DEARBORN — Dearborn native and Wayne State student Ibrahim Ahmad was awarded a 2023 Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship after a nationwide contest was held. 

The highly-competitive contest included nearly 900 candidates from across the country. A distinguished panel selected Ahmad as one of the recipients. 

The Rangel Fellowship is funded by the U.S. Department of State and conducted by Howard University. The fellowship supports individuals looking to pursue careers in the Foreign Service sector of the U.S. Department of State. 

According to a Howard University press release, with this fellowship, Ahmad will be provided with the means to attain a two-year master’s degree in an area relating to the Foreign Service. This experience will also equip him with substantial professional development opportunities, including internships and skills training. 

He shared that he will be attending Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Washington D.C. to pursue that master’s degree.

The Rangel Program gives Ahmad the opportunity to work for a member of Congress this summer on issues related to foreign affairs, as part of the program. Next summer, the U.S. Department of State will send him overseas to work in a U.S. Embassy or Consulate to obtain active experience with U.S. foreign policy and the work of the Foreign Service. 

Once successfully completing the program, Ahmad will become a U.S. diplomat in the summer of 2025. In this role, he will work to promote peace and prosperity across the world. 

Ahmad told The Arab American News that the selection process was rigorous and highly competitive.

“This selection process was a challenging but rewarding experience, enabling me to showcase my skills and expertise in a highly competitive environment.”

He is the only 2023 Rangel Fellow from Michigan.

Ahmad was born and raised in Dearborn and is the son of Hajj Bourhan Ahmad and Dr. Zeinab Sobh. He graduated from Wayne State this month as a third-year senior and received a Bachelor of Public Affairs degree with a minor in Peace and Conflict Studies. 

His interest in public affairs and policy, he said, stemmed from seeing how significantly policies affect peoples daily lives.

“From a young age, I developed a keen interest in understanding how government policies, both foreign and domestic, are formulated, implemented and evaluated,” he said. “As our world rapidly changes, I seek to continue learning about novel and innovative ways to approach contemporary international affairs from a U.S. foreign policy context to help shape a more peaceful and cooperative global society.”

Ahmad also shared his elation and pride being awarded this fellowship as a Muslim Arab American.

“As a Muslim Arab American who grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, the Rangel Fellowship represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to serve the United States of America as a diplomat in the Foreign Service,” he said. “This fellowship has given me the chance to pursue a career that I never imagined was possible for someone from my background.”

He also was an active student and leader on WSU’s campus as he served as the director of government affairs on the Student Senate and was the sole voting student representative to the Wayne State University Board of Governors Budget and Finance Committee. He also held the position as student advisor to the Michigan Department of State, where he represented his WSU on the Michigan Secretary of State’s Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force.

Ahmad has a significant amount of experience working in domestic and foreign policy through various positions he’s held in government and non-profit organizations. In the summer of 2022, he was a legislative intern in the United States House of Representatives in Washington, D.C, where he worked on assignments pertaining to the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary Committees and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 in the Office of U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa (R- CA). 

Ahmad also has experience interning with several non-profit organizations, including the American Task Force on Lebanon – the leading American organization in promoting closer U.S.-Lebanon bilateral relations – as well as recently interning with the Congressional Affairs Team at the Middle East Policy Council, where he played a role in strategizing and coordinating Congressional engagement vis-à-vis U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East on Capitol Hill.

He said he currently serves as a research assistant within the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center, which he described as “a prominent think tank based in Washington, D.C.”

“This experience has been my favorite thus far, as it provides me with the opportunity to work alongside my mentor and Global Fellow, Ambassador David Hale, a distinguished former U.S. under secretary of state for political affairs. who has served as America’s Ambassador to several nations, including Lebanon, Jordan and Pakistan,” he said.

As Ahmad embarks on his Rangel Fellowship journey he said he is excited to prepare for his career in diplomacy. 

“As a Rangel fellow, I am privileged to have the unique opportunity to work towards these goals while advancing American interests and supporting American citizens worldwide,” he said. “I am excited about the prospect of being stationed in different parts of the world, as this will enable me to gain valuable experience in different cultural and geopolitical contexts.”

Information below provided by the implementing team at Howard University for the U.S. State Department-funded Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship:

About the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program:

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. Begun in 2003, the Rangel Fellowship Program selects outstanding young people each year from around the country who exhibit the ideal qualities of a Foreign Service Officer. Administered by Howard University, the Rangel Fellowship supports those selected through graduate school and professional development activities that prepare them for their careers as Foreign Service Officers. With the academic, professional and financial support from the program, Fellows now serve as diplomats around the world, contributing to a more diverse representation and effective execution of U.S. foreign policy. More information can be found online at www.rangelprogram.org.