What is the Franklin Fellows Program?

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Franklin Fellows meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The Secretary heard about the contributions of Fellows, including service in Iraq. Pictured from left to right are: (back row) Senior Advisor for Fellows Bill Pope, Franklin Fellows Program Intern Heather Zurek, Fellows Lorraine Hawley, Susan D. Loftis, Kim Tingley, Dr. Jeffrey Stacey, Timothy Ford, Dr. James Small, Karen Walker (front row) Fellows Steven Koltai, Dr. James Girard, Lisa Gambone, Secretary Clinton, Fellows Dr. Nisha Garg, Frederick Marrazzo, and Dr. R. Quinn Mecham.

News About Fellows

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President Obama has stated that "government does not have all the answers, and…public officials need to draw on what citizens know." Therefore, he directed the Administration "to find new ways of tapping the knowledge and experience of ordinary Americans – scientists and civic leaders, educators and entrepreneurs – because the way to solve the problems of our time…is by involving the American people in shaping the policies that affect their lives."

The Franklin Fellows Program is a unique and innovative executive development vehicle via which the government taps citizens’ knowledge and which enables approved organizations to promote public service by their professionals. Mid-career and more senior Franklin Fellows, both sponsored and self-nominated, work on global issues of vital importance to the United States, such as the environment; counterterrorism; human rights; consular matters; international development assistance; HIV/AIDS and other trans-national diseases; trade, energy and financial policy; and many others.

Franklin Fellows may interact via the interagency process with other government and international entities, such as the NSC, the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, other Executive Branch agencies and the United nations.  They will return to their home organizations and communities with a much-enhanced knowledge of foreign and development policy issues and government operations and culture. Particularly if your organization has an international focus or does business abroad, the Franklin Fellows Program is an ideal way to position your organization to excel.

Why Become a Franklin Fellow? +

You are invited to apply to serve as a Franklin Fellow at the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  The Franklin Fellows is a unique and innovative program via which you can grow professionally while doing public service.  If you are a U.S. citizen and have a minimum of five years of relevant, professional-level experience, you will have the opportunity to bring fresh thinking and best practices to the formulation and execution of U.S. foreign and development policy by working on global issues of vital importance to our country. These include the environment; counterterrorism; human rights; consular matters; HIV/AIDS and other trans-national diseases; trade, energy and financial policy; and many others.  Also, you may interact with other government and international entities, such as the NSC, the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, other Executive Branch departments and the United Nations.  You will return from your fellowship year with a much-enhanced knowledge of foreign and development policy issues and government operations and culture.

Please take a close look at the Franklin Fellows Program. It is not an entry-level program but, if you are a mid-career or more senior professional, this is a "win-win-win" for you, for your nominating organization and for our country!

How Will Franklin Fellows Benefit my Organization? +

The Franklin Fellows Program is a unique and innovative executive development vehicle which enables approved organizations to promote public service by their professionals.  Your organization’s Franklin Fellow will work on global issues of vital importance to the United States, such as the environment; counterterrorism; human rights; consular matters; HIV/AIDS and other trans-national diseases; trade, energy and financial policy; and many others.

Your Franklin Fellow may interact with other government entities, such as the NSC, Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, other Executive Branch departments and the United nations.  He/she will return to the organization with a much-enhanced knowledge of foreign and development policy issues and government operations and culture.  Particularly if your organization has an international focus or does business abroad, the Franklin Fellows Program is an ideal way to position your organization to excel.

Who Qualifies to be a Franklin Fellow? +

The Franklin Fellows Program is open to mid/upper-level professionals from both private-sector and non-profit entities (including NGOs, academia, foundations, associations and others).  Such professionals must be U.S. citizens and be able to obtain a security clearance.  The clearance will be processed prior to the start of the Fellowship.  The Department or USAID will make the final selection and placement of Fellows but will take into account suggestions from the candidate and from the nominating/funding entity, if any.

