Deadline: 31-Jan-23
The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is accepting applications for its Professional Fellows Program (PFP): Governance and Society & Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The PFP for Europe and Eurasia is a two-way, global exchange program designed to promote mutual understanding, enhance leadership and professional skills, as well as build lasting, sustainable partnerships between mid-level emerging leaders from foreign countries and the United States. PFP participants are placed in intensive 5-6 week fellowships in non-profit organizations, private sector businesses, and government offices across the United States for an individually tailored professional development experience.
Themes
- The Professional Fellows Program is divided between two themes;
- Governance and Society, and
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Program Elements
- Fellows will participate in a virtual Pre-Departure Orientation as well as an arrival orientation in Washington, DC
- Fellows will spend four weeks in an individually tailored fellowship experience working in a U.S. placement host organization
- Fellows will participate in a community service opportunity to engage with a U.S. community and participate in civic engagement
- Fellows will develop a follow-on Reciprocal Project proposal to complete a project that meets a specific objective and builds on their participation in the Professional Fellows Program
- Fellows will have a home hospitality experience with an American host family
- The U.S.-based exchange component will conclude with a capstone three-day Professional Fellows Congress in Washington, D.C.
Eligibility Criteria
- Be a citizen and resident of one of the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Serbia, Türkiye, and Ukraine. Applicants living outside of the eight eligible countries or on a long-term program will not be considered eligible to apply.
- Be an emerging leader in government, civil society, or the private sector who has demonstrated expertise pertaining to the respective theme under which they are applying.
- Be currently employed with at least two years of relevant professional experience at the time of application.
- Be a professional fit for the PFP theme that your country participates in
- Governance and Society – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Türkiye, Ukraine
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship – Belarus, Russia
- Citizens of Belarus residing outside of Belarus are eligible to apply, provided they left Belarus no earlier than August 2020.
- Be between 25 and 35 years old at the start of the program, applicants must be born on/after September 25, 1987 and no later than September 25, 1997. Anyone who turns 25 on the first day of the Fellowship or anyone who turns 36 during the course of the Fellowship is eligible.
- Be self-directed and able to work effectively in a cross-cultural setting.
- Be able to identify an objective/project of their own selection that the applicant would like to implement in their home workplace or community.
- Have demonstrated proficiency in both written and spoken English.
- Have demonstrated leadership and collaborative skills.
For more information, visit professionalfellows.org