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Coastal Management Fellowship
Frequently Asked QuestionsQ: What kind of degree do you need to be eligible for the fellowship?A: For the 2010 fellowship, applicants must complete a master's, doctoral, or professional degree between January 1, 2009, and July 31, 2010, to be eligible. A broad range of degrees are applicable because the state projects are new and different each year. Previous fellows have had degrees in environmental studies, natural resource management, marine affairs, marine science, geology, public affairs, and regional land management. The most important prerequisite is an interest in state-level coastal issues. Q: What criteria do the Sea Grant directors use when writing their letters of endorsement?A: Sea Grant directors evaluate applicants based on a face-to-face or phone interview. They look for applicants who have a strong professional interest in coastal management, especially at the state and local level; have experience, through internships, extracurricular activities, or jobs, in coastal activities; and have a proven ability in interpersonal, oral, and written communication. Q: What is the length of fellowship projects?A: Fellowship projects are two years long. For instance, the 2010 fellowship will start in August 2010 and end in August 2012. Newly selected fellows are given the opportunity to visit their host states prior to the start of the fellowship to meet the staff and to look for housing. Q: Can a state coastal zone program nominate someone for a fellowship position?A: State coastal zone programs cannot nominate anyone to be a fellow on their state projects. Host states and fellows are selected independently of one another and then matched up through a mutual interview process. Contact between applicants and host states is not allowed. Applicants are encouraged to read about the host state projects on the Web or to contact current fellows to ask them about their position or experience. Q: Does where applicants live or go to school determine what projects they are eligible for?A: Not at all. Applicants are eligible for any of the state projects regardless of where they live. Q: What is the salary for the Coastal Management Fellowship?A: The current salary is $34,000 per year. In the second year of the fellowship, a locality pay factor may be added to the salary, depending on the location of the fellowship. Q: How do fellows get paid?A: All of the benefits, including salary, are administered by The Baldwin Group through a contract with the NOAA Coastal Services Center. Q: What other benefits, in addition to salary, are included as part of the fellowship?A: Health insurance, worker's compensation, relocation reimbursement, and travel reimbursement. Q: How much relocation reimbursement do fellows receive?A: Fellows will be reimbursed up to $2,000 for moving expenses incurred over the duration of their two-year fellowship. Some fellows spend the entire amount to move to their host state, while others have opted to spend it on moving to and from their host states. Q: How much travel reimbursement do fellows receive?A: Fellows will be reimbursed up to $3,500 per year for professional development travel. A portion of this money is earmarked for specific meetings. Any travel related to their state project will be reimbursed by the host state. Q: Do fellows have contact with one another during the fellowship?A: The fellows see each other at two events each year. One is the fellows' meeting, which takes place each year in February, and the other is a summer conference which changes depending on the year. In even years, the fellows attend the Coastal Society Conference, and in odd years they attend the Coastal Zone Conference. Q: Where have previous fellows gone on to work?A: Forty-five percent of fellows accepted positions with state government as their first post-fellowship job. Others accepted positions with the private sector (9 percent), the federal government (25 percent), nongovernmental organizations (7 percent), local government (2 percent), and graduate schools (5 percent). Q: How is the fellowship program evaluated?A: Each year, the fellows and mentors participating in the program are asked to complete a survey about their experiences in the program. This feedback is used to revise the program to better meet the needs of the fellows and mentors. In 2006, the Center hired GEARS Inc. to complete a comprehensive, formal evaluation of the program. The evaluation was completed in late 2007, and the final report is included here: Evaluation of the Coastal Management Fellowship. For Further Information Please Contact:Fellowship Coordinator |
