Application Deadline: 11:59 pm PDT on Friday, October 29, 2021.
What makes a strong candidate for this program? How can you expand your commercial space industry experience? Why commercial space? We recommend attending an information session or watching a past one below to learn more about the program and the application!
Eligibility
The Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program is open to any student who:
- At the time of application, is a college junior, college senior, or graduate student who intends to pursue a full-time career in the commercial spaceflight industry.
- Commercial space is broadly defined as activities in entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, and innovation that will enable new or dramatically improved products or services that do not depend solely on government cost-plus contracting to prove viable. In its most aspiring terms, commercial space promises to alter the space industry through new business models that will open up the space frontier.
- Has earned an engineering or science degree, or is working towards one at the time the Fellowship begins.
- Has a diversity in experience and academic interests such as in engineering, science, management, business, and other related fields that can be related to commercial space.
- Is a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident (green card holder) due to export control regulations at the host companies.
Application Procedure
Candidates have to complete only the single online application (available via the button at the top of this page) in order to be considered for positions at all of the host companies. The application consists of the following three parts (described in further detail below):
1) General Information
2) Resume, Transcript, and Two Recommendation Letters
3) Essays
All three portions of the application must be completed and submitted by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Friday, October 29, 2021 to be considered for the Fellowship. Once you hit the “Submit” button on your application, you will receive an automated confirmation email. If you do not receive the automated email, your application may not have been submitted and you should email apply@matthewfellowship.org to confirm. (NOTE: You will need a gmail address in order to access the online form—most college emails are associated with gmail. If you cannot access the form, please let us know at apply@matthewfellowship.org.)
Further details:
1) RESUME & TRANSCRIPT
Your résumé should be no more than two pages in length and include your current GPA. Your transcript can be unofficial, although official transcript is required upon selection into the program.
2) RECOMMENDATION LETTERS
Two letters of recommendation must be submitted for your application to be complete. Please share the below upload link with your recommenders. At least one of these letters must be from a faculty member at your university. Please encourage your recommenders to address how your coursework or work experience to date has related to commercial space, and why you are a good candidate for the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program.
Recommendation letter writers should submit their letter through this portal: https://bit.ly/mifp2022-recommendation
NOTE: if recommenders have any questions or are unable to upload through the portal, they can email letters directly to apply@matthewfellowship.org with the subject line: “Recommendation Letter [Applicant’s Name]”.
3) ESSAYS
Three essay responses must be submitted for your application to be complete. We ask that you upload your essay responses as a single PDF file titled, “Essay Responses_[Your First and Last Name]”. At the start of each response, please indicate which question you are answering. You should have your PDF ready prior to starting the application form (as you will not be able to save and return to the form later). Here are the questions:
- In 350 words or less, please describe the type of company and internship work assignment you would prefer and why.
- Please answer ONE of the following essay questions in 350 words or less: a) The Administration is committed to landing humans back on the moon and leveraging commercial space capabilities to get there sooner or in a more sustainable fashion. They asked you as a senior space advisor what commercial space capability you think would most enable this goal. What would you propose?b) You are invited to pitch a business idea for a panel of investors interested in investing in space technology that few are talking about but is poised for tremendous growth. What business idea would you pitch?c) At your startup company which is on the verge of undergoing rapid growth, you are tasked by the CEO to put together your top three recommendations to ensure a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce. What are your recommendations?
- In 600 words or less, please answer the following: Why are you excited and passionate about commercial space and your current or future role in it, and why are you a strong candidate for this Fellowship?
Official Website: MATTHEW ISAKOWITZ FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
