Baruch Senior Wins United Nations Association-USA Fellowship
January 31, 2025
Baruch College student Adriana Maria Lopez-Tavares (’25) is set to fulfill her dream of advancing human rights by joining the United Nations Secretariat, Office for Disarmament in the spring.
Lopez-Tavares won a coveted United Nations Association-USA Fellowship (UNA-USA) which provides financial assistance to those from underrepresented communities who receive internships with the United Nations. This Fellowship, a “first-of-its-kind” scholarship, comes with numerous benefits such as stipends of up to $13,000, mentorships, networking opportunities, and access to expert-led conferences and meetings on international peace and security.
“This experience will broaden my horizons, helping me see what the world has to offer and encouraging me to think bigger for my career,” said Lopez-Tavares, who is majoring in business administration with Honors in Economics and a minor in Latin America and Caribbean Studies.
She added, “As a first-generation low-income student, unpaid internships can present financial challenges, but this fellowship has provided the necessary support to overcome them. This internship will be instrumental in shaping my understanding of global security issues and human rights efforts.”
Career Focus on Human Rights
For Lopez-Tavares, the mission of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs—which provides support to disarmament issues, preventive measures, and regional disarmament efforts—align with her deep interest in human rights.
“Disarmament is a critical aspect of human rights that helps end violence and allows communities to grow and thrive,” Lopez-Tavares explained. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to explore this field through the initiatives my office pursues.”
“The field of human rights attracts me because I want to serve others and contribute to community development.”
Lopez-Tavares credits her background for inspiring her to pursue solutions to economic disparities and supporting marginalized communities.
“My family is from a small village in the Dominican Republic, and we immigrated to Brooklyn, New York when I was a child,” she stated. “My background has fueled my interest in addressing poverty, empowering low-income communities, and advancing human rights through international economic development.”
“The field of human rights attracts me because I want to serve others and contribute to community development.”
About the UNA-USA Fellowship
Announced in 2022 by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the UNA-USA Fellowship engages students, faculty, and staff at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Schools for the Blind and Deaf, and the LGBTQ community to build student success, expand networks, and develop the next generation of global leaders that reflects the diversity of the audiences they serve.
Fellowship Advising Support for Baruch Students
Baruch College’s Fellowship Advising Office supports students interested in applying for nationally competitive scholarships to study abroad, get professional development, and receive graduate study assistance.
Learn more about how the office mentors and advises all Baruch students through the application process for various fellowships and scholarships such as Fulbright awards, Schwarzman Scholarships, Jeannette K. Watson Fellowships, Gilman International Scholarships, Freeman-ASIA scholarships, and more.