My fellowship has been the most impactful personal and professional development opportunity of my life. I wanted a post-college experience that would push my limits, expand my comfort zone, and help me discern the next steps in my career journey. And this has been the case.
What is the timeline when a candidate is put forward for consideration for a specific post at a host organization?
After interviews in January, those invited into the candidate pool are asked to confirm their interest in being in the candidate pool. Those who do not reply will be removed from the candidate pool. Before being put forward to an organization, candidates are first contacted by PiAf staff to determine their interest in a specific fellowship post. They are able to ask questions about the post before being sent forward. When a candidate agrees to be put forward, a PiAf staff member will notify them when their materials (resume and bio) have been sent to the host organization for their review. The host organization has a two-week period within which they need to review and interview the candidates PiAf has presented to them. By the end of the two weeks, the organization notifies PiAf which candidate they select to be their Fellow. PiAf will then send an offer to that successful candidate and the candidate will have 3 days to consider the offer and get back to PiAf with a response.
PiAf encourages candidates to consider this 2-week timeline part of their decision-making process. During this time they should be speaking with advisors, mentors and loved ones, doing online research on the host organization and reading Fellow reports on the post (if available) to decide if this post would be a good fit for them. PiAf only sends a few candidates forward for each post so chances are high that a candidate who interviews with a host organization could be made an offer. We ask that only candidates who are seriously interested in the post agree to be put forward to prevent host organization staff from dedicating their valuable time to uninterested candidates.
Posted in: The Application
Our History
In 1999, a group of Princeton alumni, faculty, and staff launched Princeton in Africa as an independent affiliate of Princeton University inspired by the University’s informal motto, “Princeton in the Nation’s Service and in the Service of All Nations.” In 2010, the program opened up to include graduates of any US accredited university in order to meet the growing demand from host organizations and allow more young professionals access to the unique opportunities afforded by PiAf. During the past 20 years, we have placed over 600 Fellows with more than 100 organizations in 36 countries, while developing more strategic partnerships across Africa and creating more opportunities for our alumni community to engage with the continent and with one another.
Posted in: The Application