Kennesaw State student selected for highly competitive State Department fellowship

KENNESAW, Ga.
(May 20, 2022) — Prince Uduka, a Kennesaw State student studying information technology in the College of Computing and Software Engineering, was one of 15 students selected nationwide by the U.S. Department of State for the
Foreign Affairs Information Technology Fellowship. 

The fellowship program includes two summer internships, up to $75,000 in academic
funding for his junior and senior years, professional development programming, and
an appointment in the Foreign Service as an information management specialist upon
completion of the fellowship.  

“Working for the State Department is a distinguished honor that will allow me to serve
our nation,” Uduka said. “I am excited by the prospect of joining a program tasked
with the challenges of enhancing the readiness of our nation, while emphasizing on
the U.S. Department of State mission and operational outcomes.” 

Uduka, a first-generation college student, was born and raised in Nigeria and moved
to the United States when he turned 18. He earned an associate degree at another university
and worked for a few years to support himself before pursuing a bachelor’s degree
at Kennesaw State. 

“At one point, I was working two jobs and going to school,” Uduka said. “Juggling
those responsibilities was difficult, but I persevered because my dream has always
been to obtain my bachelor’s degree and work in the information technology field.” 

Through the fellowship, Uduka will complete a domestic internship in Washington, D.C.
in the summer of 2023 and an international internship at a U.S. embassy or consulate
in the summer of 2024. 

“I’ve had an interest in computers and information technology since I was little,”
said Uduka, who is a member of the Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society and fluent in both
English and Igbo. “This fellowship will allow me to work with different systems and
will give me the opportunity to work with diverse cultures and languages.” 

After successfully completing the program, fellows receive appointments as Foreign
Service information management specialists for the next five years and will use technology
skills to support U.S. diplomacy abroad. 

“This fellowship attracts top technology talent in the nation, and to be selected
is an incredible accomplishment,” CCSE Dean Sumanth Yenduri said. “We look forward
to watching Prince’s successes with the State Department.”

In the 2022 cohort, Uduka is one of eight undergraduate students selected for the
fellowship. This summer, he will attend orientation and begin the State Department’s
security clearance process.

– Abbey O’Brien Barrows
Photos provided by the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars

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A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.