General Topics

1. General Information About the Fellowship

2. The Application Process

3. Preparing for the Fellowship

4. The Fellowship Year

5. After the Fellowship

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

For whom do the fellows work?

Fellows accept one-year assignments to work on the staff of a Member of Congress or a congressional committee. Fellows are not "employees" of Congress or of IEEE, but they are treated as the equivalent of congressional staffers (e.g., legislative assistants) in terms of assignments and responsibility.  The fellow independently, seeks out and determines who he/she will work for based upon personal preferences and the opportunities available. For more information on assignments, consult the section on, "Preparing for the Fellowship."

What is the Relationship of the IEEE-USA Congressional fellowship Program and the AAAS Science & Technology Fellowship Program?

In addition to supporting its own fellowships, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) hosts an umbrella congressional science and engineering fellowship program as a collaboration of approximately 25-30 professional scientific and engineering societies.  The program includes a two-week fellowship orientation as well as opportunities for networking and educational meetings throughout the fellowship year.

Because of the way the two programs are publicized, applicants and fellows are often confused about the distinctions.  To clarify, IEEE-USA awards and supports IEEE-USA Congressional fellowships.  IEEE-USA has different selection criteria than the AAAS fellowships (including a requirement that the applicant must be an IEEE member in good standing), and an applicant must apply for the IEEE-USA fellowship separately from the AAAS fellowship programs.

Do the fellows receive a salary?

Congressional fellows are not employees of IEEE/IEEE-USA or Congress and do not receive a salary per se.  fellows do receive a stipend (varies depending upon experience and education) to reimburse expenses, plus a relocation allowance of $5,000.   The fellow's required attendance at the annual AAAS orientation and interviewing expenses are also reimbursed by IEEE-USA independently of the stipend.

Does IEEE-USA or Congress provide benefits?

Neither IEEE-USA nor Congress provides insurance or other benefits.  Many employers find the Washington experience to be of value and will continue providing benefits.  If you do not have benefits from an employer, you may wish to retain your own.  IEEE Financial Advantage program offers a number of options.  

How long is the fellowship and can it be renewed or extended?

The Congressional fellowship supports a one-year fellowship assignment.  A fellow may negotiate changes in the fellowship duration with the Government fellows Committee on a case by case basis. If necessary and requested by the host, fellowships may be lengthened or shortened, although if lengthened, no additional financial contribution is available from IEEE-USA. If shortened, stipeneds will be adjusted.

Is previous public policy experience necessary?

No.  The Government fellows Committee looks favorably at applicants who have relevant experience or can demonstrate and understanding of the policy-making process. However, the primary purpose of IEEE-USA's Congressional fellowship is to provide a unique educational experience for the fellow.  Our hope is that fellows will use that experience to become more involved and to help educate their colleagues and others about the policy process and how individuals can effectively contribute.  IEEE-USA also expects that fellows will be an effective source of advice and assistance to their Congressional sponsor. 

Are any specific technical qualifications required?

Members of Congress are looking for breadth and general knowledge and not specific technical expertise.  Therefore, IEEE-USA does not recruit Congressional fellows for specific technical backgrounds.  However, in evaluating a fellowship application, IEEE-USA will consider the fellow's technical experience.

When does the fellowship assignment start?

The fellowship year is normally scheduled to run concurrent with the IEEE-USA fiscal year - January to December.  Changes in fellowship start time can be negotiated with the Government Fellows Committee.  In some cases, fellows have requested to start a month or two earlier.  Occasionally, a fellow will seek to work on the academic year (September through October). The Government Fellows Committee is normally flexible when budget considerations permit an early start.

One factor to consider, when starting a fellowship in September, Congress is in the last weeks or months of its session and may be facing adjournment.  Depending on whether it is an election year, a fellow who starts an assignment in September for a particular Member of Congress may find that their Member has lost his/her job in the Fall elections. By contrast, a fellow who starts in January will be able to work for the entire legislative cycle.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Must I be a U.S. Citizen?

Yes, you must be a U.S. citizen.

What are the fellowship qualifications or eligibility criteria?

To be considered, an applicant must be an IEEE Member (at Member grade or higher) in good standing, have 10 years of professional experience with a Bachelor's degree, and five years with a Masters. Post docs and Ph.D.s just entering the job market will be considered.  In addition to these basic eligibility criteria, the Government Fellows Committee considers the following factors when evaluating fellowship applications:

• Education

• Professional/Business Experience

• Public Service/Public Policy Experience

• IEEE Volunteer Activities

• Communication Skills

• Fellowship Goal/Objective

• Overall Suitability for fellowship (flexibility, adaptability, open-mindedness, confidence, maturity, professionalism, etc.)

