Online Event: Diversity in Defense, Development, and Diplomacy: HBCU Career Advancement

The United States is fortunate to have a diverse society that strengthens its capabilities in defense, development, and diplomacy in foreign policy. However, minority communities are still disproportionately underrepresented in these sectors. One way the U.S. can remedy its lack of diversity in foreign policy is by tapping into the value of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Collectively, there are over 100 HBCUs that serve nearly 300,000 students from around the world. HBCUs have allocated significant resources for career development in international affairs for students, but a gap remains between those who study these topics and those who enter the field.

Only 4 percent of International Politics scholars in the United States identify as Black, Afro-Caribbean, or African-American, despite making up more than 14 percent of the U.S. population. An impediment for students of color is access to knowledge about how to get into the international affairs field. There are clear international career options in the foreign service and in development, though many students do not know that there is a world of international work in the U.S. government beyond these agencies. Students of color should be encouraged to explore international opportunities in the private and nonprofit sector, and in a variety of other disciplines.

This event will address increasing access and understanding about entering public service for minority students, particularly those enrolled in HBCUs, and will discuss the complex hiring practices for many U.S. government agencies. The event will also highlight the U.S. foreign policy and national security benefits of diversity in defense, development, and diplomacy.

We highly encourage current and former HBCU students, faculty, and staff members to attend this event.

This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.