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Public Policy Fellowship Program


2012 Public Policy Fellows

Public Policy Fellowship Program: June 3 – August 2, 2013

Program Overview

The Public Policy Fellowship Program was established in 2011 to cultivate the next generation of public sector leaders in Northeast Ohio.  Entrepreneurial and highly motivated undergraduate and graduate level students will gain a broad overview of county government through practical experience in a variety of policy areas. Working directly with the County Executive’s cabinet and staff, Fellows will have the opportunity to:

  • Make personal and professional connections with:
    • the County Executive and senior staff
    • County Council members and senior legislative staff
    • Other Fellows
    • Civic leaders across the region
  • Attend site visits to various county facilities
  • Develop new ideas for projects and policies
  • Draft policy proposals to address emerging issues
  • Learn and test new skills
  • Attend press conferences, County Council hearings, staff meetings, and strategic planning sessions

Program Goals

  • Attract and engage the next generation of Northeast Ohio public servants
  • Provide a practical experience in Cuyahoga County government
  • Inspire effective and ethical public leadership for Northeast Ohio
  • Apply training and education to an understanding of the complex challenges facing Cuyahoga County and local government systems
  • Invigorate County projects by injecting fresh eyes and new perspectives

Other Program Features

  • Fellows will be assigned an agency mentor based upon their placement and assigned work.  Additional assistance, feedback and monitoring will be provided by the Public Policy Fellowship Program Coordinator who is a member of the Executive’s staff. 
  • Each participant will be provided a workspace with information technology and access to other materials and resources as appropriate. 
  • Senior staff members will discuss their experiences in weekly lunch sessions.
  • Evaluations will be conducted at the end of the program.
  • Fellows will author a final report of their general experience and the specifics of the project. The report will enrich the fellow’s professional portfolio and provide direction for future county projects.

The Western Reserve Plan

The Fellowship Program offers practical learning opportunities for students interested in pursuing careers in public service. The program serves to advance implementation of the Western Reserve Plan (WRP) which is the County Executive’s broad vision to consolidate and improve service delivery across our many different communities.  Each of the WRP 12 Principles addresses a key area of service for which the county government is responsible and adds additional focus for new initiatives.  More information can be found at http://www.westernreserveplan.org/en-US/home.aspx. 

Eligibility

The Office of the County Executive encourages undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines to apply. The program seeks candidates who are passionate about public service and have demonstrated a substantial commitment to achieving excellence through their scholarship, leadership ability, and extracurricular involvement. Applicants must be a resident of Cuyahoga County or interested in returning to Cuyahoga County and enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student during the spring and/or fall semesters of 2013. 

Selection Process and Timeline

The selection process will include a review of completed applications which will be screened by the Fellowship Selection Committee. The Selection Committee may include staff from the Office of the County Executive as well as participating departments or agencies. Among the qualities looked for in fellows are scholastic achievement, oral and written communication skills, analytic skills, campus and/or community service involvement, political awareness, and leadership potential. Applicants will be matched by skills and indicated interest areas to actual projects. 

The application deadline is now closed. 

Placement Opportunities

Summer Fellows will be placed in the following departments.  Each placement opportunity listed includes project or policy descriptions that are attached to a Western Reserve Plan (WRP) Principle.  Applicants must indicate their top three (3) areas of interest.

  • Communications - undergraduate only
  • General Operations
  • Economic Development
  • Public Finance
  • Health and Human Services
  • Human Resources
  • Law Department – 2L or 3L students only
  • Public Works
  • Regional Collaboration
  • Information Technology
For additional information, please contact Jennifer Scofield, Office of County Executive Edward FitzGerald, at jscofield@cuyahogacounty.us or 216-698-3022.  You can also find more information at www.facebook.com/CuyahogaCounty, http://www.linkedin.com/company/15809 and on Twitter @cuyahogacounty.

Past Fellows