The Bill Archer Fellowship Program

The Bill Archer Fellowship was established by The University of Texas System
in conjunction with Former U.S. Representative Bill Archer as a way to bring
highly motivated and accomplished students to Washington, D.C. to
participate in varied internships and take part in classes focusing on policy,
economics, and persuasion. Our students work with places such as the United
Nations Information Centre, the U.S. Department of State, many offices
within the White House and on the Hill, with federal agencies, and with non-
profit organizations. Our selection process is rigorous, and we are afforded
the opportunity to bring only the best representatives from throughout Texas.

Students who participate in the Bill Archer Fellowship Program can expect to
have an exhausting, rewarding experience that will allow them to learn about
how our federal government interacts within and outside itself. Students will
make and maintain social and professional contacts that could help lead to
continued internship opportunities and even jobs post-graduation. Our
support network is already large, and our alumni base is growing constantly
with core groups in Austin, Dallas, Washington, New York, and Boston.

www.archercenter.org

The Archer Fellowship consists of three components:
• Internship – fellows complete a full-time internship at a
site that is well-suited to their academic and
professional goals and interests.
• Scholarship – fellows earn 15 credit hours during their
participation in the program – 6 credits for the
internship and 9 credits for upper division coursework
• Fellowship – all fellows will live together on Capitol Hill
and will take classes together as a group. This is a
wonderful opportunity to build friendships and
professional connections, and enjoy the camaraderie of
the best students that Texas has to offer.


Where can I intern?

Anywhere you want! The Archer Fellowship is an
extraordinary opportunity for you to live and work in our
nation’s capital city and take advantage of all that it has to
offer. Students should think of their dream job
opportunity in D.C. and go from there. Students are
responsible for researching and applying for internships
on their own, but the Archer Center is there to guide and
assist throughout the process. Our program has a
fantastic reputation for providing high-quality interns, so
each semester it becomes easier and easier for our
students to get placed. See the Potential Internship
Opportunities for Bill Archer Fellows for more ideas.

What classes will I take?

All Archer Fellows enroll in the same courses – 15 hours total. Six hours of
credit for your internship and nine hours of courses you will take in D.C. at
The Archer Center. The courses are specially designed to appeal to Archer
Fellows from all academic backgrounds (no previous government courses
required) and are taught by UT System professors in Washington. Though
you’ll be taking courses on site in DC, you will enroll at UT Tyler in order to
maintain your in-residence status.

The Policymaking Process - Dr. Julie Donnelly (POLS 4380)
Advocacy in Applied Settings - Dr. John Daly (SPCM 4329)
Beyond Congress & the White House - Dr. Joel Swerdlow (POLS 4390)
Internship Hours – these credits may be taken in your major department
pending departmental approval.

More detailed information about theses courses can be found here.

Where will I live?

Archer Fellows live together in historic row homes
just blocks from the Capitol and the Supreme Court.
You’re very close to public transportation and all
the city has to offer. The Archer Center will select
the houses and assign roommates. Both houses
have a basement with bedroom space, a ground
floor with common living areas and a kitchen, and
three upper floors with bedroom space.
Traditionally, UT Tyler pays the cost of housing for
our fellows!

Is this program a good fit for me?

The Archer Fellowship is a good fit for any student looking for an
immersive study experience. Government and policy will impact
virtually every professional area, and learning how to navigate the
governmental system is a valuable (and marketable) skill. We’ve had
fellows from many academic majors – not just government and
political science.
• 32% – Government
• 19% – Economics, History, Honors
• 16 % – Communication (journalism, speech, radio-television-film,
public relations)
• 32% – 24 other majors, ranging from Spanish to business
administration to biology
The diversity of the fellowship is one of it’s strengths. This is a unique
opportunity to learn with, and from, the best students in Texas.

Am I eligible for the program?

The program is open to students of all majors at any UT
System campus. The eligibility requirements are:

• Junior or senior status during the fellowship semester
• Overall GPA: 3.0 or higher
• Completion of government requirements (POLS 2305 &
2306)
• Previous work or internship experience
• 24 hours completed in residence (12 completed & 12 in
progress for transfer students)
• Campus/community leadership experience

I’m concerned about costs. Is this program expensive?

We do all we can to make this program as affordable as possible to our
students. As a fellow, here’s what you should expect:
• A flat program fee (currently $4500) paid by you in lieu of your regular
tuition and fees for the semester. Scholarships and financial aid can be
applied to this fee. You can also request a re-evaluation of your financial
aid award for your Archer Semester to consider the additional costs and
special circumstances.
• Transportation expenses to and from Washington – scholarships are
available from the Archer Center to help with this.
• Housing – traditionally, UT Tyler pays the housing costs for it’s fellows
(minus the application fee and security deposit, both $200)
• Daily expenses – food, entertainment, public transportation, etc.

Overall, the cost is a bit more than a typical semester on campus, but the
added expenses are manageable for the majority of students.

Sounds great! How do I apply?

The application deadline for the 2013-2014 academic year is February 22, 2013.
Finalists will be expected to participate in an on-campus interview to be scheduled in
March. Students selected to participate in the program will be notified in April. The
following materials should be included with your application:
• Resume
• Official Transcript (from all junior colleges/colleges/universities attended)
• Personal Statement (Why do you want to be an Archer Fellow? What unique
contribution can you make to the program?)
• Policy Essay (chose any issue of domestic or foreign policy and argue your case to
the audience of your choice)
• Letters of Recommendation (three total, two must be from UT System professors)
• List of Potential Internships (your top three)
• Statement of Disclosure (include any disciplinary actions or criminal convictions)

Download the full application materials here.


How can I make myself a great candidate?

Tip #1: Start early! Begin work on your resume, personal statement,
and policy essay in the fall semester.
Tip #2: Ask for help!
• Take your resume to Career Services.
• Talk to the people who know you best about your personal
statement – sometimes they can identify your unique attributes
better than you can!
• Visit the writing center with your personal statement and policy
essay
Tip #3: Pay attention! Congressman Archer is committed to public
service (in many broad forms), and the Archer Fellowship is designed
to further that commitment in our fellows. Pay attention to politics
and current events so you can best identify the various ways in which
you can contribute.

The Bill Archer Fellowship Program

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