Postgraduate Fellowship
CHCI’s Postgraduate Fellowship Program is designed to offer emerging Latino leaders the opportunity to draw connections between their graduate field of study and public policy. This paid, nine-month fellowship will allow you to spend four days a week on Capitol Hill, obtain unparalleled work experience, and gain exposure to the legislative process.
Applicants of the Postgraduate Fellowship Program must have completed a master’s degree in any field or JD within two years of the program’s start date.
As a CHCI Postgraduate Fellow, you will immerse yourself in the legislative process, spending four days each week learning all facets of public policy. Once a week, you will join the Fellowship cohort for a full day of leadership development centered on CHCI’s four Pillars of Leadership: Self Discovery, Transformation through Collective Power, Rooted in My Strength, and Planting Seeds for Tomorrow. The CHCI pillars provide the foundation for culturally relevant programming with timely content to create opportunities, transform, influence, and connect the next generation of Latino leaders.
Weekly programming will refine your leadership abilities, affirm your career goals and area of focus, and allow you to spend time discussing policy issues of national concern. You will gain experience proposing effective policy solutions by critically examining all sides and implications of these issues.
Additionally, you will have the chance to highlight your expertise in a public policy issue area by organizing and hosting a briefing on Capitol Hill, in addition to publishing an issue brief with CHCI.
Postgraduate Fellowship concentrations include:
- Child Welfare
- Health
- Housing
- K-12 Education
- Law
- Technology
- Transportation
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Attend an 9 day orientation and weekly leadership development sessions throughout the program
Work a minimum of 32 hours a week at a placement site
Complete community service hours
Participate in all CHCI-sponsored activities including Hispanic Heritage Month events, Summits, and receptions
Research, write and publish an issue brief on a topic that impacts the Latino community within your fellowship discipline
Plan, develop and execute a policy briefing on Capitol Hill on your issue brief to promote public policy issues of importance to Latinos
Comply with CHCI policies regarding work performance and personal conduct
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Congressional office internship placement
Work experience in Washington, D.C.
Over the course of nine months, Postgraduate Fellows will receive a gross stipend amount of $40,950. This salary is in line with that of an individual making $51,720 per year, prorated for 9 months
Stipend or voucher to subsidize domestic round-trip transportation to Washington, D.C.
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for the fellow during the program (all premiums paid by CHCI)
$200 per month Metro stipend
Professional Development stipend for a one-year subscription of LinkedIn Premium
Weekly leadership development training
Exclusive networking opportunities
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must have completed a master’s degree or JD within two years of the program start date (doctoral students are NOT eligible to apply)
High academic achievement (preference of 3.0 GPA or higher)
Evidence of leadership skills and potential for leadership growth
Demonstrated commitment to public service-oriented activities
Superior analytical skills, outstanding oral and written communication skills
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, asylees, or individuals who are lawfully authorized to work full-time without restriction for any U.S. employer and who, at the time of application, possess lawful evidence of employment authorization. International students on F-1 or M-1 visas are not eligible for CHCI programs.
NOTE: Individuals who are seeking consideration under the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival” (DACA) policy must be eligible to work and possess valid employment authorization at the time of acceptance and must maintain continuous lawful employment authorization for the duration of the program for which the person is applying.
SELECTION PROCESS
The selection process is competitive, consisting of three stages:
- A written application
- A asynchronous interview
- A final live zoom interview with CHCI program staff.
Written applications and prerecorded interviews are reviewed by a selection committee composed of program alumni, members of the CHCI Board of Directors and Advisory Council, and CHCI staff. Only top candidates receive an invitation to interview for a select number of fellowship opportunities, based on the quality of their application and demonstrated interest in public policy.