Following a highly competitive application process, Georgia Tech student Samay Chandna is one of 15 individuals nationwide selected by the U.S. Department of State for the notable Foreign Affairs Information Technology (FAIT) Fellowship.
In this two-year fellowship program, Chandna will receive up to $75,000 in academic funding for two years, two summer internships, professional development and mentorship. Upon successful completion of the fellowship, Chandna will receive an appointment in the Foreign Service as an Information Management Specialist.
A second-generation American, Samay Chandna was raised speaking Hindi and immersed in Indian culture. He is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering with a minor in international affairs at Georgia Tech. He has a lifelong passion for electronics and hardware and gained an appreciation for different cultures through his travels in India, Europe, and the U.S. Finding fulfillment in volunteer work, Chandna enjoys working with underprivileged students in the Atlanta Public Schools and volunteering at the Hive Makerspace at Georgia Tech.
As I finish up college, I am determined to embody the altruism that my mother always encouraged,” says Chandna. “The FAIT Fellowship provides an excellent opportunity to fulfill my goals and purpose holistically. I will have the opportunity to pursue my drive and passion through this incredible program.
Funded by the State Department, this two-year fellowship program seeks to attract highly talented, qualified candidates who are pursuing an undergraduate or graduate IT-related degree and are interested in a Foreign Service career. As a path to a career as a Foreign Service Information Management Specialist (IMS), the FAIT Fellowship program provides each fellow with:
- Up to $75,000 in academic funding over two years (junior and senior years of a bachelor’s degree program or a two-year master’s degree program)
- Two summer internships – one at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. and one at a U.S. embassy or consulate overseas
- Professional development and personalized mentoring during the fellowship program
After successfully completing the FAIT Fellowship program and the Foreign Service entry requirements, Fellows receive appointments as Foreign Service Information Management Specialists and begin exciting careers using their technology skills to support U.S. diplomacy abroad.
The FAIT Fellowship aims to attract top technology talent that represents the ethnic, racial, gender, social, and geographic diversity of the United States. The FAIT Fellowship encourages applications from women, minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, and those with financial need.
“We’re honored to partner with the U.S. Department of State on this important Fellowship program since its inception with the 2017 cohort,” said Kim Churches, TWC president. “The FAIT Fellowship program received applications from highly qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds across the United States, and we’re very proud of the 15 selected fellows for their achievement.”
Of the 15 FAIT Fellows for the 2022 cohort, seven are in the graduate fellowship and eight are in the undergraduate fellowship.
Graduate fellows and their most recent institutions:
- Toni Benn, Howard University
- Jacquetta Cook, University of Florida
- Anass El Bekkari, Franklin University
- Elton Hima, University of Maryland Global Campus
- Adetokunbo Okunoye, Xavier University
- Jacob Williams, Valparaiso University
- Andy Wu, Lehigh University
Undergraduate fellows and their current institutions:
- Samay Chandna, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Jolene Farley, Riverside City College
- Conrad Finos University of Texas at San Antonio
- Faith Lin, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
- Chad Peterson, Wake Technical Community College
- Kathryn Riordan, Indiana University Bloomington
- Jamal Seder, University of New Orleans
- Prince Uduka, Kennesaw State University
The 2023 application cycle for the FAIT Fellowship program is planned to begin in September 2022. Announcements will be posted online at https://www.faitfellowship.org/ and shared on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars
The Washington Center is the largest and most established student internship program in Washington, D.C. Since our founding, we’ve helped more than 60,000 young people translate their college majors into career paths. We use our scale and expertise to customize each student’s experience to be truly transformative.
About the U.S. Department of State
The Department of State’s mission is to protect and promote U.S. security, prosperity, and democratic values and shape an international environment in which all Americans can thrive. The Department’s workforce includes some 13,000 members of the Foreign Service, 11,000 Civil Service employees, and 45,000 locally employed staff at more than 270 diplomatic missions worldwide.