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Harvard Kennedy School is launching the American Service Fellowship — a new initiative that will provide full scholarships for at least 50 public servants and military veterans to enroll next fall for a one-year, fully funded master’s degree.
The fellowship, which was announced Thursday, is the largest single-year scholarship program in HKS history, and it will be open to those who have served at least seven years in the U.S. armed forces, including veterans or active-duty military; in federal, state, or local government, including teachers and law enforcement; and/or in the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and other full-time civilian service programs. HKS will conduct a 50-state outreach effort to recruit excellent students, with the goal of generating applications from every state in the country. The School anticipates that approximately half of the fellows will come from military service, and the remaining half will come from other public service careers.
HKS has a long history of supporting, training, and celebrating America’s veterans and public servants. Throughout the School’s history, HKS has trained more than 25,000 degree program students devoted to public policy and leadership — including military veterans, members of Congress from both sides of the aisle, local and state government leaders, and high-ranking federal government officials. With the American Service Fellowship, HKS will build on this legacy by recruiting America’s best public servants and training them to tackle the world’s biggest public problems.
“From our military to our government to our classrooms to our police stations, America’s public servants dedicate their lives to improving the lives of others,” said Jeremy Weinstein, dean of Harvard Kennedy School. “In this moment of political division and major challenges in America, it’s never been more important to invest in the next generation of public servants. That’s what this fellowship is all about: helping train the current and future leaders of America, who have demonstrated throughout their lives that they are ready and willing to lead their communities and our country into the future.”
Those chosen for the fellowship will demonstrate academic and professional excellence, a proven track record of strong leadership, and a deep commitment to public service. Recipients will receive $100,000 as a part of this fellowship, which will cover tuition, fees, and an additional stipend. The application will open in September (with the application fee waived for those applying for this fellowship), and applicants will be informed of decisions in the spring. Throughout their time at HKS, these students will have an opportunity to further develop their leadership skills and engage with other students from different backgrounds, viewpoints, and types of service.
“There’s nothing more patriotic than public service,” added Weinstein. “Whether you served in the U.S. armed forces, in any level of government, as a teacher, a law enforcement professional, or in a civilian service organization, we want you to come to HKS.”
This is a pilot program funded by philanthropic donations raised specifically for this fellowship. For more information on the program and applications, visit the American Service Fellowship website.
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A series of random questions answered by Harvard experts.
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