The Fellows will contribute their knowledge and expertise to the strengthening of policy formulation and program implementation within the Department of State and USAID.  Further, Fellows may interact with other government and international entities, such as the NSC, Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, other Executive Branch agencies, and the United Nations, depending on their duties.  At the same time, Fellows will enhance their own knowledge of government and global issues.  Fellows will gain valuable professional experience and enrich their nominating organizations and communities upon their return.

Information for Organizations Interested in Funding/Nominating Fellows +

Approved, non-federal entities may participate in the Franklin Fellows Program as follows:

  • First, such entities, once approved by the Department of State or USAID, may continue the salaries and benefits of their nominees who are selected. Remuneration for Fellows who are being funded directly by their nominating organizations shall remain the sole jurisdiction of the Fellow and the home organization. These Fellows will serve in the Department or USAID as unpaid consultants/experts.
  • Second, approved, non-federal entities may donate funds as a gift to the Department of State for support of otherwise-unfunded State or USAID Fellows.
  • Third, approved, non-federal entities may nominate Fellows whom they fund partially or not at all. The Department of State and USAID would rely on donations, if available, to support unfunded or partially-funded fellows. At present, no such donated funds are available.

The Department of State or USAID will cover most costs associated with the security investigation and clearance. Once a Fellow has begun service, his/her host office may choose to send the Fellow on official domestic or international travel. If such official travel is directed, the host office will pay transportation, lodging and per diem necessary for the official travel.

Contact the Franklin Fellows Program +

William P. Pope, Senior Advisor for Fellows, can be reached at 202-261-8863 and at popewp@state.gov.

Inquiries from academia:
Robert Dry, Advisor for Fellows, 202-261-8871, dryrw@state.gov.

Other candidates:
Rima Vydmantas, Advisor for Fellows, 202-261-8872, vydmantasrj@state.gov.
Jesse Benoit, Advisor for Fellows, 202-261-8865, benoitjr@state.gov.

You can also connect with the Franklin Fellows staff by visiting the Franklin Fellows forum.

Meet the Franklin Fellows team +
WILLIAM P. POPE, Senior Advisor for Fellows

William P. PopeWilliam P. Pope is the Senior Advisor for Fellows at the U.S. Department of State, responsible for directing the Franklin Fellows Program. Established in 2006, the program brings experienced, non-government professionals into the Department for limited terms to work on global issues of critical importance to the United States.

Mr. Pope served as the Vice President for Homeland Security of L-3 MPRI during 2005-2006, after his retirement from the U.S. Senior Foreign Service. During his Foreign Service career, Mr. Pope had overseas tours in Rome, The Hague, Pretoria, Paris and elsewhere and held a number of high-level positions in Washington, most recently as the State Department's Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism. He is on the Boards of the Fisher House Foundation and the Michael Stern Parkinson's Research Foundation at Rockefeller University. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Security & Defense Agenda, a Brussels-based forum on defense and security issues, and teaches at George Washington and George Mason Universities.

STEVE BAGLEY, Advisor for Fellows

Steve BagleySteve Bagley, Advisor for Fellows, manages the academic portfolio and self-nominating individual applicants to the Franklin Fellows Program.

Before joining the staff of the Franklin Fellows Program, Mr. Bagley worked as a reporter and researcher for the Voice of America, a consultant for nationwide electoral campaigns, a photographer for an online publication covering the Department of Justice and a reporter for a series of local Boston-area newspapers and TV stations. At Georgetown University, he studied government administration and communications theory.

RIMA VYDMANTAS, Admin

Rima joined the Department of State as a Foreign Service Office in 2005.  Her first tour was as a Public Diplomacy officer in Baghdad; she also has served as the spokesperson for the Bureau of Consular Affairs, as an Assistant Information Officer in Pakistan and as ACS Chief in Dublin.  Before joining the Foreign Service, Rima had a long career in television broadcasting, spending nearly two decades at CNN as a senior writer, copy editor, field-producer and translator.

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