The University of Maryland School of Public Policy announces Mariam Kone as the 2022 McLarty Associates Fellow in recognition of her exemplary academic achievement and dedication to public policy. This highly selective fellowship was established by McLarty Associates, a distinguished international strategic advisory firm headquartered in Washington, DC. The fund supports outstanding graduate students in the School of Public Policy by championing education and career cultivation of future international affairs professionals through a competitive internship and invaluable professional development.
Through her fellowship, Kone will support McLarty’s Africa practice, under the direct supervision of Senior Associate Jonathan Gass and led by Ambassador Terrence McCulley. She will be paired with a formal mentor during her time at McLarty, who will routinely guide and mentor her on career and professional development.
“Mariam’s passion for pursuing diplomacy, her outstanding background and her engaging spirit stood out to us above the impressive candidate pool of School of Public Policy students,” said Safiya Ghori-Ahmad, regional director at McLarty Associates.
Born and raised in Burkina Faso, Kone came to the School of Public Policy by way of New York City. She is currently in her second year of the public policy master’s program and will be graduating this May. After receiving her degree, Kone would like to work on economic development policies, especially with multilateral organizations focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa.
“My long-term goal is to work as a foreign affairs officer to promote gender equality programs and incentives. In the same vein, I would like to start a cohort of powerful young women who can mentor other young women interested in gender and development policy in New York schools,” said Kone. “I know that with the assistance of the Mclarty Associates Fellowship and their outstanding expertise in the field, I will attain my career goals and bring forth profound contributions to my home country and the United States.”
The School and McLarty Associates partnered in 2020 with the shared mission to broaden the range of students pursuing careers in international policy. The partnership leverages McLarty Associates’ extensive experience in global policy issues to provide internship, fellowship and professional development opportunities to the School’s graduate students — the next generation of policy leaders. The collaboration also builds upon the School’s diverse graduate student body, which hosts students from a range of backgrounds, to promote inclusivity in the field of international affairs and diplomacy and to strengthen our nation’s Foreign Service and related international affairs fields.
