Carnegie Gaither Junior Fellowship applications now open

Apply for UW nomination to the Carnegie Endowment Gaither Junior Fellows Program: UW deadline Dec. 2!

Each year the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace offers approximately 13 one-year Gaither Junior Fellowships to uniquely qualified graduating seniors (in 2021-22) and individuals who have graduated during the past academic year (2020-21). Gaither Junior Fellows work as research assistants to the Endowment's senior associates and have the opportunity to conduct research for books, co-author journal articles and policy papers, participate in meetings with high-level officials, contribute to congressional testimony and organize briefings attended by scholars, journalists and government officials. Positions are paid, full-time positions for one year (salary is approx. $43,000 with full benefits).

Applicants must be nominated by their university to compete for these positions. UW applications for nomination to participate in the 2022-23 program are open now, and UW can nominate up to 3 candidates for the national competition. Applicants should have completed a significant amount of course work related to their discipline of interest. Language and other skills may also be required for certain assignments. Students who identify as members of historically underrepresented communities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Learn about UW’s application process for those seeking nomination. And read about Maha Alhomoud, 2021 Political Science grad and UW’s current Gaither Junior Fellow, selected last spring.

Candidates apply to work on specific research projects at the Carnegie Endowment. 2022-23 projects are:

1. Democracy, Conflict, and Governance 
2. American Statecraft – Background in history, international relations theory, or international economics is essential, along with an interest in military issues and U.S. foreign policy process.
3. Nuclear Policy 
4. Technology and International Affairs – Strong writing skills (ability to write well and assimilate feedback in a timely manner), diverse research skills (e.g., ability to find and distill content from scholarly and gray literature, ability to use Excel to organize and analyze information), attention to detail, and ability to communicate effectively with a diverse team are essential.
5. Middle East – Strong reading fluency and the ability to perform academic as well as on-line research in Arabic essential. Strong background in Middle East politics and/or history is a huge plus.
6. International Security and Political Economy [to work with the International Security and South Asia Program] – Quantitative data analysis and GIS skills are required. A strong mathematical background is a plus. Ideal candidates will have a strong academic background in international relations theory, political theory, or international political economy along with an interest in military issues.
7. Asia Program (China) – Mandarin Chinese reading skills required. 
8. Asia Program (Japan) – Japanese reading skills required.
9. Asia Program (Economics) – Mandarin Chinese reading skills a huge plus. Strong background in economics essential.

• Please note: Applicants for the Asia program with skills in two or more of the above areas (Chinese language skills, Japanese language skills, strong economics background) will be at an advantage when applying, regardless of their essay selection.

UW Applicant Information & Resources:

• UW deadline to apply for nomination: Dec. 2, 2021
• UW application information  
• UW online application form
• UW Information session: Wednesday, Oct. 27, 5:30-6:30 pm. Register to attend this zoom session (session materials will be available for those who can’t make it)

Gaither Junior Fellowship Eligibility requirements:

• Applicants must be graduating seniors or students who have graduated during the last academic year
• No one who has started graduate studies is eligible for consideration
• The Carnegie Endowment accepts applications only through participating universities via designated nominating officials (Robin Chang in UW’s Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards)
• You need not be a U.S. citizen if you attend a university located in the United States. However, all applicants must be eligible to work in the United States for a full 12 months from August 1 through July 31 following graduation. Students on F-1 visas who are eligible to work in the US for the full year (August 1 through July 31) may apply for the program. If you attend a participating school outside of the United States, you must be a US citizen (due to work permit requirements).
• Applicants should have completed a significant amount of course work related to their discipline of interest. Language and other skills may also be required for certain assignments.
• Applicants must pick one of the programs listed to apply to and respond to the corresponding essay question within the application materials.
• The selection process for the Junior Fellows Program is very competitive. Accordingly, applicants should be of high academic quality. Suggested minimum GPA is 3.5 or higher, though that is not a requirement.

Carnegie Endowment’s Diversity Initiative: “As an organization dedicated to pursuing global engagement and peace, we believe the work of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is enriched and should be informed by a diverse array of perspectives. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community among staff and partners and on our public platform. Carnegie seeks to increase the diversity of our junior fellow applicant pool. We strongly encourage participating universities to join us in this initiative."

The UW Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards (OMSFA) supports this effort and supports students of color, first-generation students, and students who identify as underrepresented within the university and/or within the field of international relations in applying strongly for this opportunity, and others. OMSFA values an inclusive scholarship community fostered through information sharing, transparent processes, and diverse participation. We are committed to providing students, faculty and staff the tools and resources needed to support individual students in crafting their strongest scholarship applications. We welcome and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create accessible and respectful application and selection processes, and are committed to promoting access and opportunity for all. Advising is available for current UW undergraduate students and bachelor's alumni.

UW Seattle students/alumni interested in seeking nomination should contact Robin Chang (robinc@uw.edu) in the Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships & Awards.