career in the Foreign Service, where he plans on working as either a Political or Public Diplomacy Officer. Tristin is a proud native of Georgetown, Kentucky, and a first-generation college student. Outside the classroom, he enjoys running, reading, hiking, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Demario
Brody-Harris
Demario Brody-Harris is a junior at Howard University studying political science. Demario grew interested in the foreign service when as a customer service clerk, he spoke with a customer, the retired U.S. Ambassador to The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, Aubrey Hooks, and conversed on American foreign policy in Africa. These conversations led him to realize that the foreign service may be his calling - a calling where his work will not only help others but also match his skillset. Demario serves as teaching assistant to Dr. Zion Evrony, formerly Israel's Ambassador to Ireland and the Holy See, for the undergraduate course "The Middle East, World Politics, and the Prospects for Peace", at Howard University. He serves as a part-time Legislative Correspondent for the American Coatings Association, a trade association in Washington D.C. For Demario, having recently accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, his mission, above all else, is to love his neighbor as himself and to live a life that pleases and glorifies God. He is thankful to the Rangel selection committee for giving him the opportunity to be a "Rangel Scholar", and is thankful for the support of his recommenders, mentors, family, and girlfriend, and looks forward to getting to know and learn with the "Rangel Scholars".
Iesha
Carter
Iesha Carter is a rising senior at UC Berkeley where she studies Political Science, with a focus in International Relations, and Legal Studies. Her career goal is to do research, analysis, and forming policy recommendations pertaining to national security and human rights in the foreign service. Iesha is interested in Southeast Asia and foreign policy toward China. Iesha has developed her research and analytical skills through two separate lobbying internships where she works on international affairs, healthcare policy, and local politics. Her background in law and international relations makes her a strong intellectual suited for attacking contemporary political issues. Upon graduation, Iesha hopes to get her master’s in international affairs to deepen her understanding of foreign relations and gain the skills necessary to work in this field. She aspires to make foreign policy more focused on international cooperation for the purpose of fostering peace, mitigating concerns, and creating mutually beneficial foreign policy initiatives that uphold human rights.
Colbee
Cunningham
Colbee Cunningham is a junior at Simpson College where she studies international relations, multimedia journalism and Spanish. An Iowa native, Colbee is deeply passionate about facilitating cross-cultural dialogue and fostering international cooperation. Colbee’s appreciation for international affairs stems from her passion for language learning. She is fluent in both Spanish and Italian and hopes to learn more languages in the future. Colbee has participated in a range of internationally oriented extracurricular and professional opportunities, including an internship with the Institute of International Education, a semester abroad in Spain and a traineeship with Global Ties U.S. Her areas of expertise include public diplomacy, international development, peace building, and foreign language education. As a Rangel Scholar, Colbee looks forward to broadening her understanding of international affairs and exploring career pathways to the U.S. foreign service. Colbee hopes to pursue overseas opportunities and attend graduate school, with the goal of working as a Public Diplomacy Foreign Service Officer in a U.S. embassy abroad.
Sophia
De La Cruz
Sophia De La Cruz is a sophomore at the University of Florida studying Political Science. As a Dominican-American, Sophia grew up in a multicultural, bilingual family of entrepreneurs and educators who cultivated her passions for community-based development, educational equity, human rights, and civil liberties. Sophia completed the State Department’s STARTALK intensive Russian program, a 6-week Russian critical language program in Moldova through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth. She worked with her university’s English Language Institute as a Language Assistant and teaching international students colloquial English, and she is learning Arabic in addition to her Russian and Spanish studies. Sophia is committed to supporting community-driven solutions and uplifting voices through law and policy change. She interned in the Florida Senate Minority Office with Leader Lauren Book, researching policy issues relating to education and criminal justice. She was named a Reubin Askew Scholar at the University of Florida and earned three microgrants to allocate towards community capacity building and educational enrichment. Sophia plans to combine her passions for educational equity, multiculturality and human and civil rights to pursue a career in human rights law, social policy research and nonprofit leadership.
Raegan
Ewing
Raegan Ewing is a sophomore at Spelman College, studying International Studies with a minor in Spanish on the Pre-Law track, and is a member of the Ethel Waddell Githii Honors Program. While abroad in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Barbados, and Jamaica, she grew aware of the staggering inequalities in economic practices, environmental health, and human rights. This forged her passion for advocacy for human rights in relation to foreign policy. Raegan and other student leaders met with Maryland Senator Ben Cardin, and staff members of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the late Congressman Elijah Cummings to discuss voter suppression, hate crimes, and unequal treatment under the law. She is a member of the Spelhouse Pre-Law Society and a student associate member of Georgia’s Association of Black Women Attorneys. She is the Correspondent Director of the Future Business Leaders of Spelman and serves as the next Chief of Staff of Spelman’s SGA. Raegan plans on studying abroad in Spain, with a focus on international development. Post graduation, she plans to attend law school and utilize her experiences and background to work with the U.S Department of State, focusing on foreign policy as a tool for improving human rights.
