On Wednesday, February 17th, Career Services will be hosting Hometown Diplomat, Dr. Mike Lebson from the State Department. The Secretary’s Hometown Diplomats Program reaches hundreds of Americans every year and serves as one of the best ways to connect diplomats with students, social and professional organizations, and local media. Since the program’s inception in 2002, The Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of Public Engagement (OPE) has provided opportunities for approximately 1,200 Foreign Service and Civil Service employees to address American audiences about their careers and experiences.
The Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of Public Engagement, has reinvigorated our Hometown Diplomats program, emphasizing virtual connects and a broad reach to underscore the importance of engaging Americans as partners in foreign affairs. Reconceived as Engage America, the Hometown Diplomats program has facilitated tech-based engagements with overseas posts, with a particular focus on reaching out to classrooms and community groups in underserved American communities. Every Foreign Service and Civil Service employee in the Department and USAID has been encouraged to engage with the American people on the value of diplomacy and development. Dr. Lebson will be "virtually" joining students to discuss and answer questions pertaining to foreign service, the application process for working in foreign policy with the State Department as well as the challenges and rewards of working in the field. Dr. Lebson will also talk about how his experiences at the University of Maryland helped guide and prepare him for where he is today.
Mike Lebson is from Baltimore, Maryland, and a double UMD alumni and has been working in foregin service for the past nine years. He is a Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel, and has previously served in Libya, Yemen, Australia, and Tel Aviv, Israel. He also served in the Peace Corps in Tonga from 2001 to 2003. While Mike has not worked in Washington, D.C., he plans to in the future and is prepared to discuss his role and relationships with those who do have foregin policy positions in D.C. If you would like, please see the attached document for more information about Dr. Lebson.
If you are interested in attending this informational session with Dr. Mike Lebson to learn more about careers in foregin policy and the State Department, please fill out the RSVP form by Monday, February 15th. On this form you will have a section to write any questions you may have for Dr. Lebson in order to provide a heads up of some things that students are curious about/ interested in.
Please keep in mind that by registering for this event, your attendance the day of is expected. Not showing up after committing to the event not only tarnishes the image of the School of Public Policy, but also the reputation of yourself as a young professional. If for some reason you are no longer able to attend once you RSVPed, please contact myself at mgrim@terpmail.umd.edu NO LATER than Monday, February 15th by 5:00PM.