October 2002 - Nr. 10
Bosch Fellowship Program Fosters Community of Transatlantic Leaders
TWIG - Over the past 19 years, the Robert Bosch Foundation has enabled more than 300 young American professionals to acquire an in-depth understanding of the political, economic and cultural environment of Germany and Europe through intensive nine-month work and study fellowship programs. Hannah Kuhn, a Bosch Fellow in 1997-98, now works with the U.S. Army in Frankfurt.
She says the Bosch program "has had a direct and positive effect on my professional development. The [foundation] arranged an excellent stage for me at the federal interior ministry, the German counterpart to my U.S. employer, the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Being a fellow opened so many doors at the ministry, exposing me to numerous key officials and a wealth of ‘insider’ information in my field. My knowledge of the inner workings of a German government ministry has also proven to be a real asset in my current position, advising U.S. Army commanders on German-American government relations."
Bosch fellows receive a generous monthly stipend and high-level internships at key German institutions, including federal government offices and the federal parliament, as well as at headquarters of private corporations, major media, associations and cultural institutions. If needed, language training can be provided. Fellows are selected from six main fields: business administration, economics, journalism/mass communications, law, political science, and public and international affairs. Through their various work experiences as well as lectures and related seminars in Berlin, Munich, Prague, Wroclaw, Strasbourg and Brussels, fellows gain a meaningful understanding of issues facing Germany and the EU today. Upon completion of the program, fellows return to their communities in the United States and apply their newly acquired knowledge to their professions.
Fellowship applications must be received no later than October 15, 2002 for the program beginning in September 2003. Applicants should be U.S. citizens between the ages of 23 and 34 and ideally will have completed a graduate degree and/or two years of professional work experience prior to the beginning of the program. Knowledge of German is recommended but not required.
