The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship Program invites recent college and graduate school alumni to apply for full-time, six-to-nine month fellowships in Washington, DC. Outstanding individuals will be selected to work with nonprofit, public-interest organizations addressing peace and security issues. Applications are especially encouraged from candidates with a strong interest in these issues who have prior experience with public-interest activism or advocacy.
Program and Purpose
Scoville Fellows will choose to work with one of the twenty-six organizations participating in the program. With the assistance of alumni, board, and staff, fellows will select a placement which best matches their interests and the needs of the host organization. Participating organizations provide office space and support, supervision and guidance for fellows’ work. With the exception of Congressional lobbying, fellows may undertake a variety of activities, including research, writing, and organizing that support the goals of their host organization.
The purpose of the fellowship is to provide an opportunity for college graduates to gain practical knowledge and experience by contributing to the efforts of nonprofit, public-interest organizations working on peace and security issues.
Salary and Benefits
Fellows receive a salary of $3,300 per month and basic health insurance compensation, plus travel expenses to Washington, DC. The program also provides $1,000 per fellow for professional development to attend relevant conferences or meetings that could cover travel, accommodations, and registration fees, or to take a language or policy course. The program arranges meetings for the fellows with policy experts and social networking events with alumni. Fellows also receive mentoring from a board member and a former fellow.
Some lenders may permit Scoville Fellows to defer college loan payments during their fellowship. Check with your individual lenders.
Issue Areas Covered by the Scoville Fellowship
Scoville fellows create a project, in partnership with their host organizations, related to one of four broad areas:
• Nuclear Nonproliferation and WMD. This category includes but is not limited to: Nuclear nonproliferation and security; prevention of the spread of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons; defense spending and procurement; U.S. interactions with current, de facto, or potential nuclear powers; protection of nuclear and radiological materials.
• Climate and Security nexus. This category includes but is not limited to: environmental concerns with security implications; disaster response with military personnel; international tensions arising from changing arctic region; regional and ethnic tensions exacerbated by resource competition.
• Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution. This category includes but is not limited to: current and potential incursions within or between neighboring countries; conventional weapons and arms trade; cross-border refugee movements; ethnic tensions with security implications; building international and regional institutions to resolve conflicts; development and implementation of novel conflict resolutions strategies; counterterrorism and terrorism reduction strategies; supporting international agreements that can lead to peace, prosperity, and sustainability.
• Emerging Technology Threats. This category includes but is not limited to: questions related to the development, deployment, and use of drones, artificial intelligence, cyber warfare, satellites and space in a security context.
Applicants whose area of interest falls outside of the above list are unlikely to be selected as a Scoville Fellow.
Selection Criteria
This is a highly competitive fellowship designed for people who have already demonstrated a strong interest in the field, and not intended for those who want to try a semester in Washington. Successful candidates must be good writers who are adept at working in a fast paced office environment. We are seeking people considering a career working on international peace and security issues with public-interest organizations, the Federal Government, academia, or media.
This fellowship is extremely competitive; candidates who do not submit all required documents on time are unlikely to be selected for an interview.
Prospective fellows are expected to demonstrate excellent academic accomplishments and a strong interest in issues of peace and security. Graduate study, a college major, course work, or substantial independent reading that reflects the substantive focus of the fellowship is also a plus. Prior experience with public-interest activism or advocacy is highly desirable. It is preferred, but not required, that such activities be focused on peace and security issues.
Experience with public-interest activism or advocacy such as
Organizing a campus forum and/or outreach campaign, meeting with decisionmakers, or rallies
Working with or joining a campus, local, or national organization
Active participation in conferences
Writing and publication of opinion pieces in both traditional and new media
Candidates are required to have completed a baccalaureate degree by the time the fellowship commences. Preference is given to United States citizens, although a fellowship to a foreign national residing in the U.S. is awarded periodically. Non-U.S. citizens living outside the United States are not eligible to apply. The Scoville Fellowship is not intended for students or scholars interested in pursuing independent research in Washington, DC.
Preference will be given to individuals who have not had substantial prior public-interest or government experience in the Washington, DC area.
Application Materials
Below please find the required items listed on the online application form. The first four documents must be submitted on the online application form here: https://theherbertscovillejrpeacefellowship.submittable.com/submit. The applicant may also submit the reference letters and transcripts, or they may be submitted directly by the letter writers and registrar through the form by applicants who list the email of the letter writers and registrar. Reference letters and transcripts that are not submitted directly to the online application form may be emailed to apply@scoville.org
- A cover sheet that includes the following items. Do not submit a cover letter.
- Name
- Telephone Number
- Email Address
- Semester for which you are applying
- Name, address, email address, and telephone number for each of your two references (whether these letters are included with your materials or will be emailed separately).
- List 5-6 of our participating organizations that you would like to work with if chosen as a Scoville Fellow. Please check this list of organizations to see which are eligible to host a fellow during the upcoming term.
- How you learned about the Scoville Fellowship. Please be specific about the publications, websites, professors, career advisor/career office, friend, web search, etc.
- 2. A full curriculum vitae. The c.v. should include complete educational and professional data, as well as information on the applicant’s extracurricular activities, and should be no more than two pages.
- A personal essay of no more than 750 words discussing the candidate’s qualifications, interests, fellowship objectives and career goals. The essay should clearly address the candidate’s experience and interest in and passion for the area of international peace and security, particularly in public education.
- A policy/opinion essay of no more than 750 words answering the following question: What is the greatest emerging threat to international peace and security and why? Applicants should refer to one or more of the issue areas addressed by the fellowship. Essays must be titled. Candidates may submit a short bibliography that is not counted against the word limit.
- Official transcript(s) detailing the candidate’s entire college academic record including undergraduate, graduate and foreign study in a single PDF, and listed in chronological order. Candidates whose current courses are not listed on their transcript are required to submit a list of these courses on a separate sheet of paper. Applicants who have attended more than one college or university must submit official transcripts from each school if the grades do not appear on the transcript of the school from which they graduated. Transcripts should have the school seal and signature of the registrar but do not need to be mailed in a sealed envelope. Photocopies of official transcripts are acceptable; web-printed transcripts lacking the proper seal and signature are not.
- Two letters of reference. Each letter should address the accomplishments and standing of the candidate; the candidate’s interest and experience in international peace and security issues; the candidate’s ability to communicate, both orally and in writing; the candidate’s maturity and judgment, and the candidate’s potential to make a significant contribution to peace and security issues. Applicants must not submit more than two reference letters. Signatures are preferred but not required. Reference letters must be submitted as an attached Word or PDF document rather than in the body of the email. Reference letters will not be accepted from members of the Scoville Fellowship board, staff at a participating organization, or a current funder, to avoid the conflict of interest.
Submitting Applications
Please read the following instructions for submitting applications. Failure to comply with these requests may delay the processing of your application and hinder your chances of being selected for an interview.
Applicants are required to submit all documents through our new online application form between January 9 and February 7, 2020 for the fall 2020 semester that will begin between July 15 and October 1, 2020. An automated email response will be sent when items are received. Applicants who do not receive the email response within 24 hours of emailing materials should re-submit their application.
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