CSIS Trinity Fellowship: Enriching the Future of Foreign Policy
Details
Overview
The CSIS Trinity Fellowship is dedicated to bringing new voices and diverse perspectives into the foreign policy community. Fellows will learn from renowned foreign policy experts and practitioners and participate in a mutual exchange of ideas that fosters professional growth, builds connection, and accelerates success.
This semester-long fellowship is intended for rising juniors and seniors at Trinity Washington University who are interested in foreign affairs and want to prepare themselves for a career in the policy field. Fifteen applicants will be selected as fellows and earn course credit and a $1,500 stipend. Candidates will come from a wide variety of backgrounds and represent diverse fields of study such as global affairs, business, criminal justice, lab sciences, and global health.
Fellows will meet every two weeks over a four-month period for a combination of professional development seminars, geopolitical briefings, and networking events.
Fellows will emerge from this experience with:
- An in-depth understanding of global and regional trends impacting various industries and political systems.
- The ability to communicate policy ideas confidently and persuasively
- A community of peers, mentors, CSIS professionals, and other professional resources in Washington, D.C.
- Professional skills that stand out in today’s job market.
The Ideal Candidate
The CSIS Trinity Fellowship is designed for individuals considering national security or foreign policy careers in the public or private sector. Candidates from across academic disciplines, especially those involved in multicultural and diversity-focused extracurriculars, are encouraged to apply.
The ideal candidate:
- Has an interest in making a difference in the world through the policy-making process
- Is excited to engage with experts and other participants on foreign policy issues and professional skills-development
- Can commit to attending at least 15 of the offered sessions
- Is currently enrolled as a junior or senior at Trinity Washington University
How To Nominate or Apply
Individuals may be nominated or can nominate themselves to participate in the CSIS Trinity Fellowship. Once nominated, candidates will be notified to complete a brief, online application including a statement of interest and resume.
Nominations and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Those submitted on or before August 24, 2020 will receive priority consideration.
Curriculum
Fellows will engage in a robust learning journey that covers three components: (i) foreign policy seminars; (ii) professional skill-building, and (iii) networking and mentorship. The program culminates in a capstone project.
Participants must attend at least 15 of the offered classes and present their final capstone project to CSIS staff and mentors. In addition to receiving three-credits from Trinity Washington University, Fellows will be recognized at a celebratory dinner with CSIS President and CEO John Hamre and awarded a certificate of completion by CSIS’s Abshire-Inamori Leadership Academy.
Substantive briefings unpacking timely global trends. Each seminar includes experiential learning components and opportunities to share input with experts.
CSIS and the Role of Think Tanks in Policymaking
Staff will discuss the role of CSIS and think tanks in the policymaking space. Fellows will learn the different ways think tanks are engaging with policymakers and producing content for the general public.
Diplomacy and Defense: The Role of Allies and International Institutions
The 2018 National Defense Strategy elevated the importance of security cooperation with allies and partners as a major line of effort in U.S. competition versus China and Russia. This session will explore the intersection of these trends, the evolution of international institutions, and the role of diplomacy as critical governance tools.
Disinformation and the New Media Landscape
The constant stream of information available via media platforms is an incredible tool to stay informed and abreast of current events, but it is important to make sure that information is credible. Participants will analyze the impact of disinformation on society and learn how to combat its spread.
Global Economic Trends
In-house economic expert, Scott Miller of The Trade Guys, takes participants on a tour of the current economic landscape. Participants will analyze market trends, discuss risks and opportunities on the economic trajectory, and participate in a case study activity to dive deeper into these issues.
Great Power Competition: Rising China and U.S.-Russia Relations
The international environment had shifted to a fundamentally different situation of renewed great power competition with China and Russia and challenges posed by these two countries. CSIS scholars unpack the economic and political influence of these two countries and what that means for the U.S. in today’s world order.
International Development as a Tool of U.S. Soft Power
Development agencies play an integral role in the rapidly shifting financial and economic landscape of low- and middle-income countries. Participants will learn about the U.S.’s development strategy, how they leverage the political power it garners, and long-term benefits and challenges.
Migration Trends: Africa, Latin America, and Europe
Global forced migration has important security, environmental, economic, political, and human rights implications that could lead to future global instability. CSIS scholars will explain trends in migration and their impact on the world, drawing on case studies from Africa, Latin America, and Europe.
Seven Revolutions: Trends Shaping Our World to 2050
Seven Revolutions examines major global issues out to the year 2050 and beyond and promotes strategic thinking about the long-term trends that too few take the time to consider. Participants will be challenged to think about future issues and how they can be part of their solution.
The World Resource Crisis (Food Security, Climate Change, and Energy)
Our resource experts will lead a panel discussion on the global issue of increasing resource scarcity and its future impacts. The session will delve into food security, water competition, as well as energy sources and climate change.
Interactive workshops that strengthen professional skills for the workplace.
Authentic Leadership: Empowering Your Unique Skill Set
True leadership is based in empowerment, courage, trust, and vulnerability. This session will utilize the Gallup Clifton Strengths Finder assessment -- which measures and categorizes your natural patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving -- as a foundation to understand how they embody these characteristics. Fellows will additionally learn what these skills entail, how they can apply them, and find ways to bring them back to their communities.
