My name is Kendall Gardner, and I’m an incoming senior in the Altman Program in International Studies and Business at Tulane. As an Altman Scholar, I am pursuing a dual degree in both the School of Liberal Arts and the A.B. Freeman School of Business, majoring in International Relations and Business Law. Additionally, a cornerstone of the Altman Program is obtaining fluency in a foreign language by studying abroad for the full junior year in target languages.
I have been working towards this goal in both Arabic and French by studying in Amman, Jordan in the fall and Paris, France in the spring. I have absolutely loved my time abroad, but I am excited to return to the States this summer for my internship and to re-integrate into the Tulane community for my senior year.
This summer I will be interning for the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Afghanistan Affairs as a 2019 Walter and Leonore Annenberg Fellow. I will be one of ten fellows selected by the Council of American Ambassadors to receive special programming to complement my State Department internship experience. I will be matched with a former U.S. Ambassador to serve as my mentor for the summer, and I will attend programming with the other fellows and their mentors.
Additionally, I will be taking courses at George Mason University with my fellowship cohort, and I will attend special events throughout the summer with Foreign Policy professionals in Washington. Beyond the fellowship component, I will be working on the Afghanistan Desk in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, where I will be given the opportunity to continue to learn about the region in a very exciting era for U.S.-Afghan relations. The Afghan presidential election will be occurring this summer, and I will be able to work extensively on this topic, along with other pertinent economic, political, and military events.
I’m very excited for all of the learning opportunities to come this summer, and I’m so thankful to NCI for their support of my pursuits. My five learning objectives for my internship are as follows:
- Develop an in-depth understanding of the current U.S.-Taliban peace process, including likely outcomes, U.S. strategy, Taliban goals, and the role of women in the negotiations.
- Discuss career trajectory and planning with former U.S. Ambassadors through the Annenberg Fellowship, specifically focusing on how to start this career as a woman interested in foreign policy.
- Extend my professional network to include at least one person from every major office in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, along with several members of the Bureau’s HR Department.
- Gain a clear vision of where I would like to work immediately after graduation, and if I believe I will be applying to the Foreign Service, then I would like to have a list of advice from my colleagues about entering at such a young age.
- Focus on my professional capabilities, such as professional writing, speech delivery, presentations, meeting development, note taking, and other office skills in order to have a polished skill set on the basics for a career in international affairs.
I’m so excited to delve into my passion for international relations, specifically in regards to U.S. policy on Afghanistan. I am also incredibly excited to receive mentorship from individuals who reached the highest level of diplomacy as U.S. ambassadors. This summer will present me with a very unique opportunity to discover the ins and outs of my dream career and to prepare for my life post-graduation. I am preparing for my fellowship by reading as much material as I can about the Afghan conflict, recent peace talks, and proposed solutions. I have also been looking over my syllabi and ordering my books for my classes!
NCI’s mission to educate undergraduate women for leadership in the 21st century is very important to me. I have been so lucky to receive NCI’s support throughout my time at Tulane, and I cannot wait to carry on their mission by participating in the Annenberg Fellowship program! I believe that this summer, I will be able to epitomize NCI’s mission by preparing myself to the best leader possible in a field that is predominately led by men. I am also eager to bring my knowledge back to campus at the end of the summer to encourage other Tulane women to consider competitive fellowships with the Department of State.
Overall, I cannot wait to return to Washington for the summer, and I couldn’t do it without the Newcomb College Institute!