Harry. S Truman Scholarship

The Truman Foundation identifies aspiring leaders at an important inflection point in their development – when they are college juniors – and recognize and support their commitments to careers in public service. The fellowship supports the graduate education and professional development of outstanding young people committed to public service leadership, evaluating applicants on their leadership and community service as well as academic merit. Successful candidates have a deep and substantive record of leadership and accomplishment in community service, campus government, and/or politics, and a demonstrated capacity to be a "change agent." Applicants must have demonstrated already their capacity for leadership with a record of accomplishment that demonstrates their ability to achieve results.

  • Audience: Juniors (or students in their third year of college enrollment with senior standing credit-wise)
  • Areas of Study: Any field, with commitment to career in public service
  • Application opens: 8.1.22
  • Deadline for campus endorsement: 12.30.22
  • Notification of UI Campus Applicants: 1.4.23
  • Final Deadline for Applicants & Recommenders: 2.6.23
  • Review the Opportunity Profile here.

Udall Memorial Scholarship

The Udall Scholarship offers one year of funding to exceptional undergraduate students who are engaged in academic and advocacy work related to environmental sustainability or tribal policy.

The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to American Indian nations or to the environment. In each application cycle, the Udall Foundation will award up to 50 scholarships of up to $7,000 each, and anticipates that at least 20 scholarships will be awarded in Tribal Public Policy and Native Health Care. The Udall scholarship honors the legacies of Morris Udall and Stewart Udall, whose careers had a significant impact on American Indian self-governance, health care, and the stewardship of public lands and natural resources.

  • Application opens: 10.22
  • Indicate Intent to Apply: 12.9.22
  • Campus Nomination Deadline: 1.7.23
  • Application closes: 3.2.23
  • OSD Opportunity Profile here

Humanity in Action Fellowship

Humanity in Action Fellowship programs look at the ways in which communities co-exist to create a society. Each program investigates human rights, democracy, and structural injustice. Each bridges the international and the domestic, the theoretical and the practical, the political and the personal. In any program, Fellows will (virtually) go on local site visits; they will engage in practice-oriented workshops; and they will hear from local politicians, journalists, activists, and representatives from civil society organizations.

  • Application opens: 12.22
  • Deadline to access campus support: 12.5.22
  • Deadline for UI Applicants and recommenders: 2023 TBA
  • Find more information here.

PPIA Junior Summer Institute (JSI) Fellowship Program

The PPIA Junior Summer Institute (JSI) Fellowship Program is a rigorous academic graduate level preparation program for undergraduate juniors committed to public service careers. The program was started to address the lack of diversity across the spectrum of professional public service, including government, nonprofits, public policy institutions, and international organizations. The purpose of the JSI Fellowship is to prepare students to obtain a master's or joint degree, in public policy, public administration, international affairs, or a related field.

This fully funded opportunity equips fellows with the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed in graduate school and ultimately, in influential roles serving the public good. Once a student has successfully completed their JSI, they join an alumni network of more than 4,000 leaders. In addition to the opportunities that this network provides for mentoring and career development, our alumni network can receive financial support for their graduate school education if they attend one of the programs in their Graduate School Consortium.

  • Application opens: 8.22
  • UI Campus Support Deadline: 10.16.22
  • Application closes: 11.8.22
  • Find more information here
Emerson Hunger Fellowship

The Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship trains and inspires new leaders in the movement to end hunger and poverty in the United States. Fellows gain vital first-hand experience through placements with community-based organizations across the country as well as policy-focused organizations in Washington, D.C. The year-long program bridges gaps between local efforts and national public policy, as fellows support partner organizations with program development, research, evaluation, outreach, organizing, and advocacy projects.

  • Audience: Most successful candidates are recent alumni who have one to three years of post-grad experience
  • Award Type: Professional
  • Areas of Study: All relevant fields
  • Core Criteria: leadership, service, academic achievement, commitment to social justice
  • Award Benefits: stipend, professional development, engagement with key networks, significant discounts on graduate programs at partnership institutions.
  • International Student Eligibility: No
  • Institutional Endorsement: No, though candidates are strongly encouraged to work with the OSD to develop strong, representative materials and to prepare for interviews.

