Faith Agboola ’24 selected for Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Graduate Fellowship

The Rangel Fellowship is a program that aims to attract and prepare outstanding young people for careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State.

Erica Helgerud ’20 4 February 2025 Posted In:
Faith Agboola ’24 in the White House press room.
Faith Agboola ’24Photo:

Faith Agboola ’24 has been selected for the prestigious Charles B. Rangel Graduate Fellowship, a program that aims to attract and prepare outstanding young people for careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State, where they can help formulate, represent, and implement U.S. foreign policy.

The program selects fellows annually in a highly competitive nationwide process and supports them through two years of graduate study, internships, mentoring, and professional development activities. Those who successfully complete the program and Foreign Service entry requirements receive appointments as foreign service officers, in accordance with applicable law and State Department policy.

Rangel Fellows are committed to serving their country and promoting positive change globally — details that immediately drew Agboola to the program. Her ultimate goal is to become a U.S. Ambassador.

“This fellowship will prepare me for the skills to be that and more, one day,” she said. “I hope to be stationed somewhere in Africa and/or the Gulf region. In my career, I want to be a representation of what America actually looks like.”

Agboola’s study abroad experience with Carleton was a foundational inspiration for seeking an internationally focused fellowship like the Rangel. She attended “History, Culture, and Commerce: Africa and Arabia,” a Carleton off-campus study program led by history professor Thabiti Willis through Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.

“I wanted to know how I could continue to travel and learn about different cultures, while still helping and serving my community and others,” she said.

Another aspect of Agboola’s Carleton education that she highlighted as great preparation for the Rangel was academic rigor.

“The academic rigor of Carleton, compared to a lot of other schools, was at a higher level,” Agboola said. “Carleton made me stand out amongst other candidates!”

Now that she’s a fellow, Agboola is most looking forward to the mentorship and professional development that comes with her position, especially the experience of interning in a U.S. Embassy abroad.

“It will give me the real-life, practical experience of the life of being a Foreign Service Officer,” she said.

For other alumni or current seniors interested in the Rangel, Agboola has one big piece of advice: Timing is everything!

“This was my third time applying for a Rangel, the first time being to the Charles Rangel Summer Enrichment Program, and I finally got it,” she said. “Keep applying even when you hear ‘no.’ Sometimes the timing is just not right! Take the time to develop yourself, your skills, your story (this is the most important), and then apply again! It took me a while to come to this realization, but once I did, I think it made the process so much easier to get through.”

Agboola also emphasized that Carls shouldn’t be discouraged or fearful if they come up against a challenge — that’s when you learn and grow the most, she says.

“Whether it’s the Rangel, or anything else you’re applying for, believe in yourself and keep going,” she said. “I once heard someone say, ‘Treat success the same way you treat failure; not as a goal, but as an experience.’ It truly changed my perspective and helped me be more optimistic about a lot of things, especially when it comes to my career and academics!”

Finally, Agboola would like to thank her professors and mentors at Carleton, who were extremely instrumental in helping and guiding her through this process.

Students interested in applying to all types of fellowships, including the Rangel, should contact Carleton’s Office of Student Fellowships for support and assistance.


Erica Helgerud ’20 is the news and social media manager for Carleton College.