Presidential Fellows Alumni
Over the last 50 years, CSPC has had the pleasure of bringing students to Washington, D.C. to learn about leadership and governance, to share their outstanding research and scholarship, to develop as future leaders of character, and to be inspired to careers in public service. The more than 1,500 alumni of the program have gone on to be civil servants, Supreme Court law clerks, teachers, policy experts, software engineers, medical doctors, business leaders, academics, and Members of Congress.
As we move into the next phase of the program’s history, we are doubling down on our efforts to reconnect with our alumni. We hope that you will join us in this effort. Alumni will have the opportunity to network with Fellows from across various cohorts, feed into CSPC’s programming as contributing writers or mentors to new Fellows, and access exclusive CSPC events like our annual awards dinner which honors leading public officials.
Keep in touch by signing up for our mailing list and joining our alumni-only LinkedIn group.
Alumni Spotlight
In the 50 years we have had an Presidential Fellows Program, it has been our privilege to have seen over 1,500 alumni go on to become civil servants, Supreme Court law clerks, teachers, policy experts, software engineers, medical doctors, business leaders, academics, and Members of Congress. They inspired us then and continue to inspire us today. Check out our Spotlight page to see what some of our alums are up to now.
Serve As a mentor
To sign up, contact us at fellows@thepresidency.org. For more information about becoming a mentor, please review the frequently asked questions below.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How much time do mentors need to dedicate to the program?
While each mentor-mentee relationship differs, mentors should generally be prepared to dedicate approximately 15 hours total of your time, over the course of the 9 month Fellowship, per mentee.
2. What is the job of a mentor?
Mentors are asked to communicate (via email and/or phone) periodically with their mentees to provide feedback on their research papers at various stages of the writing process. Mentors will assist with editing and provide guidance on research methodologies.
3. How are mentors assigned a Fellow?
Mentors choose their own Fellow(s). Mentors are given a list of all of the Fellows that includes information about their schools, degree level, and chosen topics. Mentors then select the Fellow(s) that they would like to mentor.
4. Do I need to be an expert in my mentee's chosen subject matter?
You do not need to be an expert in the exact topic the student is researching. More than anything, students will need help with developing an appropriate research plan, identifying a precise and narrow research question, and constructing a coherent argument.
5. Can I mentor a Fellow from my alma mater?
Yes, as long as the Fellow has not been selected by another mentor. Those who have a strong desire to mentor a Fellow from their alma mater may indicate their preference when signing up to be a mentor.
6. Do I need to live in the Washington D.C. metro area to be a mentor?
No. Most mentors communicate with their Fellows entirely over email or over the phone.
7. When do I need to make a decision by?
Mentors for the 2020-2021 class will be accepted on a rolling basis. We will accept new mentors through October 1, 2020 or until we have filled all of the mentor positions. A formal call for mentors will be released late summer 2020.
Sponsor a Fellow
CSPC is eager to bring the Presidential Fellows program to new schools and expand the program at current partner schools. We work with a number of private individuals, foundations, and coporations to fund student participation. If you are interested in supporting the Fellows program at your alma mater or any other academic institution, please contact our Director of Presidential Fellows, Erica Ngoenha, at erica.ngoenha@thepresidency.org.
BecomE a Contributing Writer
Looking for an outlet to share your analysis and insight into current events? Consider joining CSPC as a contributing writer. Alumni can submit op-eds for our weekly news roundup or request assistance in placing an op-ed with an established media outlet. Contact us at fellows@thepresidency.org to pitch an idea or learn more information.