Agents of Change Youth Fellowship

Fellowship Description

The Wilson Center is pleased to announce a call for applications for its “Agents of Change Youth Fellowship,” an initiative of its Middle East Program and Environmental Change and Security Program.

Recognizing the significance of the MENA region in climate response and the potential for youth leadership in the region to shape a more sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous future for the world, the Wilson Center is launching the 2025 cohort of the Agents of Change Youth Fellowship. This is a professional fellowship program for emerging leaders from the MENA region seeking meaningful careers at the intersection of climate change and security.

The 2025 cohort will have a focus on water:

In the Middle East and North Africa, one of the most water-scarce regions in the world, water insecurity is intensifying. By 2050, the entire MENA population is projected to face extreme water stress. Accelerating climate change, increasing demand, and persistent challenges in water management and infrastructure are all contributing to this crisis. Tackling these issues—and their links to the region's conflict dynamics—is crucial for fostering regional stability and supporting long-term peace, sustainability, and prosperity.   

The program for 2025 will have two components:

Seminar Series: The fellowship program will include a virtual seminar series covering key topics related to water in the MENA region, as well as sessions on technical policy writing and storytelling. The series will feature leading experts in the field and will provide Fellows with key insights and a foundation for their research. 

Capstone Projects: The Fellows will identify, develop, and complete a 3,000-word research paper focused on water in the MENA region that draws from their own experience and their research during the fellowship. Fellows will present and share their papers at a final in-person convening. The Wilson Center will compile and publish the papers in a collected volume.

NOTE: Selected fellows will be announced in January 2025. The fellowship will run from January 2025 - December 2025. Attendance to seminars will be required and primarily virtual until the final capstone convening. 

To Apply

Eligibility Requirements: The Agents of Change Program is open to applicants from countries in the MENA region with a minimum of a bachelor's degree and 3 years of work experience in a relevant field or a Master’s Degree and a proven interest in pursuing a career incorporating issues related to climate change, water, and peace. Candidates must be no older than 35 years of age at the time of submission.  

Location: Fellows can be located in any geographic location, but should have strong and consistent Internet access in order to participate in video conferences and required meetings.

All applicants must complete and provide the following materials:

1. Current resume or CV 
2. Cover letter
3. Completed application form (link at the top of this page)
4. Two letters of recommendation (please ask for letters to be sent directly to mep@wilsoncenter.org)
5. A short response (500 words maximum) to the following question: What is one strategy or approach you believe could effectively address the growing water insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa? Your response may focus on a single country or consider a regional perspective.

The application deadline is December 15, 2024

Please send application materials in a single PDF packet to mep@wilsoncenter.org with "Agents of Change Youth Fellowship Application" in the subject line. 
 

About The Wilson Center

Founded by Congress as a living memorial to President Wilson and based in Washington, D.C., the Wilson Center is a nonpartisan forum bridging the divide between research and policy decisions, particularly in the context of foreign policy. Wilson Center activities draw on considerable in-house expertise on every region of the world and transdisciplinary topics, including climate change, health, science and technology, and security. Through public and private convening, compelling reports and policy briefs, and engagement with our global network of scholars and policymakers, we identify and elevate actionable ideas and new.

The Wilson Center’s Middle East Program has over twenty years of experience analyzing U.S. interests in the MENA region - as well as complex themes such as security, defense, gender, and economic development. The program published two landmark reports marking the establishment of two new permanent initiatives, the Middle East Women’s Initiative and the Middle East and North Africa Workforce Development Initiative. Together these thematic areas focus on two key—yet underemphasized—areas of regional security: the development and empowerment of women, and job creation, and increasing employment through inclusive growth and education.

For over 25 years, the Wilson Center’s Environmental Change and Security Program (ECSP) has blazed a path forward on closely linked issues such as environment, population, health, and development - as well as security and foreign policy. Its award-winning blog, New Security Beat, provides in-depth research and short documentaries that analyze global trends and share local stories. Throughout its history, ECSP’s work has emphasized the environment and demographic trends' role in stability and economic growth. Through independent research and programming, ECSP experts have encouraged anticipatory and integrated thinking across the development, diplomacy, and defense sectors.