Monserrat
Garcia
Monserrat Garcia is a junior at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, double majoring in Political Science and International and Global Studies. She was born in Eagle Pass, Texas but grew up in the bordering city, Piedras Negras, Coahuila. Living in a diverse community instilled an appreciation for inclusivity and dedication to the common good. Monserrat founded the Multicultural Language Association, which promotes a more inclusive campus community teaching students about other cultures, languages, and histories. She is the Vice President of IGNITE, a student organization that motivates young women to run for local government. Monserrat works at MOVE Texas, where she promotes democratic participation in a new generation of voters. Monserrat was awarded a scholarship to attend PLEN’s Women in Global Policy Seminar, which allowed her to network and learn how to promote women’s participation in global policy. She aspires to work in the State Department, particularly the Office of Global Women’s Issues or the Office for Civil Rights, where she hopes to incorporate her insight as a Hispanic first-generation woman. A native Spanish speaker, Monserrat is learning Portuguese and American Sign Language, and looks forward to learning and appreciating additional languages in her future career travels.
Michael
Henry
Michael Henry is a junior at Morehouse College studying Political Science. From Fayetteville, North Carolina, he is the oldest of four. Michael is the Vice President of Information and Communication for the Student Ambassador Team, New Student Orientation Leader, Outreach and Evangelism Chair for the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel, Deputy Executive Secretary for the Student Government Association, and a member of the Howard Thurman Honors Program. He was the president of the Student Ambassador Team. Michael studied abroad in London, and has travelled to Jamaica, Portugal, United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Greece, and France. He was the Lead Student Coordinator for the Office of Admissions, and the Parliamentarian of the Senate. Michael is on the Dean’s List and has been recognized as a Top Scholar of the College for the past three years, receiving an outstanding service award as a Student Ambassador. He is a passionate public speaker, being a keynote speaker at churches, schools, and other events and at Morehouse, has been asked to speak, serve on panel discussions, and advise peers. Advocating for the student body is important to Michael, and he strives to be the voice for his peers, going above and beyond to support others. His career goals include work in the field of international relations/affairs.
Esther
Kim
Esther Kim is a rising Senior at Harvard University studying Government and East Asian Studies. A daughter of Korean immigrants, she is interested in serving and securing diplomatic relations between the U.S. and East Asia, especially in issues at the intersection of political affairs, human rights, and religion. Her previous experiences learning Spanish and loving study/missions abroad led her to consider a career in the international relations field, while the intersection of her cultural and faith backgrounds built an interest in serving human rights. Esther's formative time at the Cox-State Diplomacy Seminar pointed these aspirations in the direction of the Foreign Service, where she hopes to help respond to and resolve conflicts, such as the North Korean human rights issue, through diplomacy and peace-building efforts. Outside of exploring foreign service work, she is involved with dance, Christian fellowship, and photography organizations on her campus.
Madeline
Kleinschmidt
Madeleine Kleinschmidt is a graduate from West Texas A&M University with a degree in International Business. A member of the United States Foreign Service Internship Program, Madeline worked for the Bureau of Populations, Refugees, and Migration, helping with the distribution process of $29 million in humanitarian assistance funds towards the Venezuelan refugee crisis, and as a Public Affairs intern for the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Madeline interned with a refugee resettlement and education center where she taught English classes to refugees, facilitated a youth mentorship program for underserved age groups of refugees, and created a U.S. Cultural Orientation curriculum for new arrivals. As a McNair Scholar, Madeline conducted a research project concerning transitional justice mechanisms and enforced disappearances, presenting her findings at various national conferences. She studied abroad in Madrid, Spain as a Benjamin A. Gilman Scholar and developed her intercultural skills and Spanish language abilities. As a Venezuelan-American, she has been interested in international affairs from a young age and developed this passion through her studies. Madeline wants a career in international affairs where she hopes to focus on public diplomacy, national security, and human rights.
Charles
Lemke-Bell
Charles Lemke-Bell is a junior at the University of Denver, double majoring in International Studies and Public Policy with a minor in Leadership Studies. Charlie has always been fascinated with learning about different cultures, world affairs, and politics, leading him to volunteer in the office of Congressman Danny K. Davis, assisting with constituent affairs. Charlie is passionate about European politics and the intersection between commerce and policy on the world stage. He is involved in the Pioneer Leadership Program, where he and fellow students developed educational materials and content for newly arrived refugees in Denver. Charlie works in the Fredrick S. Pardee Center for International Futures as a research aide as a part of the Core Diplometrics team, a unit that analyzes and monitors trends surrounding diplomatic engagement between countries. Charlie studied abroad in London, United Kingdom where he deepened his understanding of comparative economics and advanced theories of international studies. Charlie is excited to use the Rangel Summer Enrichment Program as an opportunity to further explore his passions and work towards his dream of studying, working, and living abroad.
