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    By Eiman Zuberi

    “I’m still wrapping my head around it,” Zerlina Bartholomew ’15 said.

    In November 2018, Bartholomew was accepted into the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program, a U.S. State Department program intended to prepare outstanding individuals for careers as diplomats in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State. The initial application process began in September 2018. Zerlina was one of 30 fellows selected from more than 800 applicants.

    As a Rangel scholar, she will go on to work toward a master’s degree, complete a congressional internship at The Hill, followed by a placement abroad with the U.S. Embassy. Bartholomew knew she wanted to work in the field of foreign services, social policy and international human rights since high school.

    Her international pursuit began while she was at UofL, where she majored in French and Political Science and minored in Middle Eastern Islamic Studies. One of the defining moments during her time at UofL was studying abroad in Morocco. “You don’t know a lot until you leave the nest,” said Bartholomew. “All of this has given me the opportunity to really see what is out there and to meet people who are like-minded.”

    After graduating in May 2015, Bartholomew was selected as a Fulbright Scholar. As a Fulbright, she witnessed firsthand the impact foreign service officers have in the field. “I met incredible people who encouraged me to pursue international affairs, and they motivated me to look at other opportunities,” Bartholomew said.

    Following her Fulbright experience, Bartholomew started working at a women’s center in Louisville. Just as before, it was the people she met that would move her forward onto the next step in life. It was during a chance encounter at a Washington, D.C. event that she was encouraged to pursue the next chapter of her journey: the Rangel Fellowship.

    The prestigious program is competitive and currently represents the United States in 60 countries around the world. The program focuses on promoting human rights, helping American citizens in trouble overseas, enhancing prosperity and development, and deepening ties between the United States and the international community.

    “This is something I’ve always thought about. I'm excited, but nervous,” Bartholomew said, reflecting on her next step. “I’m just the kind of person that gives it my all in everything I do. I just want to  be an example for my community - that  you can pursue your  dreams, and it is possible to achieve them.”