The Department of State is committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce that effectively advances America's prosperity, security, and values.
The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program and the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program consistently attract highly talented and qualified candidates who represent ethnic, racial, gender, social, and geographic diversity to the Foreign Service.
Beginning in FY-2021, the Department of State will increase both the Pickering and the Rangel Graduate Fellowships by 50 percent - for a total of 90 Fellows per year.
The Department's overall recruitment strategy places diversity at the forefront, and the increase in these Graduate Fellowship programs will bring more outstanding candidates into the Foreign Service. At the same time, the Department continues to work on finalizing a comprehensive strategic framework, the Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Strategic Plan, to guide Department-wide D&I efforts over the next two years.
