Mazin Melegy, a sophomore majoring in history with a minor in international relations, has been awarded the prestigious Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP) Fellowship. The IIPP is a highly selective, nationally competitive program for minority students interested in pursuing careers in international affairs. Each fellowship award is valued at nearly $100,000 over a five-year period.
In June, Melegy, a native of Parsippany, N.J., will begin his IIPP experience with a five-week program held at Spelman College in Atlanta, GA. The first of two summer policy institutes experiences, this program will introduce him and the other 14 fellows to the basics of international policy development, foreign affairs, cultural competence, careers in these fields, and options for graduate study.
The IIPP also provides support for study abroad, and Melegy plans to spend the spring semester of his junior year at the American University in Cairo where he will study Arabic and Middle Eastern studies. In addition to a semester of international study and intensive foreign language training, his funding covers internships linked to his areas of interest, and a master's degree.
Margery Ganz, director of study abroad programs, professor of history, and Co-Director of the IIPP Sophomore Summer Policy Institute at Spelman College, will be Melegy's adviser while in Atlanta. Ganz, who also is a University of Rochester alumna, said that the competition this year was particularly intense. "We received more than 100 applications from qualified students all over the United States for only 15 fellowships," She added. "I'm delighted to have the opportunity to once again work with a student from my alma mater."
Melegy also is the recipient of the University of Rochester's Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass Award for Social Sciences and Humanities. He has made Dean's List each semester.
Only one previous University of Rochester student has been the recipient of the IIPP Fellowship. In 2005, Mariana Bojaca '07, of Flushing, NY, who majored in anthropology and international relations, used her scholarship to study at the American University in Cairo. She is currently serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica.
IIPP is funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the UNCF Special Programs Corporation to provide students from underrepresented minority groups with the education and training necessary for entering and advancing in international affairs. Now in its 15th year, IIPP has placed more than 300 Fellows in more than 50 countries across the globe to study foreign affairs and global policy. Students may apply for the Fellowship during their sophomore year of undergraduate study.