Zale Peart ’25 awarded Pickering fellowship to pursue Foreign Service career

The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program has named Zale Peart ’25 a fellow. The program attracts and prepares outstanding young people for Foreign Service careers in the U.S. Department of State, which funds the program. Fellows are selected based on demonstrated merit and financial need and receive up to $24,000 a year for two years of a relevant master’s program.

Upon successful completion of a master’s program and fulfillment of Foreign Service entry requirements, fellows work as Foreign Service Officers (FSO) in accordance with applicable law and State Department policy for a minimum of five years, serving in Washington, D.C., and at U.S. embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions around the globe. Peart hopes to serve for his entire career.

An International Relations and History double major, Peart has applied to multiple graduate schools with plans to study public policy or public affairs with a concentration in international affairs, or earn a degree in international affairs. Fellows currently represent the United States in areas as diverse as Africa, East Asia, Latin America, South Asia, Europe and Eurasia. They promote human rights, assist American citizens overseas, enhance prosperity and development, deepen ties between the United States and people around the world, and support U.S. global values and interests.

At Conn, Peart is a scholar on the Social Justice and Sustainability Pathway, cofounded the Black Student Union, has been a member of the Men of Color Alliance since his first year, is on the Honor Council and plays club baseball. He also plays the French horn in Conn’s orchestra and served on the selection committee for the 2025 commencement keynote speaker. “I've always been curious and tried a lot of things,” he said.

Peart has already built a solid foundation for his future career, which he said he’s been interested in since his sophomore year of high school. In summer 2024, he began the two-year United States Foreign Service Internship Program, working in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs and the Office of Development Finance in Washington, D.C. He will join an embassy abroad this summer for the internship’s second year. He has visited his parents’ home countries of Trinidad and Jamaica and studied away in Poland and Germany, where he studied security conflicts in central Europe. He will be visiting Tokyo soon to play in an orchestra.

“I always had a passion for conflict resolution, and in my cultural heritage from my parents. But I've also always wanted to learn more about drug trafficking, which has affected my neighborhood and my personal life as well. The war on drugs has played a role in making me realize that I want to do something with Western Hemisphere Affairs in Bucha, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.”

The Pickering fellowship offers a unique opportunity to promote positive change in the world. Howard University and the Bureau of Global Talent Management collaboratively run the program, which is grounded in the principle that a broad range of perspectives strengthens diplomatic efforts and fosters a comprehensive approach to global challenges.

“Zale is an excellent example of a student who has taken advantage of all of the opportunities available while at Conn and has really been intentional in his journey,” said Melissa Ryan, director of the Walter Commons for Global Study and Engagement and International Fellowships. “He came to the Walter Commons early and has consistently been in contact brainstorming ideas and seeking guidance. I am sure he will make an impact during his graduate studies and in his future career with the Department of State.”

Peart is grateful to those who helped him along the way, including Associate Professor of Government and International Relations Caroleen Sayej, as well as Professors of History Sarah A. Queen and Eileen Kane. “I’ve told professors that I want to be a Foreign Service Officer. There are so many names from my courses on the Soviet Union, the Cuban Revolution, Israel and Palestine. So many folks have helped me and encouraged me. Of course, my parents, Denise and Wayne, are so supportive of me, and my friends at Conn have always supported my career ambitions. When I got the fellowship and told them, they said, ‘We're really happy for you, but we're not surprised.’”

To his fellow and future Camels, Peart says, “If you have a goal for yourself, pursue it. Here on the Connecticut College campus, you can build a village around you to help you succeed. All you have to do is ask.”