Washington, DC: June 6 – July 31, 2015
*Application Deadline: February 10, 2015
*Full Scholarship & Stipend Provided
*Internships in High Tech Public Policy Field
The Eben Tisdale Fellowship provides undergraduates from around the country with the opportunity to learn about technology and public policy issues through hands-on experience in Washington, DC. The Fellowship provides students with a full scholarship to attend the Institute on Business and Government Affairs (IBGA) and a $1,000 stipend.
The goal of the Fellowship is to create a supportive and collegial environment in which a new class of public policy professionals will be mentored to help ensure that the high-tech industry continues to have highly capable and well-trained individuals in both policy advocacy and senior management positions.
Program Components
- Internships: Fellows participate in a nine-week internship in the government relations office of a leading high technology company or association. In the recent past, fellows have interned at such companies as Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Philips Electronics, as well as trade associations such as the Business Software Alliance or TechAmerica.
- Issues Seminars: The issues seminar is a weekly lunch hosted by the different sponsoring companies and associations. Expert speakers lead discussions of current public policy issues in Washington, and the methods the high technology industry uses for effective advocacy.
- Academic Credit: Fellows will earn six academic credits in economics and government from George Mason University.
- Housing: Fellows will live in furnished dormitories on George Washington University’s downtown campus.
Application Information
Interested applicants should visit www.TisdaleFellowship.org to learn more about the program and begin the application process. Admissions requirements include an online application, official transcript and two letters of recommendation. All materials must be received by the February 10, 2015 deadline for consideration.
Applicants may also choose to apply for the Dell Thurmond Woodard Fellowship, which is part of the Tisdale Fellowship program and includes the same scholarship and stipend. The selected student will intern with Dell Computers for the summer. Any undergraduate student with an interest in diversity and ethics issues, and in learning about high-tech public policy issues, may apply for this fellowship. Application instructions are provided on the website.
Quotes from Past Fellows:
“I had a blast during the summer. I loved the nature of my job, I loved the place where I worked and the people with whom I worked, and I loved DC. I cannot think of a better way to spend the summer learning about the private-industry sector in Washington DC than to be a Tisdale Fellow. You will be matched with high-quality tech organizations that take seriously the mission of the Fellowship. I highly recommend this program.”
Joel Mehler, Stanford University
Intern, Business Software Alliance“The thing that adds value the most is the fact that we are listening directly to people who have been working in the field, and they can tell us how to make policy in real life, how to interact with other peers, with the government, how to face situations and conflicts.”
Natalia Maya, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Philips Electronics Intern“The Tisdale Fellows program opened my eyes to the role that tech companies play in shaping public policy in DC. I had no idea that there were so many issues that affect the development of technology – from cybersecurity to tax policy. The Tisdale Fellows program offered me an invaluable experience and education in my public policy studies.”
Eric Nakano, Duke University
Technology CEO Council Intern
Questions may be directed to Joel Troutman at Tisdale@tfas.org or 202.986.0384.