Aspen Institute Mission

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute has campuses in Aspen, Colorado, and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also maintains offices in New York City and has an international network of partners.

The Aspen Institute does this primarily in four ways:

• Seminars, which help participants reflect on what they think makes a good society, thereby deepening knowledge, broadening perspectives and enhancing their capacity to solve the problems leaders face.
• Young-leader fellowships around the globe, which bring a selected class of proven leaders together for an intense multi-year program and commitment. The fellows become better leaders and apply their skills to significant challenges.
• Policy programs, which serve as nonpartisan forums for analysis, consensus building, and problem solving on a wide variety of issues.
• Public conferences and events, which provide a commons for people to share ideas. -

The Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation:

Through convenings and problem-solving workshops, leadership development initiatives, and activities to engage and share knowledge among social sector actors, the Aspen Institute's Program on Philanthropy and Social Innovation (PSI) seeks to inform and maximize the impact of philanthropists, social investors and those they support so that each can contribute to the good society at home and abroad. Known for providing a neutral forum for a diverse set of actors to consider and seek solutions to hard problems, the Aspen Institute's strength lies in its convening power. In addition, the Institute has more than sixty years of experience designing and implementing outstanding values-based leadership programs for emerging private, public and social sector leaders. PSI capitalizes on the Institute's strengths and collaborates with like-minded organizations and leaders, leveraging knowledge, relationships and opportunities for the benefit of the sector as a whole.

Basic Functions:

The Fellowship, which is based on academic excellence and need, is open to both undergraduate and graduate students of color. The Hearst Fellow serves as an intern with PSI in the Washington, DC office of the Aspen Institute. Through this fellowship, PSI seeks to introduce a diverse group of students to issues and challenges affecting philanthropy, social enterprise, nonprofit organizations, and other actors in the social sector. Recipients may arrange with their colleges or universities to receive academic credit for this experience.

• Provide research support and conduct issue analysis for a wide range of topics relevant to PSI's efforts
• Draft and edit memoranda; prepare briefing documents and background materials; help draft reports and proposals, correspondence and other documents; take notes and draft summaries of PSI convenings, events, and conference calls
• Provide other research assistance as needed
• Assist coordination of logistical elements for PSI meetings and convenings
• Provide other general administrative support to the PSI team as required

Requirements

Candidates for this fellowship are highly motivated graduate or undergraduate students from underrepresented communities of color. Candidates must be enrolled at an institution of higher education for the semester which they will be applying and must provide:

• A writing sample (academic paper or thesis);
• Letter of recommendation;
• School transcript.

Summer candidates must show proof of enrollment for the upcoming fall semester. Each candidate should have an excellent academic record and also have the following:

• Demonstrated interest or experience in nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, and the social sector;
• Excellent research and writing skills;
• Demonstrated financial need; and
• U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent residency. Students approved for participation in the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program are eligible to apply.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

Candidate must have the ability to work under pressure and handle stress. Candidate must also have the ability to meet regular attendance policy of the Aspen Institute.