Political science alumna awarded prestigious Thomas Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship

After a nationwide competition, Samantha Ku, a 2018 UCI graduate in political science, has been selected to receive a 2019 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship. Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the prestigious award is administered by the Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center at Howard University in Washington, D.C. Ku is currently interning in the APCO Worldwide’s global solutions practice. Previously, she was a global terrorism database research intern at the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism; she also served as a nuclear nonproliferation intern at the United Nations House Scotland. The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship will support Ku through a two-year master’s program in an area relevant to the conduct of U.S. foreign policy. In addition, it will provide extensive professional development opportunities, including internships, mentors and skills training. Upon graduation, Ku will become a U.S. foreign service officer, working to promote peace and prosperity around the world.