Cyber Student Balances School and Life as a Foreign Affairs Technology Fellow

With diversity immigration visas in hand, Dhiraj Lamsal and his wife, Namrata Chapagain, left their native Nepal in January 2015 for the United States, settling in Baltimore and a new life. Lamsal had studied animal science in Nepal, but he soon found that pursuing this field in the United States would not be the best fit.

After seeing the many jobs available in computer science, he opted for that career path. Nearly a decade later, he is the holder of a highly competitive fellowship with the U.S. State Department and on his way to an appointment in the Foreign Service.

It seems a long detour from animal science, but Lamsal said there was logic to his pivot.

"Everyone was talking about computers, which also interested me, so I took steps toward that because it seemed like a great opportunity," he explained. "I started from the beginning, getting my associate degree and then bachelor's."

While juggling family obligations and work, Lamsal and his wife both completed their associate degrees in Baltimore, Lamsal in applied science in computer information systems and Chapagain in nursing. They then enrolled at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), where Lamsal completed a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Technology in 2022 and Chapagain, a year later, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Chapagain is now a registered nurse at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

Lamsal held down several part-time jobs while working toward his bachelor's degree and stayed current in cybersecurity and IT by completing his CompTIA Security+, AWS, Azure and CCNA certifications. He is now working on GIAC certifications. While searching for scholarship opportunities to continue his education, he discovered the highly selective Foreign Affairs Information Technology Fellowship (FAIT).

Following a nationally competitive application process, Lamsal was among the 15 individuals selected by the U.S. Department of State for the fellowship's 2024 cohort. The two-year FAIT program is a pathway to a career in the Foreign Service, culminating in an appointment as a diplomatic technology officer.

Through FAIT, Lamsal will receive academic funding for his master's degree in cybersecurity technology at UMGC. He begins classes in October. The fellowship also includes two summer internships with stipend support: a domestic internship in Washington, D.C., at the Department of State and an overseas internship at a U.S. embassy or consulate.

For Lamsal, who speaks English, Nepali and Hindi fluently, the prospect of working overseas is exciting.

"The FAIT program offers me the opportunity to work anywhere in the world," he said.

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