The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) invites Tibetan American undergraduate and graduate students to apply for 2020 Lodi Gyari Fellowships under ICT’s Washington Internship Program for Tibetan Americans (WIPTA).

The fellowship is a full-expense-covered summer program that places qualified candidates in internship programs within US Congressional offices in Washington, DC.

WIPTA is part of ICT’s overall Lodi Gyari Tibetan Empowerment Program and is dedicated to promoting and empowering the burgeoning Tibetan American community by providing meaningful opportunities to take part in and gain exposure to all levels of the US political process. It aims to develop leadership and professional skills, encourage political and civic engagement, and foster a strong interest in public service careers.

The fellowship is named in honor of the life and legacy of the late Mr. Lodi Gyaltsen Gyari, former president and chairman of the Board of Directors of ICT, who also served as the Special Envoy of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Lodi Gyari Fellows will take part in six- to eight-week internships in offices of US Members of Congress and gain a firsthand view of the policymaking and legislative process, as well as access to high-profile leaders in Washington, DC.

Selected candidates are required to participate in WIPTA orientation and training programs, complete weekly journals and submit a program evaluation at the end of their internships.

In 2019, ICT’s first Lodi Gyari Fellows began their coveted internships on Capitol Hill.

Read here about Tenzin Rangdol’s experience as an intern in the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

WIPTA supports each participant with roundtrip airfare within the continental US and a stipend to cover housing and other expenses.

NOTE: Students who have independently secured “unpaid” internships in Washington, DC with federal entities can also apply for this fellowship if they can meet the qualifications and responsibilities listed below.

Qualifications

All WIPTA applicants must be:

  • A US citizen
  • Currently enrolled in a full-time graduate or undergraduate degree program with at least one year of study completed by the beginning of the internship.

Responsibilities

  • Work a minimum of 32 hours a week (six to eight weeks in the summer or spring/fall)
  • Participate in ICT’s WIPTA orientation and training programs, complete weekly journals and submit a program evaluation at the end of the internship.

Email [email protected] if you have any questions.