The new fellows had the opportunity to interact with members of ABAA and TLG. The highlight of the reception were speeches by Retired Ambassador Thomas Pickering and Congressman Emeritus Charles Rangel, for which the Pickering and Rangel Programs are named. Congressmen Gregory Meeks also gave the Fellows good advice about professionalism and the need to look to the possibilities of their future contributions to U. S. Diplomacy.

After an intensive orientation, the Rangel and Payne Fellows will do internships in the U.S. Congress while the Pickering Fellows will intern at the Department of State. They will then go to universities throughout the country to do graduate study in fields related to international affairs. Upon graduation they will, hopefully, enter the Foreign Service of the United States.