James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program
The James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace is designed to provide a substantive work experience for students who have a serious career interest in the area of international affairs. Approximately 12-14 students will be hired to work as employees at Carnegie in Washington, DC on a full-time basis for a period of one year. Gaither Junior Fellows provide research assistance to scholars working on Carnegie Endowment’s projects, including democracy, nuclear policy, energy and climate, Middle Eastern studies, Asian studies, Russian studies, and geoeconomics. They have the opportunity to conduct research; contribute to op-eds papers, reports, and books; edit documents; participate in meetings with high-level officials; contribute to congressional testimony; and organize briefings attended by scholars, activists, journalists, and government officials.
Award: The monthly salary is $4,000, subject to taxes. The fellowships are 10 to 12 months long. A generous benefits package is provided. Gaither Junior Fellows are provided up to $1,500 in relocation support but are responsible for their own housing arrangements.
Criteria: Applications are judged on (1) the quality of the written essay, (2) related academic study and/or work experience, (3) grades, (4) recommendations, and (5) personal interviews.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- be graduating seniors or students who have graduated during the last academic year
- be eligible to work in the United States for a full twelve months (August 1 through July 31)
- have not started graduate studies
- have a competitive GPA, generally 3.7 or higher
Updates for 2025
- The Gaither application underwent some changes in 2025
- There is no longer a substantive essay
- The substantive essay was replaced by a 3-5 page writing sample
- The personal statement length was increased from one to two pages
- There is no longer a substantive essay
- There will be more information on the changes in the Gaither application packet, which you can receive by emailing ODS (see next section).
How to apply for UNC endorsement
- Email ODS (ods@unc.edu) a copy of your CV and let us know that you are interested in applying for the Gaither
- An ODS team member will email you an application packet
- Check the endorsement application deadline
- Apply for UNC Endorsement with the Application for UNC Endorsement Form
- Prepare and upload a single PDF that includes (in this order):
- Your CV
- The completed Gaither application packet (personal statement and writing sample)
- All relevant transcripts (unofficial or official are fine)
- Prepare and upload a single PDF that includes (in this order):
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- Two letters of recommendation
- Share with your recommenders the following link to submit their letters to ODS: https://form.jotform.com/202056267878969. T
- Two letters of recommendation
