Eisenhower Fellowships International Programs: A Six-Week Leadership Fellowship in the United States
Mid-career leaders from around the world can apply to participate in the Eisenhower Fellowships International Programs, a prestigious leadership fellowship designed to connect emerging and established changemakers with influential leaders, organizations and institutions across the United States.
Each year, approximately 40 to 50 mid-career leaders from diverse professional fields and countries are selected as International Eisenhower Fellows. The fellowship provides an intensive six-week experience designed to broaden participants’ perspectives, strengthen professional networks and equip them to create measurable change in their home countries and communities.
A Global Fellowship for Mid-Career Leaders
The Eisenhower Fellowships program is designed for professionals who are already making an impact and are ready to take on larger challenges.
Fellows come from a wide range of professional backgrounds, allowing participants to learn across sectors and disciplines. Through exposure to different institutions, leadership approaches and ideas, Fellows are encouraged to rethink existing challenges and identify new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.
The fellowship is more than a professional development program. Participants are expected to translate their experience into concrete action after returning home.
Each Fellow must identify a specific project to pursue following the U.S. program, with the goal of producing real-world, measurable results. Projects may also be developed collaboratively with other Eisenhower Fellows.
Six Weeks of Intensive U.S. Engagement
The International Programs experience begins with several weeks of virtual engagement, allowing Fellows to prepare for their time in the United States.
The in-person program begins in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with an Opening Seminar. Fellows then embark on highly customized itineraries across the United States.
Participants typically visit six to eight cities during their fellowship and participate in approximately two to three meetings each day. These meetings provide opportunities to engage directly with corporate executives, government officials, nonprofit leaders, researchers, entrepreneurs and other experts working in areas relevant to each Fellow’s professional interests.
This customized approach allows Fellows to explore their individual areas of focus while gaining a broader understanding of American institutions, leadership and innovation.
Building a Powerful International Network
Networking is a central component of the Eisenhower Fellowships experience.
During their travels, Fellows meet prominent American leaders who are part of the Eisenhower Fellowships network. These conversations provide opportunities for substantive exchanges, relationship-building and potential future collaboration.
At the conclusion of the U.S. travel program, Fellows return to Philadelphia for a Closing Seminar.
The experience does not end when the six-week fellowship concludes. Successful participants become lifetime members of the Eisenhower Fellowships network, which includes more than 1,900 leaders worldwide.
International Programs Twice a Year
Eisenhower Fellowships regularly organizes international programs in both the spring and fall.
The spring Global Program brings mid-career leaders from approximately two dozen countries to the United States for nearly six weeks of professional engagement, learning and exchange.
The fall program focuses on selected themes, geographic regions or professional interests. These thematic programs bring together leaders confronting related challenges and create opportunities for collaboration across countries and sectors.
Who Should Consider the Fellowship?
The program is particularly relevant to mid-career professionals, entrepreneurs, public-sector leaders, nonprofit executives, researchers, advocates and other change agents who are seeking to expand their influence and develop solutions to major social, economic and institutional challenges.
Strong candidates should be able to demonstrate leadership, professional achievement and a clear commitment to creating positive change.
About Eisenhower Fellowships
The mission of Eisenhower Fellowships is to identify, empower and connect innovative leaders through a transformative fellowship experience and lifelong engagement in a global network.
The organization seeks to develop leaders committed to building a more peaceful, prosperous and just world.
For professionals looking for an international leadership fellowship that combines professional development, travel, high-level networking and a requirement to deliver tangible impact at home, the Eisenhower Fellowships International Programs offer a distinctive opportunity.
Prospective applicants should monitor the Eisenhower Fellowships website for current program announcements, eligibility requirements and application deadlines.
