Position Purpose 

The Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship Program is an exciting learning and career development opportunity for young professionals who are passionate about activating equity-focused, systems-level change in the field of education.

The Post-Baccalaureate Fellowship is a longstanding program at the Carnegie Foundation, with over 30 fellows having graduated from the program in total. This opportunity will expose emerging leaders to diverse educational stakeholders and communities of practice working to reimagine the educational ecosystem. Fellows will engage with innovative ideas and frameworks to create the future of learning.

Fellows are placed across different project teams to support the Foundation’s strategic mission and vision to catalyze transformation in education so that every student has the opportunity to live a healthy, dignified, and fulfilling life. Fellows will have the opportunity to deepen and apply an equity lens to critically analyze and address systemic issues, support diverse partnerships, and solve complex challenges in the field of education.

The post-baccalaureate fellow experience will entail:

• Placement in at least one of the Foundation’s strategic portfolios: Educational Attainment, Postsecondary Innovation, Future of Learning, or Networked Improvement
• Placement on projects across different project teams that allow for first-hand programmatic experience
• Exposure and learning opportunities related to educational equity and networked improvement science
• Structured professional development opportunities with the fellowship team
• Writing and research opportunities with Carnegie colleagues
• Funds to pursue individual professional interests
• Collaboration opportunities to work with national leaders in education and improvement science
• Training, mentoring, and leadership development opportunities
• Opportunity to attend one relevant national conference with travel, accommodations, and registration expenses paid

Essential Responsibilities

The responsibilities below are subject to change based on fellow interests and program needs during the fellowship.

• Provide project coordination and visioning support for the organization’s strategic priorities; Participate in ideation and feedback sessions to actively contribute and share ideas with colleagues and external partners to generate innovative solutions and improve processes and results. (35%)
• Lead and participate in fellowship programming and professional development activities (such as courses, seminars, and mentoring) (15%)
• Support the strategic planning and execution of Carnegie’s Annual Summit on Improvement in Education (15%)
• Design and facilitate all-staff team-building and community engagement programming (10%)
• Develop and co-design vital fellow programming ensuring the successful continuation of the program. (10%)

Non-Essential Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and logistical support to assist with organizing, coordinating, and managing various projects and events. (10%)
• Support the creation of essential knowledge management tools and resources to develop systems and structures to collect, organize, and disseminate information and knowledge within the Foundation. (5%)

Required Education & Experience

• Completion of Bachelor’s degree within the past two academic years (December 2021–June 2023)
• Able to commit to the two years of the fellowship program
• Must be legally eligible to work in the United States; no visa sponsorship is provided

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Able to work independently to self-manage toward goals, prioritize tasks, and meet established deadlines
• Able to work collaboratively with diverse colleagues and varied constituencies both in-person and virtually
• Able to exercise discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance
• Demonstrated leadership qualities and experiences
• Excellent writing skills and the ability to explain complex concepts to a general audience
• Strong oral communication skills and the ability to make presentations to diverse audiences
• Able to take on a partially defined task, test your understanding with others, organize, plan, and execute the task effectively
• Able to approach ambiguous projects and unfamiliar experiences with curiosity and creative problem-solving
• Able to proactively seek out opportunities for professional growth and persist beyond comfort zones

Physical Abilities Required

• This position requires moderate travel.
• This position requires frequent keyboarding and working in front of a computer screen.

HOW TO APPLY!

You will be asked to submit the following items:

• Resume
• Copy of college transcript(s) – an unofficial copy is acceptable
• Writing sample (3-5 pages) from a previous writing project
• Two letters of recommendation on letterhead (at least one from a professor, the second preferably from someone who has supervised your work) evaluating your leadership, communication, analytical, and research skills. Please direct recommenders to submit their letters to postbacfellowship@carnegiefoundation.org with the applicant’s name in the subject line. 
  
• Personal Statement (600 words or less):
  • What does educational equity mean to you? How have your schooling and work experiences shaped your perspective?
  • Why do you consider yourself a good fit for the program?
  • How would your engagement in this fellowship advance your own personal and professional goals?

APPLY NOW