COUNCIL ON
REPRESENTATIVE
LEADERSHIP ABROAD
FOR STUDENTS
Your global career journey starts with CORLA.
CORLA connects students like you directly with diplomats, foreign policy experts, and global business leaders through curated speaking engagements and career-focused conversations. Our network of global leaders is committed to showing you what's possible and our Global Fellows program can help you get there!
"I thought the State Department was the only path to a foreign policy career. I have so much more research to do now."
Freshman, Howard University
Many students assume that representing America abroad means diplomacy alone, but in reality, global careers span dozens of sectors and the professionals CORLA connects you with are leading across all of them.
GLOBAL CAREERS SNAPSHOT
The Foreign Service & Diplomacy
Government & Foreign Policy
National Security & Defense
International Trade & Commerce
International Law
Global Health
Policy Research & Think Tanks
Global Finance & Banking
Multinational Corporations
Whether you're studying political science, business, public health, law, economics, or something else entirely, America has a global career that uses it.
GLOBAL FELLOWS PROGRAM
The Global Fellows Program is an innovative semester-long fellowship that equips exceptional students from minority-serving institutions with the access, career guidance, and professional network needed to pursue careers at the highest levels of American foreign policy and international business. The program runs each spring and fall semester.
Fellows do not simply learn about global careers, they build a concrete trajectory toward one.
Everything you need to pursue a global career. Nothing you don't
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
A career trajectory plan
A personalized, actionable career map to chart your path from where you are to where you want to be, created through a structured workshop process with peer reviews and industry professional insight.
Organizational Exposure
A cohort excursion to a leading Washington, D.C. think tank or federal agency to provide a firsthand look at the institutions shaping foreign policy and the professionals who work within them.
Access to hiring managers
Your participation in the program includes insights from HR professionals within both public and private global organizations, who can speak directly to the career paths you’re pursuing.
Global Fellows Credential
Upon successful program completion, fellows receive a formal certificate. This credential signals both preparation and selection by a recognized DC-based global career organization.
Peer Community
Membership in a cohort of 19 other motivated, pre-selected fellows from institutions across the region. It's a professional network built on shared ambition and a rigorous selection process.
Introduction to org. network
Fellows are introduced to our growing network of organizational partners committed to building a nationally representative career pipeline of talent, thus opening doors to future opportunities.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
Designed for students with ambitions to shape America’s role in foreign policy and business.
Nominations are made by your school, and we expect every new Fellow to arrive ready to do the work of building a real global career plan. Student nominees must meet the following criteria:
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Currently enrolled at a CORLA partner institution.
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Have attended a CORLA event and demonstrated genuine interest in international careers.
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Nominated by your institution. CORLA does not accept unsolicited applications.
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Committed to attending all six program touchpoints across the semester.
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Ready to produce a completed global career trajectory plan by program's end.
Your school nominates. CORLA selects. Acceptance to the program is competitive.
Each CORLA partner school can nominate a limited number of students for each cohort. Faculty and staff at your institution recommend students they believe are ready to make the most of the experience and committed to the program.
From those nominations, CORLA selects a cohort of 20 Global Fellows. Selected students join the Global Fellows program and become part of a highly selective community of emerging leaders.
For institutional partners: If your institution is interested in nominating students for the CORLA Global Fellows Program, please contact us to learn about partnership opportunities and nomination processes.
THE EXPERIENCE
Six touchpoints. One semester. Lasting momentum.
Ready to take the first step of your global career? Talk to a faculty advisor at your school about CORLA's nomination process.
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TOUCHPOINT 1 · VIRTUAL
Orientation & Cohort Launch
Fellows are welcomed into the cohort, introduced to the program structure, and complete a global career interest self-assessment which becomes the foundation of the individual trajectory plan.
TOUCHPOINT 2 · VIRTUAL
Assessing the Global Career Regional Landscape
A candid group conversation with a global HR professional on what entry into local global careers actually looks like — the timelines, the pathways, and what it takes to get there.
TOUCHPOINT 3 · IN PERSON
Workshop: Career Trajectory Plan
Fellows build their personalized global career trajectory plans using a CORLA-designed framework, with structured peer review built into the session so every fellow gets substantive feedback.
TOUCHPOINT 4 · IN PERSON
Cohort Excursion
The full cohort visits a leading Washington, D.C. think tank, NGO, or federal agency. Fellows engage with global professionals in real organizational settings and shadow the work of foreign policy professionals.
TOUCHPOINT 5 · VIRTUAL
Accountability & Milestones Check-in
Fellows report progress on their trajectory plans, and internship/job applications and next steps are confirmed. A peer accountability structure keeps momentum high.
TOUCHPOINT 6 · VIRTUAL
Completion & Reflection
Fellows who complete their trajectory plans and meet participation requirements receive their CORLA Global Fellows certificate and share key takeaways with cohort.
Interested in learning more or have questions about the Global Fellows Program?
We would love to hear from you, reach out to our team for more information.
Contact Us
Headquarters
Council on Representative Leadership Abroad, Inc.| CORLA USA
2021 L Street NW | Suite 101-201 | Washington, D.C. 20036
Email: admin@corla.org
Tel: 202-953-4073