On March 11, Sahil Jain, a 2013 graduate of the Maxwell School, was awarded a 2016 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 in the U.S. Foreign Service.

The Rangel Fellowship will provide Sahil with approximately $95,000 in benefits over a two year period.  The Director of the Rangel Program, Patricia Scroggs, stated, “We are thrilled to have Sahil join our program.  Our selection panel was very impressed by his intelligence, achievements, and commitment to service.  His experience at Syracuse provided an outstanding foundation for him in these areas.  I am confident that he will excel in graduate school and will contribute to global peace and prosperity as a U.S. diplomat.”

Sahil hails from Sacramento, California.  Sahil attended the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University and earned an undergraduate degree in International Relations and South Asian Studies in 2013.  During his time at Syracuse, he studied abroad in the United Kingdom and India. After graduation, he started at the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Israel/Palestinian affairs. He then worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development in the Global Development Lab for one year.  He currently works at the U.S. Department of State in the Bureau of Consular Affairs.  He credits his interest in becoming a diplomat to the classes and experiences he had at Syracuse University.

Sahil plans to use the Rangel Fellowship to pursue a master’s degree focused on International Relations.  He will begin graduate school in fall 2016.  As part of the Rangel Program, Sahil will work for a Member of Congress on international issues this summer.  In summer 2017, the U.S. Department of State will send him 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, Sahil will become a U.S. diplomat, embarking on one of the most challenging and rewarding careers of service to his country. 04/06/16

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.