WASHINGTON (March 27, 2019) — Howard University senior Elizabeth Le has been named a 2019 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship awardee. The Rangel Program is a U.S. Department of State program that aims to enhance the excellence and diversity of the U.S. Foreign Service. Le, a daughter of North Vietnamese refugees, plans to combine her unique experience and the fellowship to create global peace.  

“On behalf of the Howard University community, we extend our congratulations to Elizabeth Le for being selected to receive a 2019 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship,” says President Wayne A.I. Frederick. “Her achievements as a student and commitment to service in foreign policy will take her very far and we look forward to all that she will accomplish.”

Le is a native of Long Beach, Calif. where she studied at Long Beach City College for one year before matriculating to Howard University as a political science major. As a member of the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, Le is currently completing a thesis titled, “Determinants of Immigration Policy: The Bolivarian Diaspora from Colombian Borders.” She has also had experience as a congressional intern, where she gained extensive knowledge of government procedure and political strategy under U.S. Senator Kamala Harris. 

“I am so grateful to have been awarded the Rangel Fellowship, and for its mission of bringing diversity to critical decision-making spaces. I want to shed light on America’s reality as a melting pot of our global community,” says Le. “This award and the work I intend to commit myself to both serve as a testament to the sacrifice, war, and conflict my refugee family had to endure for mere survival.”

Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, Le plans to pursue a master’s degree in international conflict resolution and work toward a career in foreign service. As a Rangel Scholar, she will complete internships on Capitol Hill and overseas as a diplomat in a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Rangel Fellows also receive up to $37,500 annually for tuition, fees, and other expenses related to their graduate studies and internships.

“I am eager to amplify the peacebuilding I’ve led in my own household in the global community,” says Le. “I look forward to leading in truth and in service for the achievement of a more integrated and peaceful world.”

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Misha Cornelius, misha.cornelius@howard.edu