Ogden Honors College Alum Breea Gould Awarded Prestigious Pickering Fellowship

On December 18, Breea Gould, was awarded a 2021 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship following a highly competitive nationwide contest. The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and managed by the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University, supports extraordinary individuals who want to pursue a career in the U.S. Foreign Service. The Director of the Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship Program, Lily Lopez-Mcgee Ph.D., stated, “We are truly thrilled and excited that Breea will be joining the Pickering Fellowship Program. She demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, leadership and commitment to service during her time at Louisiana State University. These experiences bode well for her success through graduate school and in the Foreign Service as well. I look forward to seeing all that she will accomplish in her career.”

“Breea took full advantage of the opportunities available to her at the Ogden Honors College, and I’m thrilled she’ll be a Pickering Fellow,” said Dean Jonathan Earle. Breea Gould is a first-generation college graduate from New Orleans, Louisiana. She graduated from Louisiana State University's Ogden Honors College in 2018 with Bachelor's degrees in International Studies and History and minors in German and Political Science. During her undergraduate studies, she studied abroad as a Gilman Scholar at Philipps University in Marburg, Germany. Additionally, she completed two undergraduate internships at the U.S. Embassy Berlin and the U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi. After graduating, she served for 10 months as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Thuringia, Germany. As a Pickering Fellow, Breea plans to pursue an MPA, likely in Washington, D.C. Her academic interests include diaspora studies and transnationalism.

The Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship will support Breea through a two-year graduate program to receive a master’s degree in an area relevant to the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. It will also provide extensive professional development opportunities, including internships, mentors, and skills training. As part of the Pickering Program, Breea will have an internship based in Washington, D.C. working with the U.S. Department of State in summer 2022. In the summer of 2023, the U.S. Department of State will send her overseas to work and to gain hands-on experience with U.S. foreign policy and the work of the Foreign Service. Upon graduation, Breea will become a U.S. Foreign Service Officer, embarking on one of the most challenging and rewarding careers of service to her country. She will work to promote peace and prosperity around the world.

 

About the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program
The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program is a program funded by the U.S. Department of State, and administered by Howard University, that attracts and prepares outstanding young people for Foreign Service careers in the U.S. Department of State. It welcomes the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the State Department, women, and those with financial need. Based on the fundamental principle that diversity is a strength in our diplomatic efforts, the program values varied backgrounds, including ethnic, racial, social, and geographic diversity. The Pickering Fellowship offers a unique opportunity to promote positive change in the world. Upon successful completion of a two-year master’s degree program and fulfillment of Foreign Service entry requirements, fellows have the opportunity to work as Foreign Service Officers in accordance with applicable law and State Department policy, serving in Washington, DC and at a U.S. embassy, consulate, or diplomatic mission around the globe
More information can be found online at https://pickeringfellowship.org.