Phillip
Ly
Phillip Ly is from Forest Park, Georgia where he grew up and was raised by his Vietnamese parents. He is a senior at the University of North Georgia where he is majoring in Strategic and Security Studies with a concentration in Military Science and a minor in Japanese. While being a cadet and student at his university, Phillip is also in the Georgia Army National Guard. Phillip aims to be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Guard while pursuing a career path in the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. Academically, his record of accomplishment is impressive. Phillip has won multiple nationally competitive scholarships for study abroad, those of which include the Boren Scholarship, the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, and the Freeman Asia Scholarship. Although the pandemic has prevented him from studying abroad, his experiences in the military and the Corps of Cadets at his school has allowed him to develop his leadership in phenomenal ways. During his free time, he enjoys running, reading, bike riding, and spending time with his friends and family.
Kayla
Mathurin
Kayla Mathurin is a Sophomore at Pitzer College majoring in International Political Economy. She grew up in Tacoma, Washington, but was born in Okinawa, Japan. To stay connected to her hometown, she serves on the Hilltop Action Coalition, combating gentrification and uplifting the voices of low-income residents. At Pitzer, she represented the student body as the Sophomore Class President and will serve as the Vice President of Diversity in the upcoming year. She is a First-Gen student, a member of Mixed Identity Exchange, and a member of the Executive Board for The Black Student Union. Kayla works in the Dean of Faculty’s Office as a student assistant. Her interest for global affairs aligns with her curiosity for language; Kayla is learning French and working towards fluency in Mandarin Chinese. She looks forward to exploring career pathways and deepening her understanding of International Affairs as a Rangel Scholar. For her future endeavors, she plans on attending Law School and working for the Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer upon graduating. In her free time, she enjoys golfing, running, painting, and exploring with friends.
Audrey
McNeal
Audrey McNeal is a Junior at Barnard College of Columbia University, studying Public Policy and Human Rights, and is on track to complete a 4+1 program to receive a Master’s in Public Administration. At 18, Audrey was the youngest elected Delegate on behalf of Georgia’s 11th District to attend the U.S. Presidential National Convention, using this experience to galvanize her generation into civic engagement, education, and youth voting. An Athena Fellow, Audrey worked to create a curriculum about U.S. history and politics that would better engage and include the values of a diverse democracy. Audrey is a campus Speaking Fellow, mentoring peers in public speaking, speech writing, rhetoric, and delivery. She is a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow, a recipient of the Princeton University Prize in Race Relations, and a former Youth Activist Panelist for the Women’s RISE. Audrey will be studying abroad for the upcoming year at Oxford University, in the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program. She has a career goal of becoming a Foreign Service Officer on the ‘Political Track’, or working for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
Nezar
Nokrachi
Nezar Nokrachi is a junior at Seton Hall University where he majors in Diplomacy & International Relations and Philosophy, minors in French and Economics, and is pursuing a certificate in Cybersecurity. He is a native speaker of Moroccan Arabic. Nezar is a Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund recipient, a prestigious scholarship awarded to students who work in golf. He participates in the University Honors Program, where he led a team of students to conduct curriculum review and proposed changes to diversify the course materials. At the Buccino Leadership Institute, Nezar helped develop and offer a skills-based seminar to promote self and career development for Diplomacy students. He is a member and chapter treasurer for the Sigma Iota Rho International Studies Honors Society. At the Minaret Foundation, he contributed as a Government Relations intern where he worked on federal level civic advocacy issues, including child welfare and religious freedom. As an intern at the American Enterprise Institute, he researched topics including the defense budget, military strategy, and defense industrial base issues. Nezar hopes to use his experience as a Rangel Scholar to build a strong network that allows him to serve the United States as a diplomat and defense policy expert.
Sydney
Rehm
Sydney Rehm is a junior at the University of Mississippi with majors in Arabic and International Studies and a minor in Intelligence and Security Studies. Sydney studies Arabic through the Arabic Flagship Program and is an ambassador for her International Studies major. She is the co-founder of the ambassador program for her Intelligence and Security Studies minor. Sydney studies Spanish, Korean, and Arabic; she spent two months in Jordan to strengthen her Arabic language ability and knowledge of Jordanian culture. Sydney researched the historical governmental systems of Tanzania, the security aspects of Nord Stream 2, leadership analysis, and China’s Belt and Road Initiative in Southeast Asia and the Horn of Africa. Sydney interns at the Institute for Youth in Policy and provides biweekly team briefs about American social policy. She earned her Girl Scout Gold Award for research on the stigma against mental health and therapy and continues to advocate mental health awareness, particularly in youth. She volunteers with an interfaith coalition to advocate racial, economic, and educational equity in Memphis, where she’s from. Sydney has played the clarinet for eight years and spent the last two years in the Pride of the South Marching Band for her university. She is interested in the Middle East and North Africa, the Horn of Africa, East Asia, human rights, women’s rights, foreign policy, leadership analysis, and other forms of intelligence analysis.
