Johannes Matthews ‘25 Named Albrecht Fellow

Every year, Maryland students interested in careers in diplomatic relations apply for the prestigious Albrecht Fellowship. According to its website the fellowship is “open to any sophomore, junior, senior, or recent graduate considering a career that spans the globe, such as being a diplomat working for a multinational company, or joining a nonprofit organization with a global mission.”

Last October, junior Johannes Matthews ‘25 applied to be an Albrecht Fellow. He received his acceptance letter in December, and in February, he started the program along with a cohort of thirty-six students from all over the state. Literature from the fellowship describes them as “bright, driven young leaders on the road to being the next generation of leaders”. The fellowship program is comprised of a series of day-long sessions in which students work together to discuss issues and solve problems, and hear lectures from experts in the field of diplomacy and international relations.

Johan is excited about the program, which he will fund in part with an award he earned from being named a Williams Scholar. He has long been fascinated with international relations, and plans to study diplomacy in college, but he realizes that the skills he will learn as an Albrecht Fellow transcend any one academic major. “In any field, it's important to know how to connect with people from other cultures,” he says, “These are lifelong skills that will serve me well no matter what I end up doing.”

He credits his involvement in Model UN with helping to foster his interest in the subject. “[Model UN] involves finding compromises that fit other country's unique needs, understanding their interests, and aligning them with your own interests,” he says.

Mr. Justin Hill ‘91, the faculty sponsor and coach of Model UN, raves about Johan’s natural talent for Model UN. “Johan has always gone to his own drummer in forming his own views about national and global affairs,” says Mr. Hill, “He combines a natural curiosity with keen critical thinking and sound research abilities to come to his own informed opinions on a wide range of subjects.”

    To Mr. Hill, Johan is an ideal candidate for the Albrecht Fellowship: “I have no doubt that he will get and contribute a tremendous amount to the program he was awarded entry to.”