Mirian Hernandez selected as Rangel Scholar

ISSUED: 14 May 2024
MEDIA CONTACT: Cecelia Mason

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV - A Shepherd University student will spend much of her summer in Washington, D.C. as a Rangel Scholar. Mirian Hernandez, a junior political science major from Kearneysville, West Virginia, is one of 15 undergraduate students from throughout the United States chosen to participate in the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program organized by the U.S. Department of State at Howard University.

The six-week program, named for Cong. Charles B. Rangel, seeks to prepare outstanding young people for careersas diplomats in the U.S. Department of State Foreign Service. The program encourages applications from members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, including women and those with financial need.

"Mirian's selection for this highly competitive program reflects her quality as a student and her commitment to service on campus and beyond," said Dr. Samuel Greene, co-chair, Department of Social and Applied Behavioral Sciences. "Mirian has great potential to serve her country in foreign affairs, and her selection for the Rangel program is a fantastic recognition of her accomplishments and an investment in her future."

Hernandez serves as a TRIO Ambassador on campus, where she mentors first-year students and represents TRIO Student Support Services, an organization for first-generation, disabled, and/or income-eligible students. She also is part of Shepherd's Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars and volunteers with ENGin, a nonprofit that connects Ukrainian youth to international volunteers for cultural and language exchange.

Opportunities to apply for scholarships such as the Rangel Scholars program are made possible through the Paul and Lisa Welch Distinguished Awards Program at Shepherd. The program was established to provide targeted assistance to Shepherd students and faculty preparing for competitive prestigious scholarships, fellowships, and award programs such as Gilman, Fulbright, Rhodes, and MacArthur. For more information about these scholarship opportunities, contact Greene.

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