Lydia Kang
M.S. in Foreign Service Student
Lydia Kang is a Master of Science in Foreign Service student concentrating in Global Politics and Security. Her interests lie in the intersection of human rights promotion, peacebuilding, and diplomacy.
Growing up in Virginia, Lydia graduated from Wheaton College with a B.A. in International Relations. She also earned a Pre-Law Certificate and minors in Spanish and Studio Art. During her undergraduate degree, Lydia studied abroad at the University of Oxford, focusing her research on South Korea’s and China’s policies towards incoming North Korean refugees.
Upon graduating, Lydia interned at a humanitarian aid and development INGO in Hanoi, Vietnam, where she supported programs serving Vietnamese ethnic minority groups. Passionate about global anti-human trafficking initiatives, Lydia has also interned on the legal team at International Justice Mission. She recently completed a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship at the university level in Madrid, Spain, co-teaching International Relations courses.
As a 2025 Charles B. Rangel Fellow, Lydia prepares to enter the U.S. Foreign Service with the State Department upon graduation. She is fluent in Spanish and can speak Korean and some Vietnamese.