Frequently Asked Questions
How can I learn more about the Rappaport
Institute Public Policy Fellow Program?
How can I learn more about the Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellow Program? There are three ways to learn more about the Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellow Program:
How do I know if I am eligible for Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellow Program? Graduate-level students who will continue with their studies in the 2008-09 academic year at local universities, such as Harvard University, MIT, Boston University, Suffolk University, Northeastern University, UMass Boston, Brandeis, and Tufts University, who are studying in programs with public-policy implications for the Greater Boston metropolitan area or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are eligible for our program. Students can come from a wide range of fields, including: architecture and design, business administration, economics, education, ethnic studies, divinity, engineering, environmental studies, geography, medicine, nursing, political science, public health, psychology, public policy, sociology, urban policy and planning, and women's studies. Students from other disciplines are welcome to apply for internships as well, as long as their study somehow relates to public policy issues in Greater Boston. Law students are not eligible for the Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellow Program. But Suffolk University runs a separate Rappaport program for law students at Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University, New England School of Law, Northeastern, and Suffolk University. For more information, contact Susan Prosnitz , Executive Director, Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service. Back to top In the past students have worked on high profile and important public policy issues such as:
If you are still stuck on what options are available to you, you can either attend an information session this fall or contact Polly O'Brien at 617-495-5091 or email her with specific questions. Do I have to know what type of project I want to work on this summer? No, you do not have to have a specific project in mind while applying to the Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellows Program. We do ask for some general indication of the types of agencies, such as the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the City of Somerville's Mayors Office, or the Department of Social Services, and the types of projects you are interested in, such as transit-oriented development, environmental justice in urban areas, economic development. If you are still stuck on what options are available to you, you can either attend an information session this fall or contact Polly O'Brien at 617-495-5091 or email her with specific questions. Back to top Applications are due at the Rappaport Institute offices by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 25, 2008. Applications may be mailed, faxed to 617-496-1722 or hand delivered to the Rappaport Institute offices in Room 350 on the 3rd floor of the Taubman Building, Kennedy School of Government. The Taubman Building is located at 15 Eliot Street in Harvard Square next to the Charles Hotel. We do not accept emailed applications. If you will be out of the country or out of the Boston area, please make sure you finish you application before you leave or fax it to 617-496-1722. Back to top Applications should include
Please submit your application on single-sided paper, with a footer in the lower right corner of each page that states your name and “Fellowship Program.” Applications should be sent to: Fellowship Application Applications are due by January 25, 2008. Back to top Roughly 80 students apply each year for the Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellows Program. Twenty-four applications continue are chosen by Rappaport Institute staff and submitted to a review committee of local academics, Rappaport Institute Advisory Board members and others. The review committee meets in March and selects twelve finalists and four alternates for the Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellows Program. Finalists are given two weeks to confirm their participation in the program. If a finalist needs to depart the program, alternates will be added to the final group. Back to top Twelve students are accepted to the Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellow Program each summer. Four alternates are also chosen by our review committee in case one or more students needs to depart the program. Generally, 80 students apply for the program each year. Back to top The start and end dates of the Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellow Program are flexible. Most of our students begin in June and work ten-weeks until mid-August. The actual start and end date are agreed upon by the student and their employer. During the summer, the Rappaport Institute will host eight seminars, which fellows are expected to attend. The Rappaport Institute begins their summer sessions in June and holds eight meetings. Our final dinner is generally in late July or early August. However, Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellows can wrap up their work before the sessions end in July. Back to top No, Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellows are not allowed to work at non-profit agencies. Only government agencies are eligible to host Rappaport Public Policy Fellows. Back to top Yes, Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellows can work at federal agencies AS LONG AS the work they are doing directly applies to public policy issues in the Greater Boston area. Back to top No, you do not have to be a U.S. citizen to be a Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellow. However, you must be able to legally work in the United States. Back to top No. Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellows do not have to reside in the city of Boston or meet residency requirements of other municipalities. Back to top In previous years, past fellows have worked on a diverse range of projects that include: school reform plans, environmental risk assessment, public-private partnerships, community development projects, performance-management systems, racial bias in the juvenile justice system, health coverage for foster children, and reduction plans for greenhouse gases. Back to top
Rappaport Institute Public Policy Fellows receive a stipend of $7000 for the summer. Fellows work 10-weeks at a state or local agency, participate in a weekly seminar series with leading practitioners and scholars, and are required to write a short essay related to their experiences. Back to top The fellowships offer 12 graduate students paid, 10-week summer internships in key state and local agencies in the Greater Boston area. Fellows also participate in a weekly seminar series with leading practitioners and scholars and are required to write a short essay related to their experiences. Fellows receive a $7000 stipend. For more information | |||
Contact the Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston at: |