These are not weighted criteria, but are part of a holistic review and evaluation of the candidate based on the written application and interview.

Are Federal Employees Eligible?

IEEE-USA does not restrict applications by IEEE U.S. members who are Federal employees.  Employees should note however, that many government agencies (including branches of the military services) have policies and programs in place regarding fellowships and may not support participation in non-governmental fellowship programs. Over the years, IEEE-USA has had a number of applicants from military backgrounds who were denied permission to participate by their military superiors at very late stages of the application process. For that reason, IEEE-USA prefers that federal employees investigate their organization's policies and processes before applying for an IEEE-USA fellowship.

Who selects the fellows--What is the selection process?

The Government Fellows Committee–comprised of six volunteers selected for their knowledge of Washington and the public policy/legislative process, at least three of whom are former fellows-initially selects the fellows. 

The fellows Committee reviews the written applications and then selects a number (typically 3-5 for each available fellowship) of "finalists" for face-to-face interviews.  At our expense, IEEE-USA flies the finalists to Washington for an interview with the Government fellows Committee. Finalists must be able to attend the interview in person.  Rescheduling the face-to-face interview is not an option.

Based on the application and interview, the Government fellows Committee then recommends candidates for the fellowships and presents the names to the IEEE-USA Board for final approval in May or early June.  A fellowship offer is made immediately thereafter.

After the fellow accepts the offer, a fellowship agreement is negotiated outlining the terms of appointment.  The contract is typically finalized in July, so that the fellow can begin to prepare for the fellowship orientation in early September.

PREPARING FOR THE FELLOWSHIP

The fellowship Orientation

Each fellow is required to participate in a two-week orientation organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).  IEEE-USA will reimburse reasonable travel and lodging expense for the orientation and normally assists the fellows in making arrangements for local housing.  The AAAS orientation introduces the fellow to the legislative process, the federal budget, important S&T policy issues, the nature of the fellowship experience, and the resources available to fellows and Hill staffers in Washington.  As part of the Orientation, AAAS will brief the fellows on known fellowship opportunities.

Finding a Congressional Sponsor

Following the orientation, the fellow will visit congressional offices of interest to offer his/her services.  Offices that are interested with typically invite the fellow to one or more interviews before conveying a placement offer.  fellows then choose their preferred assignment from among the various offers.  In many respects, the process is comparable to looking for a job.  The difference is that you do not cost the congressional office anything except space to work. 

Not every office is interested in having a fellow.  Other offices may be looking for fellows with specific areas of expertise.  However, the number of opportunities has always exceeded the number of fellows.  

THE FELLOWSHIP YEAR

Every fellowship experience is unique in many respects. See reports of the fellowship alumni for individual examples. 

AFTER THE FELLOWSHIP

In there any obligation for IEEE-USA involvement after the fellowship?

Although there is no service obligation, IEEE-USA encourages fellowship alumni to join IEEE-USA public policy committees.   IEEE-USA hopes to benefit from the knowledge and interests of the fellows alumni.  And many fellows alumni find volunteering to be a rewarding way to continue pursuing their interest in public policy and legislative issues.

How would the fellowship affect my career?

Approximately one-third of IEEE-USA's fellows are from academic backgrounds, and most return to their universities and use their fellowship experience to enrich their classrooms.

Another one-third of IEEE-USA's fellows are at retirement age or are in retirement.  Most return to retirement after their fellowships, often becoming active IEEE-USA volunteers. A few find new opportunities to start a second career, often taking advantage of their Washington experience and contacts.

The balance of IEEE-USA fellows are typically at mid-career, often at a point of career transition.  Most return to their company for a specified number of years.  Others transition to new positions in their companies; some have been assigned to the corporation's Washington office or detailed to work with related trade associations.  Others move on to new employers.  A few accept permanent staff positions in Congress or executive branch agencies.  One IEEE-USA Congressional fellow, Leonard Weiss, served for a number of years as Staff Director of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee (now called the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs).  Another fellow joined the staff of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Research and Development after his fellowship, before transitioning to a post with Congress' U.S. Government Accountability Office.

In surveys of the fellows alumni, many report that the fellowship experience provided a stepping stone to a more fulfilling and rewarding career path.  Even those that return to their previous engineering career paths agree that the experience helped enhance their careers.  Most cite the skills learned (writing, briefing non-engineers on S&T matters, communicating, knowledge of the legislative process), as well as the usefulness of contacts made while in Washington.