What If?

What if you could enlist the intelligence, fresh ideas, and energy of a really exceptional graduate student from one of the nation's top universities to perform an analysis, complete a project, or work on a problem currently facing your organization? For about $18 an hour, we can provide you just such an individual for 10-weeks of work this coming summer.

Oregon fellows are comprised of diverse, national-class talent. Most come from universities listed in U.S. News and World Report's 2009 ranking of America's best graduate schools in public affairs, business, industrial engineering, information technology and other disciplines relevant to government and non-for-profit organizations.

They range in age from their early '20s to the mid-40s (the average age of each class is typically around 26). Most have some prior work experience in government. Some hold multiple degrees. A few are even Fulbright or Ford Fellows.

All undergo a highly competitive screening process and all complete five days of training at the Hatfield School of Government as part of their preparation for the Oregon Fellowship. And, as you will see in the next section, they have worked for a large number of public sector sponsors!.

Past Sponsors

Oregon State Government
Department of Human Services, Continuous System Improvement Group, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Department of Administrative Services. Office of the State Controller, Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon Department of Education, Oregon Commission on Children and Families, Oregon Public Employees Benefits Board , Oregon Progress Board , Oregon Public Employees Retirement System, Oregon Liquor Control Commission, Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation, Oregon Employment Department, Oregon Department of Community College and Workforce Development, Oregon Secretary of State, Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, Oregon Judicial Department, Oregon Housing and Community Services, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Oregon Board of Nursing, Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, Oregon Student Assistance Commission, South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Oregon State Treasurer, Oregon Legislative Fiscal Office.

Oregon Cities
City of Portland Audit Services, City of Portland Bureau of Purchases, City of Portland Parks & Recreation, City of Portland Revenue Bureau, City of Portland Bureau of Technology Services, City of Portland Office of Planning & Development Review, City of Portland Police Bureau, City of Portland Water Bureau, City of Beaverton, City of Hillsboro, Portland Development Commission, City of Medford

Oregon Counties
Multnomah County, Clackamas County, Washington County, Association of Oregon Counties

Other
Association of Government Accountants, Government Finance Officers Association, Corporation for National Service, State of Georgia Technology Authority, State of Florida DMV, Washington Governor's Office, City of Boston, R.V.Kuhns & Associates, Oregon Business Council, Metro, League of Oregon Cities, TriMet, Clean Water Services, Oregon Coalition of Health Care Purchasers, City of Vancouver Washington, Oregon Workforce Partnership, City of Tacoma Washington, Clark County Washington, Ecotrust, Columbia River Gorge Commission, Meeting of the Minds, Tualatin Valley Water District, Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Natural Step, Portland General Electric

Sponsor Requirements

Sponsors are expected to provide the customary office resources (assigned work space, office supplies, telephone, computer, etc.) required by any knowledge worker in their organization. In addition, they are expected to provide the following:

• An Organizational orientation to their Oregon Fellow
• Assignment of a manager to supervise the fellow who will also...
• Define and document the project(s) to be undertaken during the 10-week assignment,
• Help the Fellow understand organizational culture,
• Foster introductions to agency staff and provide other networking opportunities,
• Provide periodic feedback and end-of-program evalution.

Although not a requirement, the most successful fellowship experiences often involve one major assignment the Fellow can really dig into, along with 1-2 minor assignments, often in the form of a rotation to another organization in the sponsoring agency. This provides the Fellow with a broader perspective of the operation and the sponsor with several work products.

The Price of Sponsorship

Sponsoring agencies pay $8,000 (sponsors outside Oregon pay a slightly higher fee to cover the added cost of transportation to, and lodging during, a five-day training institute in Portland in June. Call for details). Sponsors receive a carefully recruited, full-time Fellow of their choosing for 10-weeks.

Here's how the sponsorship fee breaks out:

$5,000 is paid as a stipend to the Fellow during their 10-weeks of on-the-job learning and contribution. Portland State University receives $912--a 12% "hosting fee"--for each student participating (Universities typically impose an internal charge of 40% or more grants and other miscellaneous revenues). There are several benefits from hosting these programs at the Hatfield School. First, it's a public entity so inter-agency and inter-governmental agreements are relatively easy to execute. Second, its business and contracting practices provide sponsors assurance that general liability insurance, indemnification, treasury and accounting functions, and the like are established and well-executed. Third, the Hatfield School is a school of government with all the assets required to support the Fellow programs-not least of which are a top flight faculty, able staff, outstanding teaching facilities.

$750 is earmarked for an exclusive 5-day institute (June 15-19) where your Fellow will participate in an exclusive financial management institute at the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. The institute will be conducted by public sector financial management executives and educators from around the country- examining and discussing key concepts and best practices in contemporary public policy and administration. Instructor and facility fees, lodging and transportation assistance for this event are included.

$150 pays for production, honoraria, and communication costs for one webcast with a national thought leader and 1-2 "policy and pizza" seminars with a policy-level decision maker from state or local government. The remaining monies pay for start-up costs, communications and recruitment expenses, as well as program administration of fellowships during the year.

June Training Institutes at the Hatfield School of Government

Because academic calendars vary among institutions, some interns begin their assignments in May; others in June. Regardless of the start dates, the internships begin formally in early June with a kick-off event followed by a five-day training institute at the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University.

Each institute is designed to support the focus and objectives of a particular intern program; e.g., performance measurement and management, electronic government, sustainability, etc. National and local experts join the Hatfield School faculty in delivering each of the Institutes.


Benefits of Sponsorship

There are several potential benefits beyond the project deliverables your intern provides during their 10-week assignment.

First, a substantial project begun during the summer can extend into the school year when many graduate students are required to complete a second-year project for graduation, benefiting both the sponsor and student.

Second, our internship programs give a sponsor a terrific recruiting and qualification instrument, essentially getting to know a prospective employee and their work in advance of their entry into the job market. Lastly, participation in one of our programs gives a public enterprise access to a far-reaching network of strategic sources of talent that they can easily tap over time. This could be especially attractive if your organization is facing a large talent drain in the next few years.

Third, the Fellowship provides a low cost way to evaluate prospective employees who may wish to join your organization after graduation.

Fourth, the Fellowship can also provide a very useful way to build diverse workforce comprised of national class talent.

How Do I Sign Up?

It's really simple. Please email gbeard@pdx.edu, expressing your (non-binding) interest in possibly sponsoring one or more Oregon Fellows summer of 2009.