Public Policy Minority Fellowship Program

Introduction

The Public Policy Minority Fellowship at Public Sector Consultants Inc. (PSC) is a program established to attract minority students with a passion for public policy. The program is a way to identify student talent while at the same time increase the number of minorities entering the arena of public policy analysis and development, including governmental, for-profit, and nonprofit organizations. 

Candidates will be identified at state community colleges and four-year schools. From the talent pool, PSC will hire a student upon completion of a degree (two-year, baccalaureate, or graduate). After one year of employment with PSC, PSC will partner with policy research entities to continue the fellow’s employment in the field of public policy.

PSC is now in its second year of the minority fellowship program, after a successful experience with our first Public Policy Fellow. PSC is interested in partnering with other organizations to scale up the program in subsequent years.

The Challenge

Public policy employers have struggled to diversify their workforce. The main obstacle is the dearth of minority students entering public policy. According to U.S. News and World Report, African American, Latino, and Native American undergraduates are severely underrepresented in the student bodies of the nation’s selective colleges and universities.¹ These top colleges and universities have programs in place that seek to improve academic outcomes for underrepresented minority or disadvantaged students; although evaluations have not uncovered any proven success stories, there are some promising programs that contribute to increases in the number of above-average to top performers.²

The Program

The minority fellowship will provide a minority student with the opportunity to gain knowledge in public policy through practical, professional experience as well as the potential for permanent employment upon completion of the fellowship. The fellowship is designed to connect PSC with minority candidates and provide them with the professional development, support, and supervision that are necessary for a successful transition into the professional public policy arena. The fellowship is intended to strengthen PSC’s organizational practices to more methodically and effectively acquire, develop, and sustain minority talent. PSC will share these practices with other employers needing public policy analysis. To design the program, PSC reviewed the best practices identified by the Center for Leadership Development³ and incorporated them into the program.

Program Description 

The fellowship position will be 40 hours/week and housed at PSC. The fellowship salary will be commensurate with the fellow’s qualifications, but no less than $30,000 annually. PSC will provide benefits.

Applicants may be between undergraduate and graduate school, enrolled in an eligible graduate program, or at the end of an eligible graduate program. Applicants with an interest in the following policy arenas are encouraged to apply:

• Community and resource development
• Economics
• Education
• Government
• Health care
• Health services administration
• Information technology
• The environment
• Public administration
• Public health
• Other scientific fields (physical, biological, or social) coupled with a strong public policy intent

Eligible applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States, or native residents of a U.S. possession or territory.

PSC collaborates with several Michigan colleges and universities to recruit applicants for the minority fellowship, determining the most effective way to market the program to minority students in the context of existing internships and fellowships. The fellow will be assigned to a PSC vice president, who will be responsible for:

1. Providing orientation to the history, mission, and culture of the organization; explaining policies and procedures; and describing consultant competencies, roles, and responsibilities
2. Discussing and identifying specific skills or competencies that could be gained by the fellow through “stretch” assignments, for which the PSC vice president will provide mentoring and supervision throughout the year
3. Negotiating and arranging the fellow’s rotation across the PSC areas of public policy focus, i.e., health, education, economics, and technology, or assignment to one focus area, based on the fellow’s developmental interests 
4. Playing a connective and facilitative role by arranging exposure to key contacts and initiatives in Michigan’s public policy arena, facilitating and supporting the participation in conferences and networking venues, and assuring that the fellow is exposed to diverse ideas, perspectives, and resources
5. Helping the fellow assess career options and develop a concrete plan, with the goal of retaining the fellow in the organization

Evaluation and Selection

A panel of PSC vice presidents, senior consultants, and the current fellow will evaluate applicants based on selection criteria. The panel will use the writing sample, resume, transcript, letters of recommendation, and the applicants’ general fit with the goals of the program to evaluate candidates. All application materials become the property of the firm (PSC) and will not be returned to the applicant. For consideration, applications (cover letter, resume, photocopies of academic transcripts, and three letters of recommendation) must be submitted by May 30, 2008, at 5:00 PM EST to Public Sector Consultants, 600 W. Saint Joseph St., Suite 10, Lansing, MI 48933. Finalists will be interviewed no later than June 27. August 1 is the preferred start date for the fellow; however, this date is negotiable. Please address questions to Khadija Swims, (517) 484-4954 or  kswims@pscinc.com.

Application Materials

Cover letter, which will serve as a writing sample (two-page limit, double-spaced), that includes

• The reasons for the applicant’s interest in public policy
• The area of public policy that is of interest to the applicant and how that interest relates to the applicant’s career goals
• How the applicant would like to see this fellowship help in attaining career goals
• Resume or CV
• Three letters of recommendation, with at least two of the letters written by individuals capable of commenting on the applicant’s interest in public policy
• Recent transcripts (graduate and/or undergraduate)

Evaluation of the Program

PSC will disseminate a description and assessment of the minority fellowship program within two months of the close of the second year of the fellowship. The outcome of the program will be considered a success if the following results are achieved:

• New connections have been formalized between several colleges and universities and the public policy “workplace” to widen the pipeline that gives the public policy arena access to minority students.
• Necessary supports and networking activities have been designed and tested to expand and maintain the diversity of the workforce in organizations with a public policy role.
• New connections have been formalized for minority fellows between the public policy “workplace” and key leadership development opportunities.
• PSC has either retained the minority fellow or helped him/her find employment.