  • Application opens: 12.1.22
  • Competition closes: 1.13.23

Leland International Hunger Fellowship

The Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellowship is a two-year opportunity to promote global food and nutrition security through learning and hands-on work. Leland Fellows gain experience and professional skills working with host organizations in development or humanitarian placements around the world, and learn to see what works in international development—and what doesn't—and how to make the system more efficient, more effective, and more just. Each class of Leland Fellows forms a learning cohort, sharing knowledge and insight and growing together throughout the two-year program. And the Hunger Center's dynamic leadership development curriculum centers the skills required to create change in the international development and humanitarian sectors.

  • Audience: Most fellows come into the program with a graduate degree, though a bachelor’s degree with 1-2 years of work or volunteer experience is also adequate
  • Award Type: Professional
  • Areas of Study: All relevant fields
  • Core Criteria: leadership, service, academic achievement, commitment to social justice
  • Award Benefits:
  • International Student Eligibility: No
  • Institutional Endorsement: No, though candidates are strongly encouraged to work with the OSD to develop strong, representative materials and to prepare for interviews.

  • Application opens: Fall 2022
  • Competition closes: 1.13.23

Scoville Peace Fellowship

The Herbert Scoville Jr. Peace Fellowship prioritizes the recruitment and training of the next generation of policy and advocacy leaders in international peace and security. The fellowship ensures a pipeline of the brightest, most dedicated, and diverse next-generation experts into leading think tanks and advocacy groups to inspire creative new approaches to the pervasive challenges to peace and security. Its goal is to bridge the gap between academia and the professional world by providing an entree for mission-driven grads eager to learn about and contribute to public-interest organizations. Twice yearly, the fellowship selects a small group of outstanding individuals to spend six to nine months in Washington, DC. Where they will work full time at the participating organization of their choice.

  • Applications open:
    • Fall 2023 - TBA
    • Spring 2024 - TBA
  • Deadlines for accessing campus support:
    • Fall 2023 - 12.5.22
    • Spring 2024 - 8.7.23
  • Applications close:
    • Fall 2023 - 1.7.23
    • Spring 2024 - 10.2.23

Obama/Chesky Voyager Scholarship

The Voyager Scholarship helps students pursuing careers in public service by providing access to travel and education and was created in 2022 by the Obamas and Brian Chesky, Airbnb CEO, to help shape such leaders. Even though they come from different backgrounds, both the President and Brian believe that exposure to new places and experiences generates understanding, empathy, and cooperation which equips the next generation to create meaningful change. The scholarship gives college students financial aid to alleviate the burden of college debt, meaningful travel experiences to expand their horizons, and a network of mentors and leaders to support them.

Audience: Students finishing their second year in Spring 2023 and/or transferring from a two-year to Iowa for their 2023-2024 junior academic year.

  • Application for 2023 opens in: Spring 2023
  • Application closes in: TBA
  • To access campus support, contact the OSD in March 2023

PBK Key Into Leadership Program

  • Application opens: 11.1.22
  • Application closes: 1.23.23
  • To access campus support, contact the OSD by:

Iowa NEW Leadership Program

Iowa N.E.W. Leadership is an intensive institute designed to empower women across the political spectrum and increase the participation of underrepresented groups in all sectors of public leadership. The Institute experience is built around a challenging curriculum that develops knowledge and skill in key areas, including strategic communication, policy analysis, philanthropy, negotiation, community development, professional sustainability, relationship-building, productive engagement with difference, conflict, and collaboration.

Developed by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University in 1991, the NEW Leadership ™ network currently includes 23 colleges and universities serving women nationwide.

  • Application for 2023 Institute opens:
  • To access campus support, contact the OSD by:

Rhodes Scholarship

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships (STPF) provide opportunities to outstanding scientists and engineers to learn first-hand about policymaking while contributing their knowledge and analytical skills to the federal policymaking process. Fellows serve yearlong assignments in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government in Washington. Each year, the program adds to a growing corps over 3,400 strong of policy-savvy leaders working across academia, government, nonprofits and industry to serve the nation and the world.

Audience: Graduating seniors or recent alumni

  • Application opens:
  • Competition closes:

FoodCorps

FoodCorps partners with schools and communities to nourish kids’ health, education, and sense of belonging. Our AmeriCorps members serve alongside educators and school nutrition leaders to provide kids with nourishing meals, food education, and culturally affirming experiences with food that celebrate and nurture the whole child. Building on our service program, FoodCorps develops leaders, grows networks, and advocates for policy change in service of every kid’s health and wellbeing.

Audience: Graduating seniors or recent alumni

Application opens:

Competition closes: