WASHINGTON, Nov. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Howard University alumni, Erick Boone and Uri-Biia Si-Asar, are
recipients of the 2020 Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship, a
U.S. Department of State program that seeks to attract and prepare
young people for careers in foreign service. Boone and Si-Asar are
the first recipients from Howard
University to be selected for the program in the past 10
years.
"The Pickering Fellowship recognizes young leaders with a
passion and commitment to foreign service who seek to positively
impact the global community," says President Wayne A. I. Frederick. "Congratulations to
Mr. Boone and Ms. Si-Asar for receiving this prestigious award. The
Howard community looks forward to following your journey toward
what we know will be successful careers in foreign service."
Howard University administers the
Pickering Fellowship annually. Upon successful completion of a
two-year master's degree program and fulfillment of foreign service
entry requirements, fellows work as foreign service officers with
the Department of State. Pickering Fellows serve in Washington or at a U.S. embassy, consulate or
diplomatic mission around the globe. The program encourages the
application of members of minority groups historically
underrepresented in the U.S. Foreign Service, women and those with
financial need.
Information about the Howard
University 2020 Thomas R. Pickering Fellows is referenced
below:
Erick Boone, Class of
2018
Boone graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in legal
communications from Howard University.
Originally from Kansas City,
Missouri, his passion for international affairs and public
service led him to Howard, where
he enrolled in the School of Communications. While on campus, Boone
volunteered in the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center,
helped found the Howard University
chapter of the United Nations Association on campus, and presented
research as a member of the Annenberg Honors Program.
"Although I loved studying languages and foreign cultures, I had
no definitive goal," says Boone. "Following those passions provided
me with experiences and skills that quietly formed a path for me.
It led me to a place where my specific passions and skills
converged—the Department of State. A career as a foreign service
officer became that perfect union, and thanks to the Pickering
Fellowship, it finally feels within reach."
After graduation, Boone worked as a program assistant for the
Young African Leadership Initiative. He traveled to France where he taught English and American
History through the Teaching Assistant Program in France. He currently works as an intern for
the Department of State and as a policy fellow for the U.S.
Helsinki Commission, where he
focuses on human rights issues. Boone plans to pursue a master's
degree in public diplomacy before starting a career as a
diplomat.
Uri-Biia Si-Asar, Class of 2015
Si-Asar graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in political
science and a concentration in international relations from
Howard University. Born and raised in
Twin Cities, Minnesota, Si-Asar traveled to Washington where she interned at the Federal
Reserve Bank and the Office of Congressman Keith Ellison. She has also served as a program
instructor with the Close Up Foundation, nonprofit and nonpartisan
organization that believes a strong democracy requires active and
informed participation by all citizens.
"I am so honored and excited to become a Pickering Fellow," says
Si-Asar. "It means the world to me that others are willing to
invest in me and my dreams. I've planned to become a foreign
service officer since the 12 years old and I am happy to be one
step closer to achieving that dream."
Si-Asar, who is proficient in French and is TEFL certified,
currently serves as a returned Peace Corps volunteer, where she is
a secondary education English teacher in Benin, West
Africa. She plans to pursue a master's degree in
international relations.
Media Contact: Alonda
Thomas, Alonda.Thomas@howard.edu
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SOURCE Howard University