Right before the world shut down five years ago due to COVID-19, Miguel Lua was in Guatemala, standing in front of a classroom, using his fluent Spanish to help young students grasp English. The Peace Corps volunteer had found his calling — bridging cultures, serving communities, and representing the United States abroad. But then, the pandemic hit. Overnight, his service was cut short, and he was forced to return home, unsure of what was next.
Determined to continue in public service, he applied for the Payne Fellowship — a prestigious program designed to bring underrepresented Americans into the U.S. Agency for International Development’s foreign service. Twice, he was denied. On his third attempt, he was finally accepted.
Now, halfway through his fellowship, Lua has again been left in limbo — along with dozens of other students — by the program’s sudden suspension. “We’re all game for this still, even given the circumstances,” he said. “Public service is a noble calling, and we actively want to serve the American people.”
About the author
Ayenat Mersie
Ayenat Mersie is a Global Development Reporter for Devex. Previously, she worked as a freelance journalist for publications such as National Geographic and Foreign Policy and as an East Africa correspondent for Reuters.
