University of Washington alumnus Gabriel Kornas, Class of 2019, has been selected as a 2022 Rangel Fellow within the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship program. Kornas earned his B.A in International studies and minored in Law, Societies, and Justice in the interdisciplinary honors program.
He was an intern at the State Department when he first heard about the Rangel Fellowship.
“I was interested in this fellowship because it is a pathway into the Foreign Service.” Kornas said.
He is most interested in the management track in the foreign service. “Management Officers are responsible for the operations of our embassies and consulates overseas,” said Kornas. “I’m interested in that because it’s really dynamic, and you get to deal with a lot of really tangible issues that affect the mission on a day-to-day basis. But as a generalist, I’m excited for the opportunity to take assignments within the different career tracks working to advance U.S. interests abroad.”
Kornas decided to apply for the fellowship because he was ready for graduate school and felt like it would be the perfect opportunity for him. He is in the process of applying to graduate school and will be attending a program beginning Fall 2022.
After orientation in mid-May, he will start his first internship working on international issues for Members of Congress this summer before beginning graduate study.
While he is in graduate school, the fellowship will support him with mentorship and professional development the first two years prior to him entering the Foreign Service.
His advice for those interested in applying for the fellowship is to just go for it and reach out to the UW Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards (OMSFA) for support in the application process.
About the Rangel Graduate Fellowship Program
The Rangel Graduate Fellowship program aims to attract and prepare outstanding young people for careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State in which they can help formulate, represent and implement U.S. foreign policy. Each year, the program selects outstanding Rangel Fellows in a highly competitive process and supports them through two years of graduate study, internships, mentoring, and professional development activities. Fellows who successfully complete the program and Foreign Service entry requirements will receive appointments as Foreign Service Officers, in accordance with applicable law and State Department policy, and make a difference in countries throughout the world. Learn more about the Rangel Graduate Fellowship program. For those interested in foreign affairs, the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program is a similar program for which students are encouraged to apply.