THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2024 67 AFSA NEWS AFSA Welcomes USAID and State Cohorts On Oct. 1, 7, and 16, AFSA welcomed two new cohorts of Foreign Service professionals, hosting a luncheon for incoming USAID Foreign Service officers and two luncheons for the September 2024 State Department orientation class. The Oct. 1 luncheon celebrated the arrival of 22 new USAID FSOs representing nine different backstops including executive officers, financial management officers, agriculture officers, and economists. The group brings rich experience: They speak a combined 11 languages, including Arabic, French, Russian, and Swahili, and have lived, worked, or studied in 71 countries across the globe. They have had colorful personal experiences, such as cycling across 10 countries and bungee jumping into the Nile River. Eleven participants have previous experience with USAID, adding valuable perspectives to the team. Others come from the nonprofit sector, private industry, other U.S. government agencies, and international organizations. On Oct. 7, AFSA welcomed the September 2024 State Department orientation class at two separate luncheons. This cohort includes approximately 235 Foreign Service professionals, 51 percent of whom are generalists while 49 percent are specialists. Fellows make up a quarter of the class, including 34 Pickering Fellows, three Rangel Fellows, nine Foreign Affairs Information Technology (FAIT) Fellows, and nine Consular Fellows. Women comprise 44 percent of the total class, while 57 percent of the generalists are women. The class includes 31 political officers, 29 public diplomacy officers, 24 Diplomatic Security special agent candidates, and 26 office management specialists, along with a mix of construction engineers, financial management officers, and facility managers. Around 60 percent of these new hires have previous ties to the State Department as direct hires, interns, contractors, or eligible family members. Additionally, nearly 25 percent have served in other federal government roles, including as Peace Corps volunteers. Their expertise spans a variety of fields, including architecture, law, engineering, and project management. Many have also honed their skills abroad, with nearly 70 percent familiar with at least one foreign language and 40 percent speaking two or more. The class is rich with unique experiences, including teaching yoga to cabinet ministers in Djibouti, defusing bombs, creating Nepal’s first digital library, and volunteering at a carbon-negative farm in Costa Rica. Welcome to the new USAID and State members. n Foreign Policy at Chautauqua During the week of Sept. 23, AFSA collaborated with the Road Scholar program to present a weeklong series of foreign policy lectures at the historic Chautauqua Institution in upstate New York. The series attracted 150 participants from more than 25 U.S. states, with one attendee traveling from as far away as Perth, Australia. Set against the backdrop of Chautauqua’s rich tradition of intellectual engagement and the beautiful lake of the same name, the event featured in-depth discussions on a range of international issues, including U.S. foreign assistance, Middle East turmoil, an aggressive Russia, and life in the Foreign Service. The Chautauqua Institution is a nonprofit, 750-acre community on Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State. It is dedicated to exploring the best in human values and enriching life through programs that address religious, social, and political issues, encouraging creative and thoughtful engagement. Chautauqua is celebrating its sesquicentennial in 2024. AFSA/NIKKI GAMER The program included talks by AFSA President Tom Yazdgerdi, former AFSA President Ambassador Eric Rubin, Ambassador John O’Keefe, Jim Bever, Molly Williamson, Roberta Mahoney, and Steve Herman. Their perspectives and expertise provided participants with a vivid window into the complexities of global affairs. The series was part of AFSA’s ongoing outreach efforts to enhance public understanding of the vital work that the Foreign Service performs in implementing U.S. foreign policy. n AFSA speakers at Chautauqua. Clockwise from back left: Eric Rubin, John O’Keefe, Tom Yazdgerdi, Steve Herman, Roberta Mahoney, and Molly Williamson.
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