The range and complexity of issues facing Americans and the international community is immense. To strengthen their ability to deal with these issues and to involve Americans in creating the policies to confront them, the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) created the Franklin Fellows Program.

This program provides unique opportunities for experts with a minimum of five years of relevant, professional-level experience to perform a year of public service as Franklin Fellows at the Department of State or USAID. Fellows continue to draw their salary and benefits from recognized employing companies and organizations while they are seconded to State or USAID.

The goal of the program is for Fellows to provide valuable and pertinent advice, views, opinions, alternatives or recommendations on foreign policy and development issues facing the nation, while participating in the implementation of those policies. A number of USCIB member companies have sponsored participating Fellows.

Such critical international security challenges include: bilateral and multilateral diplomacy; foreign assistance implementation; nonproliferation; human rights and democracy promotion; protecting the environment; global women’s issues; terrorism; public diplomacy; consular services to U.S. citizens; promoting trade; war crimes issues; the global scourges of HIV/AIDS and other trans-national diseases; and many more.

Who Is Eligible? The Franklin Fellows Program is open to mid/upper-level professionals from both private-sector and non-profit entities. (It is not open to U.S. government employees.) Applicants must have a minimum of five years of professional-level experience relevant to the requested assignment, be U.S. citizens and be able to obtain a security clearance.

The Franklin Fellows Program welcomes seasoned professionals with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. In addition to their duties at State or USAID, Fellows may interact via the interagency process with other government and international entities. Fellows will enhance their own knowledge of government and of global issues, gaining valuable professional experience and enriching their nominating organizations and communities upon their return.

For more information on the Franklin Fellows Program, please visit www.careers.state.gov/ff, or contact program coordinator William P. Pope (261-8863 or popewp@state.gov).