The Rosenthal Fellowship is a prestigious program that offers our country’s most outstanding and civic-minded graduate students in international affairs the opportunity to spend a summer working to solve some of our biggest national and global challenges.
The program was established in 1977 to honor the memory of Harold Rosenthal, a Senate staff member who was a victim of a terrorist act while on official duty at age 29. The fellowship provides a select number of students with summer funding and work opportunities in a congressional or executive branch office. Fellows will benefit from unparalleled work experience while also participating in an orientation and roundtable discussions.
Fellows are selected based on their outstanding scholarly achievements, commitment to the study of international affairs, extracurricular experience and demonstrated interest in public service. Fellows may receive a summer stipend, an internship opportunity with a congressional or executive branch office, and/or invitations to participate in summer roundtables and events.
The Rosenthal Fellowship is a program of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that is building a better government and a stronger democracy.
Eligibility
- One year remaining in an international relations or international affairs graduate program.
- Executive branch positions are available only to U.S. citizens. Dual citizens and non-U.S. citizens may apply for a limited number of congressional positions. Please note that the Fellowship will not provide any assistance in securing visas for non-U.S. citizens.
Application and Nomination Process
Interested students must ask their career or placement office for an application (please speak with your program advisor in the Evans School), which the student must return to that office along with:
- Resume.
- Signed letter of recommendation on letterhead stationery from a professor or former work supervisor, providing input on the candidate’s character and aptitude for future success and focusing specifically on the student’s suitability for this fellowship.
- Available undergraduate and/or graduate academic transcripts.
- Two-page original writing sample on a topic in international affairs.
- Colleges or universities should submit all application materials to the Rosenthal nominations portal.
Students should not submit application materials to the program directly.
College or universities should submit all application materials to our online portal.
Summer 2023 Timeline
- October 11, 2022: Applications for the summer 2023 cohort open. Students should check with career or placement offices to learn more about submitting an application.
- December 2, 2022: Nominations are due to the Rosenthal Fellowship selection committee.
- January 23, 2023: Schools submit fall semester transcripts.
- January 27, 2023: Students will be informed if they have been selected as finalists.
- February 28-March 2, 2023: Virtual interviews conducted.
- March 17, 2023: Selected fellows will be notified of placement.
Fellowship Positions and Funding
Students are encouraged to apply for a summer position in a congressional or executive branch office and pursue funding opportunities while they are being considered for the Rosenthal Fellowship.
Students who already secured a summer position, but no funding, may be eligible for a stipend from the program. Alternatively, students who have funding from another source, but no summer position, may be eligible for a limited number of positions secured by the program. Students who do not have a summer position or funding may receive both from the Rosenthal Fellowship program.
If selected, all students are expected to treat the Rosenthal Fellowship as their first choice for the summer of 2023. Students who successfully attain funding from other sources, including from their host office or their graduate program, are not eligible to receive funding from the Rosenthal Fellowship. For students who are offered Rosenthal Fellowship funding, receipt of that funding is contingent upon successfully completing all requirements to commence the qualifying summer position, including any necessary security clearance requirements.
Students are strongly encouraged to apply for funding opportunities prior to the fellowship as funding from the Rosenthal Fellowship is limited.
