Eligibility

Applicants must be graduating seniors or students who have graduated during the last academic year and have not begun graduate study. No one who has started graduate studies is eligible for consideration. The Carnegie Endowment accepts applications only through participating colleges and universities via designated nominating officials.  You may request the application bulletin and checklist document, which are available in early October, by sending an email to mryanvanzee@carleton.edu. 

Deadlines

  • December 6, 2024, by 12:00 noon Central Time: Submit drafted application materials (request the application bulletin by email to mryanvanzee@carleton.edu) or to fellowships@carleton.edu (please indicate “Carnegie” in the subject line).  See below to learn what is required for the December 6 deadline.  Finalist(s) will be notified by the Office of Student Fellowships within a week. Suggestions for revision to the application materials will be provided to the nominees as soon as possible following this notification.
  • January 9, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. Central Time:  Submit revised application materials including letters of recommendation to fellowships@carleton.edu. Following any additional changes, final versions of the application materials will be submitted to Carnegie by the Office of Student Fellowships.

Purpose

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, one of the world’s leading think tanks specializing in international affairs, conducts programs of research, discussion, publication, and education in international relations and U.S. foreign policy. The James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program is designed to provide a substantive work experience for students who have a serious career interest in the area of international affairs. Each year, Carnegie holds a rigorous national competition to select approximately 8-10 graduating seniors to serve as research assistants. They are matched with senior associates – academics, former government officials, lawyers and journalists from around the world – to work on a variety of international affairs issues. Junior Fellows have the opportunity to conduct research for books, participate in meetings with high-level officials, contribute to congressional testimony and organize briefings attended by scholars, activists, journalists and government officials.

Funding

The James C. Gaither Junior Fellow Assignments/Positions

Junior Fellows spend one year (beginning September 1) at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington, DC. Positions are full-time and include a salary and benefits package, as outlined in the application bulletin. Junior Fellows are responsible for their own housing arrangements.

Application Process

Application Components:

  • Application Checklist information (request the application and checklist by email to mryanvanzee@carleton.edu), including the names of two potential recommenders (for the December deadline – full letters of recommendation will be required for nominees at the January deadline)
  • two required application essays (one personal and one focused on the questions specified for your preferred assignment);
  • a Resume (1 to 2 pages) which must include telephone number, address, e-mail address, extra-curricular activities and work experience;
  • Transcript (the transcript may be unofficial)

Applicants must respond to the essay question pertaining to the program to which they are applying.

Nominating Official

Marynel Ryan Van Zee, Director of Student Fellowships, Laird 131, x4300/mryanvanzee.

For more information, check frequently asked questions or contact Marynel. Please note that students are not allowed to apply directly to Carnegie.

Official Website

James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program

Past Recipients

2019 Recipient: Huahua (Sylvie) Zhong ’19 

2013 Recipient: Danielle Smogard ’13