Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Hello, AEA365 community! Liz DiLuzio here, Lead Curator of the blog. This week is Individuals Week, which means we take a break from our themed weeks and spotlight the Hot Tips, Cool Tricks, Rad Resources and Lessons Learned from any evaluator interested in sharing. Would you like to contribute to future individuals weeks? Email me at AEA365@eval.org with an idea or a draft and we will make it happen.
Hi, fellow evaluators and change-makers! We’re Jane Payumo (Michigan State University) and Rachel George (Stanford University, previously Duke University). In the fall of 2023 (August – December 2023), we set out to assess USAID’s Science and Technology (S&T) fellowship programs with the Research Technical Assistance Center, a global network of academic researchers, and in collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago. This was more than crunching numbers or analyzing survey forms—it was about uncovering stories and exploring how these fellowships are transforming global development.
USAID’s S&T fellowships help address the world’s most pressing challenges by bringing scientific expertise to critical global issues, such as environment and infrastructure, public health, gender equality, and education. These fellows can help shape and manage USAID programs, offering innovative solutions to complex global problems.
Our goal was simple but crucial: to uncover successes and untapped opportunities where USAID can amplify the impact of its fellowship programs. By pinpointing areas for growth and innovation, our goal was to help USAID stay agile and effective in designing and implementing programs that aim to help bridge the gap between academic research and real-world policy solutions.
Numbers tell a story, but so do people—we aimed to capture both. Using a mixed-methods approach, we combined available quantitative data with personal narratives to understand how these programs operate, their strengths, and areas for improvement. Here is what we did:
Evaluating fellowship programs is challenging due to the unique outcomes of each fellow-host match, requiring a balance between consistency and flexibility. Our assessment led to four recommendations for improving USAID’s S&T fellowships:
These insights are not unique to USAID and its S&T fellowships; any organization managing fellowship programs can implement these core principles to unlock greater potential when bringing external talent into an organization through similar programs.
Assessments like this go beyond accountability; they unlock possibilities. By weaving together data and stories, we, together with USAID, helped support collective reflection to chart the path for a stronger, more impactful future for USAID’s fellowship programs.
Change is already underway. USAID is piloting innovative approaches to enhance the impact of its S&T fellowship programs, focusing on clarity, professional growth, and collaboration for long-term results. The future looks promising for fellows, host organizations, and the communities they serve.
What could this kind of evaluation unlock for your programs? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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