(Vallejo, California – November 30, 2018) – Senior Global Studies and Maritime Affairs
major Bethany Johnson has been awarded a prestigious Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs
Fellowship.
The program – funded by the U.S. Department of State – prepares a select annual group
for Foreign Service careers in the U.S. Department of State. The fellowships prepare
men and women, whose academic backgrounds match the skill needs of the State Department,
to represent America's interests abroad. Johnson was chosen for the 2019 cohort of
30 fellows from more than 800 applicants.
Students are chosen based on a demonstrated intellectual background, dedication,
integrity, cultural adaptability, and communication skills. Johnson is the first
Cal Maritime student to be awarded this fellowship.
"I knew that graduate school was something that I always wanted to do, and I knew
I wanted to serve the United States," said Johnson. "Public policy and international
relations are really where my heart lies."
Johnson will receive financial support toward tuition and living expenses for her
two years of graduate school; including two paid internships, one domestic and one
overseas. Upon receiving her Master's degree, Johnson will serve five years as a
U.S. Foreign Service Officer for the State Department.
"This is an outstanding achievement," said Dr. Assis Malaquias, chair of the Global
Studies and Maritime Affairs Department. "Cadet Johnson represents the very best of
Cal Maritime. Being selected for The Pickering Fellowship is a testament to her superior
academic skills and dedication to service. She is a true leader both in and outside
the classroom."
Last summer, Johnson interned with the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, preparing
a report on African maritime security agencies and their operations. The final report
will be distributed to various governments on the continent to help them better coordinate
their operations. The previous summer, Johnson interned at the Institute for Global
Conflict & Cooperation as a Research Analyst, and also as the Program Assistant for
the Public Policy & Nuclear Threats symposium, where she assisted with planning and
logistics.
A first-generation college student, Johnson was raised in a family where several
of her relatives were career U.S. Naval employees, and she developed an interest in
serving the U.S. early on. Encouraged by the stories told around the dinner table
by her great-grandfather, a retired Naval Commander, Johnson decided that a life of
public service was her goal. Originally setting her sights on the U.S. Navy's intelligence
division, Johnson eventually decided that she would be more effective working for
diplomacy and change as a Foreign Service Officer.
"I feel I can personally do more for the United States' relationships with the rest
of the world in this way," Johnson stated. "Diplomacy is at the core of policy and
international relations as the world changes so rapidly. I want to be at the forefront
of that change."
The Thomas R Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program is named in honor of one
of the most distinguished American diplomats of the 20th century. Ambassador Pickering
holds the rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the Foreign Service, where
he served for over 23 years, before retiring as the Undersecretary of State for Political
Affairs.
Students in Cal Maritime's Global Studies and Maritime Affairs major develop an interdisciplinary
understanding of the maritime domain, maritime policy, the management of the global
supply chain, and the ethical, communication, and critical thinking skills needed
to make positive contributions in the global environment.
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ABOUT CAL MARITIME
Established in 1929, California State University Maritime Academy is the only degree-granting
maritime academy on the West Coast. Located in Vallejo, California, the campus offers
undergraduate degrees that prepare students for careers in engineering, transportation,
international relations, business, and global logistics. Cal Maritime also offers
a master’s degree in Transportation and Engineering Management, as well as a number
of extended learning programs and courses.