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The Woodrow Wilson Foreign Policy Fellowship is a highly competitive program offering qualified mid to senior-level congressional staff an opportunity for in-depth focus and engagement on critical foreign policy issues relevant to the Congressional agenda.
The Fellows will be selected on a competitive, bipartisan basis from both House and Senate Congressional offices. The Fellowship Program is also open to exceptional rising leaders who staff other U.S. policymakers who are keenly interested in foreign policy issues.
Application Due March 18
The Need
Every day, Congressional staff advise Members on the conduct of U.S. foreign and defense policy. There is a critical need for both Members and their personal staff to be both up-to-date and well-versed in the nuances of a wide range of complex issues.
The Solution
The Woodrow Wilson Foreign Policy Fellowship Program helps fulfill this need by offering an exclusive six-week Seminar Series, conducted by leading scholars, analysts and policy practitioners.
Topics Will Include:
- Iran's Nuclear Program
- China as an Emerging Global Power
- U.S.-Russian Relations
- The Future of the Arab Awakening
- Maximizing Congress' role in Foreign Policy
All Fellows will be selected on a competitive, bipartisan basis.
What the Fellowship Offers
The core of the Fellowship Program is a six-week Seminar Series which will allow the Fellows to interact, debate and discuss key issues with some of the nation’s leading foreign policy thinkers and practitioners. Each session will focus on encouraging analytical approaches and fresh perspectives on a specific issue and will include a recommended reading list. The program will also include opportunities for Fellows to develop materials relevant to the Congressional agenda, such as one-minute speeches, op-eds, and policy briefs. The participants will be involved in shaping the topic of the final session in the series.
In addition to the substance, the Seminar Series will help foster bipartisanship and create, over time, a network of alumni who are knowledgeable about the issues as well as committed to a more collegial and open dialogue.
Fellows who successfully complete the program will receive a certificate from the Wilson Center.
Annual Conference and Alumni Program
After completing the Seminar Series, Fellows will be inducted into our alumni program. At the end of the year, all Fellows, Congressional Members, and policy leaders will be invited to an annual dinner and a signature “Day at the Wilson Center” event, featuring a keynote speaker and expert panels on timely foreign policy issues.
During the Seminar Series, and after as alumni, Fellows will be invited to attend Wilson Center events, panels, and programs, including the National Conversations run in partnership with NPR. Fellows will also be able to draw on the expertise and knowledge of the 150 resident scholars – a diverse, competitively-selected group of policymakers, academics and executives from both the public and private sectors –the Wilson Center hosts each year from the U.S. and around the world.
Sponsors
The Woodrow Wilson Foreign Policy Fellowship Program is generously supported by Carnegie Corporation of New York and The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.
