Aspiring Diplomats Pursue International Affairs Fellowships
Northeastern University is proud to forward two outstanding seniors for consideration for the 2018 Thomas R. Pickering and Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowships. The Pickering and Rangel Fellowships, which are programs of the U.S. Department of State, aim to attract outstanding young people, especially members of minority groups underrepresented in the Foreign Service, women, and those with financial need, to pursue diplomatic careers. The fellowships offer funding for a graduate degree relevant to the Foreign Service, internships, mentoring, and, upon successful completion, entry into the Foreign Service as a U.S. diplomat. Here, we profile the students, both members of the University Scholars and Honors Programs, who are representing Northeastern in this competition.
Kenneth Barragán CSSH’19After starting his Northeastern career as a chemistry major, Kenneth Barragán’s passion for altruistic work and global engagement led him to the field of International Affairs, and a semester studying at Sciences Po in Paris confirmed his desire to enter the field of diplomacy. He traveled across Europe to continue broadening his knowledge, especially in the diplomatic hubs of Geneva and Vienna, and he immersed himself in new cultures through further academic and volunteer experiences in Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. On campus, he assisted Professor Val Moghadam with research and was elected to the executive board of the International Affairs Student Organization. A co-op at the International Law Institute afforded Barragán an up-close view of governance issues that face diplomats everyday.
Erin Bourque CSSH’19By the time she graduates from Northeastern, New Hampshire native Erin Bourque will have spent a total of 20 months abroad: as a Critical Language Scholar in Russia, as a Boren Scholar in Kazakhstan, as a US Embassy intern in Lithuania, and as a learner and independent researcher in numerous other contexts. A Political Science and International Affairs major with minors in Russian and History, Bourque is an expert on Russia and the post-Soviet space, having first traveled there as the recipient of a State Department language-learning award in high school. Bourque, who has also earned the university’s Distinguished Service Award as part of a co-op at Northeastern’s Global Resilience Institute, has a particular interest in building individual, community, and societal resilience.