Madison
Romo
Madison Romo is from Houston, Texas, and received her bachelor's degree in International Relations with a concentration in foreign policy and security with a minor in Russian Language and Literature from Boston University. Madison served as a legislative intern in the U.S. Senate Office of Senator Markey, advocacy intern for the Pardee Initiative on Forced Migration and Human Trafficking, Associate Editor of the Boston University International Relations Review, Vice President of CAS Student Government, member of Alianza Latina and Pi Sigma Alpha academic fraternity, and President of her sorority Tri Delta. Madison was awarded a National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to study Russian language in Moscow, Russia and now has varying levels of proficiency in French and Russian. Madison used these skills as a volunteer English language instructor for the United Nations service project Better Life Vietnam and the State Department Virtual Student Federal Service Intern Access Kursk project. Madison is passionate about international affairs and intends to pursue a career in diplomacy and international law, and she plans to attend law school in the fall.
Alyssa
Taylor
Alyssa Taylor is a sophomore at the University of Maryland, College Park majoring in Government and Politics with a concentration in International Relations. She is pursuing a certificate in East Asian Studies. Alyssa is interested in educational diplomacy and promoting exchange programs to marginalize communicates. She works at her university's education abroad office and serves as a mentor to both a middle schooler and a high schooler in the WriteAway program. Alyssa is the president of the Conversational Korean Club. In Fall 2022, Alyssa will embark on an exchange program to Seoul National University in South Korea for her junior year. Alyssa hopes to work overseas as an English teacher prior to attending graduate school, and afterwards, pursue a career with the U.S. Department of State.
Ana Lucia
Verduzco Grijalva
Ana Lucia Verduzco Grijalva, or Lucy, is a senior at the University of Arizona studying Political Science, Global Studies, and French. She was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, but her family moved to Tucson. Lucy has had a passion for human rights and global cultures, spending high school summers in different countries for service projects or language camps and doing local volunteer work. She pursued various experiences throughout college, including studying abroad in Paris, with a local organization, Colibrí Center for Human Rights, focusing on migrant rights, and with the D.C. Bar Foundation, a nonprofit focusing on civil legal aid. Lucy has extensive involvement with the organizations at her university; she is a Study Abroad Peer Advisor, serves the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences as Co-President of the Ambassador Program, and as a Recruitment Intern, as well as the College of Humanities as an Ambassador. She is also a member of the National French Honor Society and the National Humanities Center Undergraduate Leadership Council. Ana Lucia wishes to develop herself through her global and leadership experiences in order to best contribute reformative, positive influences in our international systems and people's lives.
Aimee
Yan
Aimee Yan is a Sophomore at the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill studying Public Policy and Business Administration. Her passions lie in racial and gender justice, Asian American representation, and fostering intercultural understanding between nations. Aimee’s interests led her to serve as a U.S. Department of State Youth Ambassador to Argentina and Chile and Phillips Ambassador while studying abroad at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea. As a National Security Fellow with Girl Security, Aimee published an article for the Center for Strategic Studies’ Represent Series advocating for greater diversification and inclusion within the national security community. As a research assistant studying the impact of COVID-19 on first-generation college students (FGCS), Aimee interviewed 40+ FGCS, created five research reports that have informed COVID-19 policies at universities across the nation, and advocated for FGCS to 8,300+ higher education leaders at the 2021 NASPA National Conference on Student Success. Aimee is a member of the Board of Directors for the nonprofit, YouthRoots, where she leads the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. She is the Publicity and Outreach Chair of the Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit, volunteers for the Asian American Center, and advocates for AAPI representation in education as a co-founder of the student organization Visibility Forward.
2021 Scholars
Kimberly
Abraca
Kimberly Abarca
2021 Rangel Scholar
Nailah
Barnes
Nailah Reine Barnes
2021 Rangel Scholar
Maggie
Chambers
Maggi Chambers
2021 Rangel Scholar
Kathryn
Echele
Kathryn Echele
2021 Rangel Scholar
Siena
Fay
Siena Fay
2021 Rangel Scholar
Katrina
Fjeld
Katrina Fjeld
2021 Rangel Scholar
Anne
Frederick
Anne Frederick
2021 Rangel Scholar
Raziya
Hillery
Raziya Hillery
2021 Rangel Scholar
Jahleel
Johnson
Jahleel Johnson
2021 Rangel Scholar
Markal
Kelly
Markal Kelly
2021 Rangel Scholar
Daniel
Ledin
Daniel Ledin
2021 Rangel Scholar
Lee
Lockhart
Lee Lockhart
2021 Rangel Scholar
Oluwadamilola Oke
Oluwadamilola Oke
2021 Rangel Scholar
Kennedy
Reid
Kennedy Reid
2021 Rangel Scholar
Lauryn
Simon
Lauryn Simon
2021 Rangel Scholar
Aaminah Tabassum
Aaminah Tabassum
2021 Rangel Scholar
Emmanuel
Thombs
Emmanuel Thombs
2021 Rangel Scholar
Ajiri
Uzere
Ajirioghene Uzere
2021 Rangel Scholar
Mackenzie
Weber
Mackenzie Weber
2021 Rangel Scholar
William
Yee
William Yuen Yee
2021 Rangel Scholar
2015 Scholars
Brieonna Johnson
BRIEONNA JOHNSON
2021 Rangel Scholar
Growing up in St.Paul, Minnesota, Brieonna Johnson’s interest in international affairs was cultivated by Ms. Helman, her high school Spanish teacher. Ms. Helman was truly passionate about her students developing a deep understanding of the Spanish language. “I never would have known I wanted to work abroad, if Ms. Helman hadn’t pushed me to make my aspirations a reality,” Brieonna states. Ms. Helman also told Brieonna that she could have a great career as a diplomat, given her tendency to attempt to negotiate her way out of tedious assignments. Brieonna proposed taking a class trip to Central America to help others. Brieonna contacted Habitat for Humanity, organized the trip, and coordinated fundraising efforts. “I sold over 1000 candy bars and worked two part time jobs to raise the funds, and the trip to Guatemala was life changing and allowed me to see a world beyond Minnesota.”
