By Anne Levin
A new post-graduate fellowship program in France recently selected 30 American students from a pool of 3,400 applicants for its inaugural cohort. Among them is Braeden Carroll, who graduated from Princeton University last month with a degree in civil and environmental engineering.
Just a few hours before boarding a plane for Paris, where he will pursue a master’s degree in energy environment science technology and management at the Ecole polytechnique, the 22-year-old New Jersey native shared his thoughts on this next chapter of his life.
“I’ve never been to France,” said Carroll. “I took it as a language in middle school, but that’s it. I wanted to push my boundaries beyond New Jersey, and when I started setting my sights on going to graduate school and found this brand-new program that the French embassy has developed for this year, I threw my hat into the ring. I’m super excited. This will be all new to me — a new journey.”
The Lafayette Fellowship is offered by the Villa Albertine French Institute for Culture and Education. The 30 participants pursue a fully funded program for STEM, the humanities, social sciences, and the arts at a French university or “grande ecole.” Selection of the first cohort followed a national process, chaired by Nobel Prize-winning economist Esther Duflo.
“By giving exceptional young Americans the opportunity to study, live, and build lasting ties in France, we are creating a powerful community of future leaders who will shape the next chapter of transatlantic cooperation,” said Mohamed Bouabdallah, cultural counselor of France in the U.S. and director of Villa Albertine, in a press release.
In addition to his academic studies, Carroll and his colleagues will take part in the French-American Leadership Program — a year-long series of lectures, master classes, site visits, and mentorship — immersing them in European innovation, culture, and policy.
“The program aims to deepen academic and cultural exchange between France and the U.S. and nurture future leaders,” the release reads. “The Fellowship will encourage reflection on major global challenges, such as environmental challenges and sustainability; health and biotechnology; peace and security; social equity and democratic issues; digital technologies; and artificial intelligence.”
“We’ll meet with members of the government and academic institutions, attend conferences and master classes,” said Carroll. “We’ll explore different issues from our American perspective and the French perspective. The idea is to foster a lifelong relationship between the two countries.”
The school Carroll will attend is a half-hour southwest of Paris. His program of study will focus on combining the technology and engineering that go into sustainable energy projects. He looks forward to bridging the gaps between the two.
“Our environmental policy in this country is not the most supportive that could exist,” he said. “I’m excited to see how France approaches protecting the environment, which is a little more progressive. I want to be exposed to how more of the world is doing this, and bring it back to the U.S.”