§4507 Selection of Fellowship Recipients

Summary

Madison Fellows are chosen for strong school work and for their promise to become high school social studies or American history teachers. The Foundation runs a nationwide contest itself or hires someone to run it. Applicants must show a clear interest in studying the Constitution, its principles, and its history, and a readiness to take part in civic life. Each application must include an essay about why studying the Constitution matters for the applicant’s career, public service, and citizenship, and a plan for graduate study that lists courses and a proposed Master’s thesis when needed. The Foundation’s Board of Trustees will set general standards for constitutional studies programs. The Foundation must make sure at least one Madison Fellow is picked each year from every State, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and from Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas when there are at least two resident applicants who meet the Foundation’s minimum rules. If enough money is available, the Foundation may also invite scholars from other countries to apply to study in the United States.