The Department of Government and Politics (GVPT) is proud to announce that May Soe Min, GVPT student, has been awarded the 2025 Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship. After graduation, she will pursue a Master of Arts in International Relations at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and, upon completing her graduate studies, will join the U.S. Foreign Service as a Foreign Service Officer.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Pickering Fellowship is one of the most competitive and prestigious programs in the country for students pursuing careers in international affairs. It supports the next generation of Foreign Service Officers through graduate funding, mentoring, and internships.

May expressed her gratitude to the many individuals and programs at University of Maryland (UMD) who helped make this achievement possible.

“This opportunity would not have been possible without the support of MIDCM and Dr. John McCauley, Dr. Janelle Wong, Ms. Danusia Hubah, Dr. Arasan and the Global Fellows team, Dr. Duvinage and Dr. Bustamante from the National Scholarships Office, and Ms. Melissa Del Rios and the entire Incentive Awards Program team,” she wrote.

She also extended heartfelt thanks to the entire GVPT Department—both faculty and advising—for cultivating her passion for international relations.

“The courses I’ve taken over the past four years have been not only intellectually fulfilling but deeply enriching,” she shared. “Receiving this fellowship would not have been possible without the constant encouragement, mentorship, and support from the professors and the GVPT team.”

As she prepares for this exciting new chapter, May says she will carry the lessons and relationships from her time at UMD with her.

“A career that once felt far out of reach has become possible because of you all. I will always remain grateful for my time at UMD and the GVPT community.”

Please join us in congratulating May Soe Min on this remarkable achievement and wishing her the very best in her future endeavors.