Selection Criteria
The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications (not in order of importance):
- A proven record of leadership and accomplishment in business, civic engagement, or public service
- Have you won any awards or been recognized publicly for your work? Be sure to include this information in your resume!
- Use the long essay questions to connect your work to your first-choice track.
- A demonstrated commitment to public or community service, volunteerism, or mentorship
- List any volunteer work you’ve done on your resume, even if it doesn’t seem directly related to your professional work.
- Make sure that any relevant experience, including mentorship, is reflected both in your resume and your essay responses.
- The ability to work cooperatively in diverse groups and to respect the opinions of others
- Have you had an experience where you’ve disagreed with team members or colleagues? Have you mediated a disagreement in your community? Highlight your cooperation in the second short essay question.
- Do you have experience working with diverse groups? This may include working with people of varied ages, backgrounds, genders, abilities, ethnicities or tribes, races, education, or other variable attributes. Share your experience working in diverse environments across the application essays.
- Strong social and communication skills
- Each essay question is an opportunity to highlight your social and communication skills. Elaborate on these skills, especially in the second short essay question.
- Pay attention to the word and character limit for each question! Answer each question thoroughly and use all available space to share your story.
- An energetic, positive, and flexible attitude
- When you talk about challenges in your community or barriers you’ve encountered in the third short essay question, highlight how you have worked to overcome and learn from adversities.
- A demonstrated knowledge of, interest in, and professional experience in the preferred sector/Fellowship track and concrete goals for applying lessons, knowledge, and skills gained from the Fellowship to current and/or future work
- Why are you listing this track as your first choice? What experiences or skills have led you to focus on this sector? Make sure to explain your reasoning throughout the application, especially in the essay questions about why you work in that field and your goals for the future.
- Look at your resume and make sure the experiences and skills included reflect your knowledge and experience in your first-choice track.
- A commitment to return to Africa and contribute skills and talents to build and serve their communities
- How will you use the skills developed through the Fellowship to benefit your community and/or country?
- Include a clear outline of your goals and specific plans in:
- The long essay question about how you will enhance activities in your community within the next three to five years; and
- The short essay question on the changes or improvements you wish to implement in your community.