Since then, Brieonna has studied abroad in the Dominican Republic, Spain, and Japan. In 2015 she graduated from Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and then participated in the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program. “The Summer Enrichment Program introduced me to careers in the field that I would have never been exposed to,” she said. Brieonna was able to gain mentors and insight into many available career options, and receive advice from Admissions Officers from top graduate schools in international affairs. “The Summer Enrichment Program was a truly meaningful experience and it reinforced how crucial developing citizens with an interest in international affairs is to the United States. The program led me to learning a great deal about my field and focus my career path,” Brieonna states.
After the Summer Enrichment Program, Brieonna went on to participate in the Carter Center Democracy Program Internship, during which she accepted a position as an intelligence analyst. Brieonna ultimately wants to become a Foreign Service Officer and serve the United States abroad, while helping others.
Daniel Waqar
DANIEL WAQAR
2021 Rangel Scholar
Daniel’s interest in international affairs was sealed while studying abroad in the Middle East. A History major at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Daniel successfully completed a semester program in Peace and Conflict Studies and Arabic Language and Culture in Haifa, Israel. Daniel subsequently leveraged the insights he gleaned from his study abroad experience while in the Summer Enrichment Program. Daniel observed that “the Rangel Program was so phenomenally eye-opening because it exposed me to diverse career paths that I would have not seen anywhere else.” He found the most valuable aspect of the Summer Enrichment Program to be the power networking opportunities with high-ranking officials in the State Department, on Capitol Hill, and in prominent think tanks. “Washington, D.C. can seem like an overwhelming place for someone like me looking to get his foot in the door in international affairs, but the Rangel Program eases you into this fast-paced town by allowing you to engage with other young professionals who are just as ambitious as you.”
Daniel has continued to pursue his passion for international affairs since completing the Rangel Program. He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in History from UNLV and currently serves as a Truman-Albright Fellow in Washington, D.C. at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a federal agency working to reduce poverty through economic growth around the world. Before his time at MCC, he worked with Executive Vice President and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk at the Brookings Institution as a research assistant on a book about Secretary Kissinger’s efforts in the 1970s Middle East peace process. He published his research honors thesis on the historic relationship of power imbalances and violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also authored a white paper on the state of urban elevated expressways for Brookings Mountain West. For his research and public service accomplishments, he has won a Harry S. Truman Scholarship for graduate school, as well as the John S. Wright and Rosemary Masek Awards for best history student and the Lance and Elena Calvert Award for Undergraduate Research at UNLV. He plans to attend the University of Oxford for an M.Phil in Modern South Asian Studies, with the goal of pursuing his Ph.D in the same discipline and serving as a public intellectual on issues of violence and power in South Asia.
2012 Scholars
Glorie Chiza
GLORIE CHIZA
2021 Rangel Scholar
2012 Rangel Scholar Glorie Chiza has come a long way from his home in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is only beginning what is likely to be a spectacular career. He and his family emigrated from the DRC when he was 11 years old. He applied to the Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program in 2012 from Ft. Valley State University because his family moved to the U.S. under the State Department Visa Lottery program, and he wanted to learn more about the Foreign Service.
After completing the Rangel Summer Program, Glorie immediately put into practice what he had learned about pursuing a career in international affairs and public policy. He began an internship with the Fund for Global Human Rights, which he had visited as a Rangel Scholar. He then became an intern at the White House in the Office of Management and Administration in summer 2013. Moving to the NGO sector, he then served as the Program Coordinator for the Opportunity Funding Corporation, a division of Thurgood Marshall College Fund before returning to the White House as Staff Assistant in the Office of Presidential Personnel. From November 2015 until September 2016, he served as Special Assistant, Office of Industry and Analysis, International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce. He has now returned to the White House for his third tour, serving as the Associate Director in the Office of Public Engagement.
Glorie has been selected as one of HBCU Buzz’s Top 30 under 30 because of his outstanding public service and leadership potential. Outside of the office, he remains committed to public service, and he actively dedicates his time to mentoring and tutoring students in D.C. Public Schools. He credits the Rangel Summer Enrichment Program for assisting him on his path to success. “With great opportunity, comes great responsibility.” He also looks back on the experience as an enjoyable one.
2011 Scholars
Cedric Pulliam
CEDRIC PULLIAM
2021 Rangel Scholar
Cedric Pulliam works as a Multilateral Diplomacy Advisor at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator and Health Diplomacy, which leads and coordinates the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). He received his first Master of Arts degree in International Relations and European Studies from Central European University in Budapest, Hungary and a second master’s degree in German and European Studies from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. Cedric earned dual bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and Political Science from Elon University. He is currently completing his PhD in Psychology with a focus on Gender and Diversity Studies from Northcentral University. After completing his undergraduate degree, Cedric worked in different capacities at the Department of the Air Force, Federal Highway Administration, Congressional Research Service, US Citizenship and Immigration Services, United Nations, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Cedric became interested in international affairs during his junior year of high school when he was afforded the opportunity to study abroad in Dijon, France. “My experiences studying abroad gave me new insight on life and the true meaning of ‘global society’. It instilled within me that not only am I an American citizen but I am a global citizen, and whatever I do in everyday life affects lives all around the world in some way.” During his studies at Elon University, Cedric took his passion for international affairs and travel to the next level by studying abroad in Malta during the spring of 2011. While in Malta, Cedric visited 13 nations and also volunteered at the Jesuit Refugee Services where he taught English to refugee children. These experiences of travelling, volunteer work, and interacting with people of other cultures are some of the many reasons why he is deeply interested in the field of international affairs.
Cedric heard about the Rangel Program through a friend, Elon classmate, and former Rangel Scholar Ms. Aisha Mitchell. Seeing that the program perfectly fit his interests, he applied and was accepted to the Rangel Summer Enrichment Program for the summer of 2011. Cedric found the exposure to different career opportunities to be a very rewarding part of the program. “The exposure to a plethora of post-graduate opportunities was utterly amazing and a priceless gift from the program. I am now knowledgeable to help myself and my peers who are interested in similar opportunities.”
Cedric believes that being a part of the Rangel program brought where his true passion lies, to light. Both his experiences studying abroad and participating in Rangel Program, changed his focus into joining the Foreign Service. “This program is not only an enrichment program for the field of international affairs but also for the Foreign Service career. I had not really considered this prior to Rangel Program, and now it’s my number one career choice after I graduate.” He is currently pursuing his graduate studies at Georgetown and working at USAID.
Cedric has already recommended the Summer Enrichment Program to friends he knows from school and home. He has really positive memories of the courses he took, the sites he visited, as well as the other Scholars he got to know in the program. “My peers in the Rangel Scholars of 2011 are the most distinguished, intellectual and driven individuals that I have met in my life. These people are going to rise to the top in whatever they do. I am proud to have met and connected with each and every one of them.“
Fatimah Martin
FATIMAH MARTIN
2021 Rangel Scholar
Fatimah Martin’s ancestry is the genesis of her interest in International Affairs. “Because my cultural heritage reaches back to Africa and encompasses Europe and the Americas, I understood from an early age that I am truly a part of the global community.” This awareness began to shape her career goals, even as a young girl. Fatimah grew up in the multicultural environment of Hawaii where she lived among many cultures of the world. “Our family frequently engaged in political dialogue with friends from Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and the Sudan. I learned firsthand how many families struggled to educate their children and preserve their cultural heritage and identity, as well as the price they sometimes pay to live in peace.” After moving to New Mexico in 1998, her cultural exchange continued as she met families from Yemen, Algeria, Iran and Egypt. These cultural interactions helped to broaden her world view and deepened her commitment to work among the cultures of the world.
Becoming a Rangel Scholar proved to be a perfect fit for Fatimah. After hearing Patricia Scroggs’ presentation on the Rangel Program at the University of New Mexico, she decided that she would apply to be a Rangel Scholar her junior year. Sometimes feeling disconnected to issues of international affairs due to living in the southwestern United States, Fatimah believed that spending the summer in Washington D.C. would allow her to explore different career options, engage in issues of foreign policy and improve her professional skills. “The classes and activities of the Rangel Program created a new framework in which I could analyze political issues and policies. I’ve since been challenged to think more critically about domestic and international policy, as well as how to articulate my ideas and positions on certain issues. The program motivated me to challenge and push myself to elevate my thinking.”
Fatimah recommends the Rangel Summer Enrichment without reservation. She believes any prospective Rangel Scholar would find the program challenging, enriching and filled with possibilities. “By engaging and learning from young adults like myself from across the country, I left the Rangel Program feeling truly motivated and inspired by my fellow Rangel Scholars.”
Fatimah received a BA from the University of New Mexico, and an MA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She won a Pickering Fellowship and recently joined the State Department Foreign Service. She is studying Chinese to prepare for her first tour in Shanghai, China.
2010 Scholars
DeEtta Cravens
DEETTA CRAVENS
2014 Rangel Fellow | 2010 Rangel Scholar
2009 Scholars
Sandra Choi
SANDRA CHOI
2021 Rangel Scholar
Growing up in a working class immigrant family in a diverse area of Queens, New York, Sandra Choi was drawn to international affairs early. Looking to make a difference both at home and abroad, she developed a strong interest in the U.S. Foreign Service. She wanted to learn more. Then she met a Charles B. Rangel Fellow while interning in the Office of Congressman Rangel who told her about a unique program to learn more about the Foreign Service and other international affairs careers: the Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program. She applied and was accepted.
Sandra characterizes the six-week program as “intense but rewarding.” She has special praise for the eighteen other students with whom she spent the summer and what she learned from each of them. The Rangel Program is “committed to recruiting a diverse group of students who each bring with them something unique to contribute.” she comments. “We constantly encouraged each other by sharing our hopes and aspirations and challenged each other through our discussions on politics, race and international events.” Sandra also appreciated the classes and the networking opportunities with professionals from a broad range of government agencies and non-governmental organizations.
Sandra recommends the Rangel Program to others. It “has been the most rewarding experience of my undergraduate studies thus far,” she said. “I would recommend this program to anyone who is interested in learning about career opportunities in international affairs and meeting other accomplished, bright students who have a genuine interest in the state of the global community.”
After the program, Sandra returned to complete her final year at Fordham University studying and interning at the United Nations. She graduated from Fordham University in 2010 with a degree in international relations and theology, and received her master’s degree from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. She has pursued a career in international commerce and development. Sandra is currently the Senior Business Development Manager for the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. She has also worked in Global Market for the City of Norfolk and at the World Bank.
Isabel Shelton
ISABEL SHELTON
2021 Rangel Scholar
Isabel Shelton is still considering her career path but knows that she wants to make a positive impact in the world. With the help of the Rangel Summer Enrichment Program activities, staff and peers, she is better equipped to make her decision. “It is such a comfort to know that whichever career path I choose I can always lean on the Rangel Program participants and coordinators for advice and guidance,” she said.
Seven years ago, Isabel read Night by Elie Wiesel and became committed to promoting human rights. Her deep concerns about the Holocaust led her to the field of international relations. Elie Weisel “convinced me that the power of global initiatives has the power to triumph over the failings of man,” she said. “It is, admittedly, a harsh world, but I am committed to doing my part to alleviate this strain.” Isabel, who hails from Houston, Texas, decided to pursue a degree in International Studies at the University of Arizona. To augment her experiences, she looked for an opportunity to meet like-minded college students in a program that would expose her to different ways of achieving her goals.
“The Rangel Program distinguished itself in this respect,” she said. “It was able to bring together a great group of people, push us to our limits and in the end, marvel about the relationships forged along the way.” After six weeks of living in Washington, D.C., taking three courses at Howard University, being exposed to an abundance of post-graduation options and doing it all with students just like her, Isabel feels ready to make her mark in the world. “Integration into the professions of international relations can often appear daunting, far fetched and even ephemeral, but the program brought these resources to us and pushed us to our best,” she said.
Currently working at the Department of Education, Isabel said, “I have no doubt that throughout my career I will work beside many of the people I met last summer.”
2008 Scholars
Kelley Whitson
KELLEY WHITSON
2021 Rangel Scholar
Kelley Whitson is a State Department Foreign Service Officer currently serving in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her first tour was as a Vice Consul in the U.S. Consulate General in Monterrey, Mexico. She received her MA in 2012 from American University and a BA from Spelman College in 2009. After the Rangel Summer Enrichment Program, she worked for the Department of Transportation and became a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Terengganu, Malaysia.
Kawasi Weston
KAWASI WESTON
2021 Rangel Scholar
Kawasi’s interest in foreign affairs began during his sophomore year of college when he realized how interconnected the world was. “I got bitten by the bug of diplomacy,” he said. Learning of the Rangel Program from his advisor at Morehouse College, Kawasi jumped at the chance to learn more about how he could make a difference in this critical area.
A Political Science major, he applied to become a Rangel Scholar in the summer between his sophomore and junior year at Morehouse College. As a student leader and scholar who speaks French and Spanish, Kawasi was a strong candidate. Bringing to the program a long list of leadership skills and community service in Atlanta, he traveled to Washington, D.C. for six weeks of a crash course in international affairs. “The basic skills you learn from the Rangel Program will enhance your proficiency in all areas of International Affairs,” he said.
Kawasi learned important lessons from all three of the courses offered by the program. The Political Economy class helped him to apply economic principles to real world situations domestically and internationally. The Diplomatic History course helped him understand the historical roots of U.S. foreign policy. The professional writing course taught him how to write clearly and concisely, “the basic root of communication in the Foreign Service”. The classes, coupled with the numerous trips to visit federal agencies and foreign professionals, helped steer him in the right direction.
