The theme for this year’s 12th Annual HBCU Foreign Policy Conference is “Building Leadership for the Diplomats of Tomorrow.” The Bureau of Global Public Affairs believes that in order to work for America, the U.S. Department of State must reflect the country with the persons we employ to elevate the Department’s mission. We truly believe the next generation of diverse leadership comes from nurturing aspiring Foreign Service and civil service diplomats with rich and unique experiences starting with this conference.   

This year's conference will take place virtually over two days for the first time due to the global health crisis caused by the pandemic. The Department’s traditions won’t change as we will remain to offer students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to engage with fellow alumni from the Department of State, subject matter experts, and recruiters.  Along with remarks from government officials, students will participate in virtual foreign policy and career discussions to enhance their knowledge on international affairs. There will be a virtual networking lunch supported by regional and functional bureaus, internal hiring managers, and recruiters from across the Department and interagency. During the afternoon, participants will join breakout sessions on regional and thematic foreign policy topics.