The White House Fellows Program Office is currently inviting applications from eligible candidates from US for the fellowship program. This prestigious program offers fellows a chance to contribute to the nation as greater leaders in their respective communities, professions, and in public service. After the completion of the program, fellows become more experienced in public policy decision-making and better prepared to contribute to national affairs, thereby fulfilling the mission of the program.
Fellowship Provisions
Fellows receive a salary and benefits from the agency for which they work. Salary is paid uniformly at the federal pay grade GS-14, step 3. White House Fellows cannot receive compensation from any other source during their year of government service.
Work Placement
Engagement in the work of the federal government lies at the heart of a White House Fellowship. Work assignments can offer unparalleled experience working with senior administration officials on ever changing issues and challenges. This work often requires long hours and, at times, unglamorous duties that require as much perseverance as ability on the Fellows’ part.
White House Fellows typically spend a year as full-time, paid assistants to senior White House Staff, the Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries and other top-ranking government officials. Their assignments demand a capacity for quick learning and a willingness to work hard, often on issues outside of their area of expertise. Responsibilities range from chairing interagency meetings and designing and implementing federal policies, to drafting speeches for cabinet secretaries to representing their agencies on Capitol Hill and in international treaty negotiations.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
- Employees of the Federal government are not eligible unless they are career military personnel.
- Applicants must have completed their undergraduate education and be working in their chosen professions.
- There are no formal age restrictions. However, the Fellowship program was created to give selected Americans the experience of government service early in their careers.
Selection Criteria
A record of remarkable professional achievement early in one’s career.
- Evidence of leadership skills and the potential for further growth.
- A demonstrated commitment to public service.
- The skills to succeed at the highest levels of the Federal government, and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- All these qualities combined with the strength of one’s character, a positive attitude, and the ability to work well with others are taken into consideration when selecting a class of White House Fellows.
Selection Process
The selection process is very competitive. There can be as many as 1,000 applicants for the eleven to nineteen fellowships. The White House Fellows Program office processes the applications and former Fellows screen the applications to identify the most promising candidates. Approximately 100 of the most qualified applicants are selected to be interviewed by eight to ten regional panels, which are composed of prominent local citizens. Based on the results of their interviews, the regional panels select approximately thirty candidates to proceed as national finalists. All national finalists are required to undergo comprehensive background investigations to ensure that they qualify for the security clearance necessary for their fellowship work assignments.
Last date for submitting the applications is January 13, 2012
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