Meet Rangel Fellow David Luna

David Luna, an International Security major and first year student at Josef Korbel School, is completing his graduate education with the help of a Rangel Fellowship.

Luna, a graduate of Hobart William Smith Colleges, completed a one-hour writing sample and an in-person interview with a panel of former U.S. ambassadors and diplomats in order to become one of 20 students nation-wide to take part in the fellowship.

The Rangel Graduate Fellowship is a program that aims to attract and prepare young student for careers in the Foreign Service.

After receiving the fellowship in March of 2013, Luna spent the summer interning in D.C. for Congressman Jose Serrano, helping the legislative aid in foreign affairs, attending meetings and looking over speeches involving Asia.

“I’m going to be a political officer when I join the Foreign Service so I thought that would help me in terms of the analysis and East Asia is my focus so a lot of security is synonymous with East Asia right now,” Luna said.

Living in Denver represents a change in scenery for the New York native. According to Luna, the change in scenery that would come from moving to Denver was one of many incentives to attend Josef Korbel School.

“I was sold on Korbel before I applied for the Rangel Fellowship. I like the Security program and the fact that the Dean is a former ambassador. My whole life has been on the East Coast. I love New York City, but I wanted to try something different and new now before I join the Foreign Service,” Luna said. “People’s mentalities are different here, compared to the East Coast. I’m embracing change and learning to work in a different environment,”

During the summer between his first and second years of grad school, Luna will complete an internship abroad at a U.S. embassy as a part of the fellowship program.