As many as 10 outstanding undergraduate or graduate students with an interest in education policy or public policy will be selected as summer interns this year at the U.S. Education Department as part of the new Martin Luther King Scholars Program unveiled recently by President Bush, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige announced today.

"President Bush recognizes Dr. Martin Luther King's many contributions to improve our world -- especially, in promoting education," said Paige. "This program will be an exceptional way for outstanding students to learn about the federal role in education and to experience the value of government service."

The president introduced the scholars program in a Jan. 21 ceremony at the White House, called to honor the legacy of the slain civil rights leader.

Scholars will be assigned to the Office of the Secretary of Education and the immediate offices of the assistant secretaries of education at the department's headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The program will be open to continuing juniors, seniors and graduate students who will at least finish their junior year by the end of the spring 2002 semester. Students must be enrolled full-time in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program in any field of study.

Students must be in good academic standing with academic transcripts required. A faculty recommendation must accompany student applications.

Selected students will be designated Martin Luther King Jr. Scholars and receive federal temporary appointments for up to 12 weeks at pay ranging from $10.86 to $18.40 per hour depending on qualifications and education.

A panel of Department of Education reviewers will develop a list of the top 25-30 candidates. A second group will then make recommendations to the secretary on the final selections.

A bulletin announcing the program will be posted through March 8 on the Education Department's Web site at http://web99.ed.gov/hrg, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's USAJobs site at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov and on the new http://www.studentjobs.gov page. The deadline for submitting applications is March 8.

Among other things, students must submit a letter of recommendation from a faculty member or academic advisor and a 500-word essay on what link they see between the philosophies of Martin Luther King and education and public policy.

The Web sites listed above will include all of the materials required for the application package.

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