Fellowship Guidelines
Applications for the 2024 cohort of Public Service Fellows are now open!
General Guidelines
Applicants are responsible for locating a qualified placement site and securing an agency's agreement to participate.
A helpful way to begin thinking about your fellowship is to consider a volunteer project that interests you. Once you have decided on the kind of work you would like to do, contact an appropriate agency to see if they would sponsor your project. Identify a specific person at the agency to be responsible for supervising your work during the fellowship. This supervisor must write a letter of agreement to be submitted along with your application and a letter of completion at the conclusion of your internship.
The Maguire Ethics Center is happy to work with you to find an agency or a project that matches your interests, but we will not place you with an organization. It is up to each student to locate an agency they would like to work with and craft their proposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to do a project in Dallas?
Public service or research can be done anywhere, whether that's here in Dallas or abroad. If your project is to take place in another country, your passport must not expire between now and six months after your return to the US. Registration with SMU's risk management is required for international trips (we will assist you in completing this if selected).
Can my fellowship be a project I'm already working on?
The fellowship should be a new project. The fellowship is not meant to further compensate students for work for which they are already receiving payment or support.
Can I work at another job while I'm completing the fellowship?
Fellows may (and often do) work another job, as long as it does not interfere with their ability to complete the required 200 hours for the fellowship.
Does the fellowship have to be completed during the summer?
Yes, the work must be done between June and August. The hours are worked during the summer on a schedule mutually agreed to by you and the sponsoring agency.
How will the Maguire Center keep track of how many hours I am working?
Weekly hours reports will be required during your fellowship. Documentation of all 200 hours worked will be required before the second half of the stipend is disbursed.
Can I complete a fellowship the summer after I graduate?
No, students must be returning to SMU in the fall. No exceptions will be made.
How is the fellowship stipend paid to recipients?
Recipients will be paid in two equal installments, usually early June and early September, either by check or direct deposit.