Posted on Friday, May 12, 2023
Dexter Maryland named TSU's first Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow
Texas Southern University graduating senior Dexter Maryland has been awarded a 2023 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship following a highly competitive nationwide contest. A distinguished panel selected him out of almost 900 outstanding candidates. The Pickering Fellowship, funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University, supports extraordinary individuals who want to pursue careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State.
“To be the first in my family to not only graduate college, but to now have the opportunity to go to graduate school some of the top graduate schools in the country for free with a direct pipeline to working for the U.S. Foreign Service is a really big thing,” Maryland said.
The Pickering Fellowship will support Dexter through a two-year master’s degree in an area of relevance to the Foreign Service. It will also provide extensive professional development opportunities, including internships, mentors, and skills training. As part of the Pickering Fellowship Program, Dexter will work at the U.S Department of State for their domestic internship in the summer of 2024. In the summer of 2025, the U.S. Department of State will send him overseas to intern in a U.S. Embassy or Consulate to get hands-on experience with U.S. foreign policy and the work of the Foreign Service. Upon successful completion of the program, Dexter will become a U.S. diplomat in summer 2025, embarking on one of the most challenging and rewarding careers of service to his country. He will work to promote peace, prosperity, and human dignity around the world.
Maryland came to TSU with hopes of becoming an attorney. However, he says his career aspirations shifted when he saw how underrepresented African-Americans are in foreign affairs.
“I just want to serve. So, wherever it leads me, because I never thought I’d do foreign service, but it called out to me when I did my internship in D.C. and now I’m doing it. So, I’m in the career field of serving people. Wherever that leads me I’m willing to go, but I do want to be the President of the United States one day.”
Maryland was born and raised in Houston, Texas. During his time at Texas Southern, he received President's and Dean's list honors. He was a member of the Thomas F. Freeman Honors College and interned with the Congressional Black Caucus. Dexter became a 2020 Fellow with the Democratic National Committee and in 2021 he obtained an HBCU White House Scholar Recognition. He also worked as a Diversity Equity & Inclusion Intern with Pearson Education Company and is currently serving as Student Government Association President at Texas Southern University.
Dexter’s journey has now led him to the Pickering Fellowship, and he is excited to prepare for his career in diplomacy. Upon graduation, he will pursue a master’s degree in International Relations at Johns Hopkins University.
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