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Alum Cydney Gardner-Brown wins prestigious Rangel Fellowship

The Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University has awarded Ford School alum Cydney Gardner-Brown the 2022 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship following a highly competitive nationwide selection process. The Rangel Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University, supports extraordinary individuals who want to pursue a career in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State.

The fellowship will support Cydney through a two-year master’s degree in an area of relevance to the Foreign Service. It will also provide extensive professional development opportunities, including internships, mentors, and skills training. As part of the program, Cydney will intern with a Member of Congress on issues related to foreign affairs in summer 2022. In summer 2023, the U.S. Department of State will send her overseas to intern in a U.S. Embassy or Consulate to get hands-on experience in U.S. foreign policy and the work of the Foreign Service. Upon successful completion of the program, Cydney will become a U.S. diplomat in summer 2024, embarking on one of the most challenging and rewarding careers of service to her country. She will work to advance U.S interests, protect American citizens, and promote peace and prosperity around the world.

A native of Detroit, Michigan, Cydney is a 2021 Ford School alum. She is passionate about social justice and activism and is a vocal and active member of her community. As an undergraduate, she held several notable internships, including a summer on Capitol Hill as a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation congressional intern in the office of Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence, and another at the Detroit Justice Center. Cydney has also spent time in Costa Rica, Senegal, and France studying abroad and supporting service projects.

Cydney’s journey has now led her to the Rangel Fellowship and she is excited to begin her career in diplomacy after she completes a master’s degree in Public Policy. As a Foreign Service Officer, she is looking forward to serving in the Western Hemisphere and Africa. Upon receiving the fellowship, she commented, “Of the over 900 applicants for the program, I am the only University of Michigan alum and the only Detroit native to receive the Rangel Fellowship. When asked why I should be selected for the program, I explained that I hoped more people who look like me and who come from communities like mine would be amongst the faces of modern U.S. diplomacy. I am so proud to soon serve as a

representation of my diverse background, community, and alma mater.”

This press release was issued by Howard University.