Diversity in Foreign Policy: Amplifying Your Voice
This session will discuss the importance of diversity in foreign policy professions, how it is being addressed in different industries, and the resources available for future policy professionals. Drawing on the experiences of seasoned professionals, fellows will proactively think through common challenges that minorities face in the foreign policy field and strategize how to effectively leverage their own skillset for success.
Data Visualization: Open Source Tools and Methods
This session will introduce participants to the basics of digital communication and the different open- source tools and best practices for data visualizations, allowing them to develop more sophisticated presentations that succinctly capture complex ideas.
Design Thinking and Innovative Problem-Solving
This hands-on exercise teaches students how to apply the design thinking framework and tools to address complex issues and how to generate entrepreneurial solutions.
Diplomacy in Decision Making: Bridging Conflicting Opinions and Perspectives
How do you find compromise without compromising your values? Experienced professionals will share tangible conflicts they confronted in their career when their values and ideas were challenged by both leadership and peers. Fellows will learn best practices for communicating their unique perspectives to different audiences and gain tools to find the balance between challenging conventional views or structures and being an active learner.
8 Tips for Good Policy Writing
This session provides participants with best practices for writing for a policy audience. These tips can be applied to policy memos and briefs, research papers, articles, and business correspondence, such as emails or letters. During the session participants will apply these tips to their own work through an interactive activity.
How to Deliver a Policy Brief
Participants will gain an understanding of best practices for conveying complex, nuanced information succinctly and effectively for a policy audience.
Landing the Job: Enhancing Your Professional Portfolio
Participants will learn key tips for resume building, cover letter writing, and interview preparation. Participants will receive one-on-one coaching to guide them through this process.
Networking 101: Tips and Tricks
Participants will receive networking training to better navigate professional events and learn how to make an effective elevator pitch.
Project Management
Successful project managers can understand the essence of a project through the project life cycle: defining its scope, building a project team, and monitoring the progress of the project. Participants will gain tools to effectively manage workflows, anticipate problems, and oversee the completion of successful projects.
Public Speaking Coaching: How to Stand Out
Public speaking expert and licensed Ted Talk coach, Stephanie Scotti, will give expert pointers on standing out when speaking to a group. Participants will learn techniques for creating presentations and speeches that captivate audiences and deliver key points clearly and effectively.
Opportunities to connect with professionals at CSIS and throughout D.C. Fellows will also be paired with CSIS mentors to help guide them through the fellowship and to provide tangible career advice.
Addressing Structural Impediments and Conceptualizing Solutions
In this data-centric roundtable discussion between participants and foreign policy professionals, we will identify key structural barriers for advancing diversity in foreign policy and discuss ways to tackle them. This discussion will be an opportunity for professionals to bring tangible solutions from this conversation back to their organizations to improve the accessibility of and diversity in their institutions.
Career Insights: CSIS Young Professionals and Trinity Alumnae
In this session, CSIS young professionals and Trinity Washington University alumnae from different backgrounds and professional will share how their experiences shaped their career paths and address the opportunities and challenges participants can expect when entering the job market.
CSIS Intern Networking Hour
The fellows will have an opportunity to engage in casual discussion and networking with CSIS interns from across the center to glean insights from peers who are on a similar career level.
Government and Industry Roundtable: National Security Careers
CSIS will invite researchers, fellows and policy makers working in the D.C. national security community for a roundtable discussion for participants to learn about different professional opportunities and to obtain substantive career advice.
The Intelligence Community and the Security Clearance Process
CSIS will invite members of the Intelligence National Security Alliance (INSA) to learn about the intelligence community, ways to get involved, and obtain guidance and advice on the security clearance process.
Meet your Mentor: Coffee/Lunch Chats
A monthly opportunity for participants to connect informally with their mentor and establish meaningful connections. Mentors will schedule these sessions directly with fellows throughout the program.
Reception and Graduation Dinner with CSIS President and CEO Dr. John Hamre
Fellows will have the opportunity to attend a reception and dinner with Dr. Hamre to celebrate their graduation from the program. CSIS will invite mentors and members of the foreign policy community to attend these events.
The CSIS Trinity Fellowship will culminate in a two-part experiential capstone to reinforce skills developed and knowledge gained over the course of the program.
Part 1: Diplomacy Simulation: Great Power Competition
This real-world exercise will allow participants to simulate making decisions as government and business actors faced with an international crisis that demands immediate action under challenging circumstances. Each participant will be assigned a specific stakeholder role to research and represent during the simulation.
Part 2: Community-Based Project
Participants will work in groups to develop a policy initiative to solve a challenge in their community that they are passionate about or to develop a campaign that further encourages diversity in the foreign policy field. Each group will select their own issue or campaign approach, as well as their own medium of presentation (such as, but not limited to a white paper, podcast mini-series, video, etc.) Fellows will present their final projects to CSIS staff and other relevant stakeholders in their respective communities.
Contact
For questions about the Trinity Fellowship, contact Hadeil Ali at hali@csis.org or Kathryn Young at kyoung@csis.org. To learn more about existing programs, please visit us at www. csis.org/executive-education or contact Nahmyo Thomas, CSIS Vice President and Director of Executive Education at nthomas@csis.org.