atlascorps-mena-entrepreneurship-initiative

Application Deadline: February 28th 2019

The Atlas Corps Fellowship is a 12-18 month Fellowship in the United States for the world’s top social change leaders. Fellows serve full-time at Host Organizations to develop leadership skills and learn effective practices through the Atlas Corps Global Leadership Lab professional development series and networking opportunities with other Fellows.

The Atlas Corps Fellowship: MENA Entrepreneurship Initiative (MENA Entrepreneurship Initiative), a special initiative within the Atlas Corps Fellowship, is supported by the U.S. Government and is specifically looking to recruit emerging business professionals from Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, and Tunisia for a 12-month professional fellowship in the United States.

Fellows will increase their business acumen while serving in leading corporations, private companies, b-corps, and organizations that promote entrepreneurship through hands-on experience while developing person-to-person connections to learn effective business practices. This prestigious fellowship includes health insurance, enrollment in Atlas Corps Global Leadership Lab, travel costs, and a living stipend.

Applicants for the MENA Entrepreneurship Initiative should go through the same online application process as other applicants for the Atlas Corps Fellowship.

Requirements:

— Two or more years of relevant experience
— Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
— English proficiency (oral, writing, reading)
— Age 35 or younger
— Apply to serve in a country other than where you are from (U.S. citizens are not eligible for the U.S. Fellowship)
— Commitment to return to your home country after the 12-18 month Fellowship
— Commitment to living on a basic stipend that only covers food, shared housing, and local transportation

Benefits

Participants in this prestigious fellowship receive health insurance, flight and visa costs, and a living stipend to cover basic expenses (food, local transportation, and shared housing).

Application Procedure:

1. Online Application

Part 1: You will need to create a login  and you can save your responses so that you can return to the application at any time. In Part 1 of the application (known as the “short form”), you provide contact information and complete the initial eligibility test. If you pass the initial eligibility test, you’ll complete additional background questions and one short essay. NOTE: In order to sponsor Fellows to come to the United States for one year, we require detailed information about each applicant. Please answer each question honestly and thoroughly.

Part 2 (by invitation only): Atlas Corps will review Part 1 applications and invite eligible candidates to complete Part 2 of the application (known as the “long form”), which includes additional questions about your skills and interests and several short essay questions. You will also be required to submit contact information for at least two references who know you in a professional capacity and will write a letter of recommendation about your skills and experiences as well as your potential for success as an Atlas Corps Fellow. You will need to send your requests for letter of recommendation directly through the application system. Your recommenders will receive an email that asks for a recommendation. More detailed instructions can be found in the online application form.

2. Atlas Corps Review Process (by invitation only): Atlas Corps will review Part 2 applications and select top candidates to interview via Skype with the Atlas Corps Selection Board, including Atlas Corps staff and nonprofit sector, government, and business leaders from multiple countries.

3. Host Organization Review Process (by invitation only): Candidates who pass the Atlas Corps interview stage will be designated as Semi-Finalists, which means they are eligible to be reviewed by potential Host Organizations for placements based on their interests and skillset and the organization’s needs.

4. Host Organization Interview Process (by invitation only): Host Organizations invite Semi-Finalists that best match their positions to conduct Skype video interviews with them, moving on to the Finalist stage.

5. Selection and Visa Process: Host Organizations will make their final recommendations to Atlas Corps, and Atlas Corps will notify the selected candidates. After being selected, Fellows will go to the U.S. Embassy in their respective countries to apply for a J-1 visa. Atlas Corps will provide support in obtaining this visa.

Semi-Finalists who are not selected by a Host Organization will be notified and may be given the option to keep their application on file for consideration for the next class of the Fellowship, moving back to the Step 3, the Host Organization Review Process. Semi-Finalists MUST update their availability through their account every 2-4 months in order to remain in consideration for the Fellowship and to be eligible to have their application sent to prospective Hosts. Semi-Finalists will periodically receive a reminder email to do so.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Atlas Corps Fellowship: MENA Entrepreneurship Initiative 2019