Rappaport Institute Public Policy Summer Fellowship

Harvard University’s Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston is now accepting applications for its summer 2008 Public Policy Fellowships. 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.

The fellowship program is a key component of The Rappaport Institute, which aims to improve the governance of Greater Boston by fostering better connections between the region's scholars, policymakers, and civic leaders. In addition to the Public Policy Program, the Institute develops and disseminates policy-relevant research in timely and accessible ways; fosters conversations between researchers and practitioners; hosts public events on regional issues; and offers training for local officials.

In previous years, 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.

Applying for the Rappaport Public Policy Fellowships

Eligibility: Graduate students at local schools, such as Harvard University, MIT, Boston University, Suffolk University, Northeastern University, UMass Boston, Brandeis and Tufts University, who are enrolled in programs with public-policy implications for the Greater Boston metropolitan area or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and who will continue their studies in the 2008-09 academic year are eligible for the Rappaport Public Policy Fellow program. (Law students are eligible for a separate Rappaport fellowship program coordinated by Suffolk University’s School of Law. For more information, contact Susan Prosnitz, Executive Director, Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service)

Applications: Students should submit:

• A cover letter to the attention of David Luberoff, executive director of the Rappaport Institute, that includes a list of issues and public agencies that interest you;
• A resume;
• A statement of 500 to 1,000 words that describes a public policy issue or issues that you would be interested in working on, why the issue interests you and some preliminary thoughts on a project for the summer; and
• A writing sample, two to five pages in length, from any work that represents your ability to explore complex policy issues.

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."

Send applications to:

Fellowship Application
Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston
Kennedy School of Government
79 John F. Kennedy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

Applications are due by January 25, 2008.

Applicants identified as finalists will be required to submit two letters of reference. Finalists will be notified by mail on February 1, 2008. Letters of reference must be received by February 15, 2008. Applicants will be notified of their status by mail on March 14, 2008.

For more information: To learn more about the Rappaport Institute Public Service Fellowship Program, please attend one of the Information sessions scheduled at eligible schools or review our list of Frequently Asked Questions. You may also contact Polly O'Brien at 617-495-5091 if your questions are not answered by our FAQ page or our information session.