July 5, 2011

UCSB Senior Named 2011 Harriman Fellow

Lucia Tapia, an undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara who is pursuing a double major in French and communication, has received a 2011 Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowship from the College of William & Mary and the U.S. State Department. She is one of only three recipients so honored. The others are Noura Elfarra of Stanford University and Elisabeth Ferland of Georgetown University.

Nationally competitive and highly selective, the Harriman Fellowships provide funding for college juniors and seniors participating in summer internships at the United States Embassies in London and Paris, and at the office of the Secretary of State in Washington, D.C. Tapia will complete her fellowship at the U.S. Embassy in Paris.

"Without the Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowship, interning for the U.S. Embassy in Paris would be impossible," Tapia said. "My dream of pursuing a career in foreign affairs will now be one step closer to reality." After graduating from UCSB, Tapia, who is also completing a minor in Spanish, plans to earn a master's degree in French at the University of Paris-Sorbonne, and pursue a career in diplomacy.

The fellowships, established in 2000 by the College of William & Mary in conjunction with the U.S. State Department, honors Pamela Harriman, the former ambassador to France. They are designed to inspire the best of a new generation to pursue careers in public service. An esteemed diplomat and recipient of France's Legion of Honor medal, Harriman set a standard that young Americans are now challenged to meet, through the fellowships in her name.

About UC Santa Barbara

The University of California, Santa Barbara is a leading research institution that also provides a comprehensive liberal arts learning experience. Our academic community of faculty, students, and staff is characterized by a culture of interdisciplinary collaboration that is responsive to the needs of our multicultural and global society. All of this takes place within a living and learning environment like no other, as we draw inspiration from the beauty and resources of our extraordinary location at the edge of the Pacific Ocean.