East Boston Native, Nigel Robinson, Awarded Prestigious Rangel Fellowship

Nigel Robinson, a 2014 graduate of Bucknell University, and East Boston native, was awarded a 2018 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 as a Foreign Service Officer in the U.S. Department of State. The Rangel Fellowship will provide Nigel with approximately $95,000 in benefits over a two-year period and give him the opportunity to represent his country overseas.  He was one of only thirty fellows selected nationwide.

Nigel graduated from Bucknell University with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and minor in sociology.  As an undergraduate, Nigel served as an orientation assistant and leader, was a varsity track and field athlete, and participated twice in the Bucknell Brigade Nicaragua Alternative Spring Break Trip.  He had the opportunity to serve as a summer teacher intern with the Breakthrough Collaborative and as a summer teaching fellow with Uncommon Schools.  After completing his undergraduate degree, Nigel has worked as a student support associate with the Steppingstone Foundation.  He remains active in his community volunteering his time with Summer Search, a national summer program that provides enrichment opportunities for low-income students.  Nigel is also an alum of the Posse Foundation Scholar’s Program and is active in the Boston Alumni Chapter.  Nigel is from Boston, Massachusetts, and fluent in Spanish.

He plans to pursue a Master’s degree in international affairs before beginning his career as a Foreign Service Officer.  As part of the Rangel Program, Nigel will work for a Member of Congress on international issues in summer 2018. In the summer of 2019, 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, Nigel will become a U.S. diplomat, embarking on one of the most challenging and rewarding careers of service to his country.

The Director of the Rangel Program, Patricia Scroggs, stated, “We are thrilled to have Nigel join our program.  It was clear then that he had a strong commitment to making a difference in the world through diplomacy.  His experience at Bucknell University, as well as his post-graduate experience, have provided an outstanding foundation for his future success.  I am confident that he will excel in graduate school and will contribute to global peace and prosperity as a U.S. diplomat.”

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.

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