Paula Crawford, 2018 Rangel Fellow
On Nov. 17, Paula Crawford, a 2014 graduate of Arizona State University, was awarded a 2018 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship following a highly competitive nationwide contest. The Rangel Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by Howard University, supports extraordinary individuals who want to pursue a career as a Foreign Service Officer in the U.S. Department of State. The Rangel Fellowship will provide Paula with approximately $95,000 in benefits over a two-year period and give her the opportunity to represent her country overseas. She was one of only thirty fellows selected nationwide.
Paula graduated from Arizona State University in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Business. In 2012, Paula completed a Boren in Kosovo, researching Albanian women’s inheritance rights. After graduation, she accepted a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Macedonia. Paula now works at Arizona State University as a coordinator for the Caesar E. Chavez Leadership Institute which focuses on college readiness, civic engagement, and building leadership skills for high school students.
She plans to pursue a Master’s degree in public policy and gender studies before beginning her career as a Foreign Service Officer. As part of the Rangel Program, Paula will work for a Member of Congress on international issues in summer 2018. In the summer of 2019, the U.S. Department of State will send her overseas to work in a U.S. Embassy to get hands-on experience with U.S. foreign policy and the work of the Foreign Service. Upon graduation, Paula will become a U.S. diplomat, embarking on one of the most challenging and rewarding careers of service to her country.
The Director of the Rangel Program, Patricia Scroggs, stated, “We are thrilled to have Paula join our program. It was clear then that she had a strong commitment to making a difference in the world through diplomacy. Her experience at Arizona State University, as well as her work, intern, and volunteer experience, have provided an outstanding foundation for her future success. I am confident that she will excel in graduate school and will contribute to global peace and prosperity as a U.S. diplomat.”
About the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program: The Rangel Program is a joint initiative between the U.S. State Department and Howard University that aims to enhance the excellence and diversity of the U.S. Foreign Service. Begun in 2003, the Rangel Fellowship Program selects outstanding young people each year from around the country who exhibit the ideal qualities of a Foreign Service Officer. Managed by the Ralph J. Bunche Center at Howard University, the Rangel Fellowship supports those selected through graduate school and professional development activities that prepare them for their careers as Foreign Service Officers. With the academic, professional and financial support from the program, Fellows now serve as diplomats around the world, contributing to a more diverse representation and effective execution of U.S. foreign policy. More information can be found online at www.rangelprogram.org.