He completed the Rangel Summer Enrichment Program and went on to participate in the PPIA Junior Summer Institute, which prepares students to study public policy or international affairs at the graduate level. Reflecting on his experience as a Rangel Scholar, Kawasi encourages anyone looking to learn about public policy careers to apply. “This program will give you a much needed crash course into the life of an international and domestic policy.”
2007 Scholars
Justin Dunnavant
JUSTIN DUNNAVANT
2021 Rangel Scholar
A study abroad trip to London the summer before Justin entered Howard University jump-started his interest in international affairs. To get diverse perspectives on this interest, he majored in History and Anthropology at Howard and sought additional opportunities to learn more about possible careers. Participating in the six week Rangel Summer Program helped him understand better what he did – and did not – want to do in regard to his career interests.
“The Rangel Program afforded me the opportunity to honestly assess and reevaluate my future career goals,” he said. He found the most beneficial aspect to be the guest speakers, who represented the broad spectrum of international careers. “Many of them provided information and shared experiences that demystified rather ambiguous aspect of international careers, touching on everything from a typical day-in-the life to challenges of balancing career and family overseas,” he said.
Justin has actively pursued his interest in international affairs since completing the program. After graduating in 2009, he participated in an intensive Swahili language program in Tanzania and Kenya, followed by an archaeological dig on James Island located in the Gambia River. He also won a Fulbright Fellowship and moved to Kingston, Jamaica to research the presence of African cultural retention during the enslavement era through archaeological material. Following this program, Justin began his Ph.D. studies in Anthropology and he hopes to engage in a career in academia that includes teaching and research.
2006 Scholars
Leah Martin
LEAH MARTIN
2021 Rangel Scholar | Foreign Service Officer
Leah joined the U.S. Department of State in 2010. Leah, a Foreign Service Officer, is currently in training for her third tour in Kabul, Afghanistan. Her previous tours include Athens, Greece and Monterrey, Mexico. As a Rangel Fellow, she completed a congressional fellowship with the House of Representatives Sub-Committee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment in the summer of 2007, and served as Special Assistant to the Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam in the summer of 2008. Leah received her M.A. in International Security from the University of Denver in 2009 and graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Political Science from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. in 2007. Her foreign languages are Greek, Spanish, and Dari.
Erica Spell
ERICA SPELL
2021 Rangel Scholar
Choosing a college is one of the most important choices in a young person’s life. When it came time for Erica to make that choice, Howard University’s focus on international affairs made all the difference. Having already traveled abroad in high school, Erica looked to Howard’s Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center for more international opportunities. “I knew I wanted to make an impact on the global community, but I didn’t know how,” she said. “The staff at the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center provided sincere guidance and direction.” After studying abroad in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, she decided to pursue a career that extended past the confines of the United States. With that, she was led to the Rangel Summer Enrichment Program.
“It was encouraging to share the experience with like-minded students who were extremely passionate about global change,” she said. For Erica, her ultimate career goal isn’t too far in her future. Having graduated with a BA in Political Science from Howard in 2008, she completed her master’s degree in public administration at American University in 2010. She is looking to earn a Ph.D in Public Administration. Ultimately, she would like to start an international non-governmental organization aimed at strengthening the relationship between artists in the developing world and their counterparts in developed nations.
For prospective applicants, Erica said, “If you are considering a career in international affairs, the Rangel Summer Program is for you!” Erica has plotted a unique career path in international affairs, and being a Rangel Scholar helped her to find what best suits her in the world of foreign affairs.
2003 Scholars
Teresa Fergerson
TERESA FERGERSON
2021 Rangel Scholar | Foreign Service Officer
On September 11, 2001, most high school students were in class when they heard the news of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centers. Teresa was one of those students, but in France. As an exchange student in Marseille, Teresa was completely immersed in the French culture and had the opportunity to see firsthand how her French peers and other exchange students reacted to the tragedy. Learning how differently people around the globe view the United States opened her eyes to a career in international affairs.
As a Rangel Scholar, Teresa became exposed to a plethora of internship and career options to pursue her interest in international affairs. She followed up on many of these opportunities, including through doing internships with the Department of State and an academic year abroad as a National Security Education Program Scholar at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan.
With her wide range of international experience, she decided to pursue a career as a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service. Already part of the Rangel Program, she applied for and won a 2006 Rangel Graduate Fellowship, which helped finance her Master of Arts in International Relations at Yale University. Through the Rangel Fellowship, she also did internships on Capitol Hill working for Congressman Donald Payne and at the U.S. Consulate General in Osaka, Japan. “Learning first hand how government works was the exact practical experience that I needed in order to get the most out of my graduate studies,” she said.
Those short six weeks as a Rangel Scholar allowed her to find out more about the Rangel Graduate Fellowship, which she said gave her the ability and skill needed to balance and connect her academic work with professional work. “The Rangel Program provides a structured format that will help you gain the skills and experience that you need to be an effective Foreign Service Officer,” she said.
Teresa, who earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Japanese Studies from Dillard University, now works at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, following assignment in Manila and Seoul. A gifted linguist, she speaks French, Japanese and Korean.