Collaboration with the Clarke DS Fellowship promotes equitable opportunities by removing financial barriers.

Washington (May 6, 2024) — A new collaboration agreement with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), provides selected fellows of the William D. Clarke, Sr. Diplomatic Security (Clarke DS) Fellowship with an opportunity to receive generous scholarship funding for eligible master’s degree programs.

UNLV will waive its out-of-state tuition fee for Clarke DS Fellows enrolling in these full-time, two-year master’s degree programs:

  • Master of Science in Management Information Systems
  • Master of Science in Computer Science
  • Master of Science in Cybersecurity

The Clarke DS Fellowship tuition assistance fully covers UNLV’s in-state tuition fee, resulting in no out-of-pocket tuition expense for Clarke DS Fellows. Additionally, Clarke DS Fellows will receive a scholarship to cover the mandatory Graduate Student Health insurance costs and the 90-meal Commuter Plan.

“This is an exciting collaboration with The Washington Center and the Clarke DS Fellowship that helps us support our diverse communities and promote equitable opportunities for all students,” says Dr. Alyssa Crittenden, Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate College at UNLV.

Funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC), the Clarke DS Fellowship is a unique diversity recruitment program that provides academic funding for a two-year master’s degree program while preparing fellows to enter the Foreign Service as Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Special Agents.

“The Clarke DS Fellowship aims to attract qualified candidates to the Diplomatic Security Service who represent the diversity of the United States,” says Shannan Spisak, Executive Director of Federal Initiatives for The Washington Center. “With this generous support from UNLV, Clarke DS Fellows have an opportunity to enroll in master’s degree program they otherwise may not have been able to afford,”

The Clarke DS Fellowship provides:

  • Up to $42,000 annually in academic funding for tuition, room and board, mandatory fees, and some travel expenses, for a two-year master’s degree program.
  • Two summer practicums with stipend support with the Diplomatic Security Service (one in Washington, D.C., and one overseas at a U. S. embassy or consulate).
  • Personalized mentoring and professional development opportunities throughout the program.

Upon successful completion of the fellowship program and Foreign Service entry requirements, Clarke DS Fellows receive an appointment as a Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Special Agent in the Foreign Service. DSS Special Agents are sworn federal law enforcement officers, responsible for the security of personnel, property, and sensitive information around the world.

More information about eligibility requirements, benefits, and how to apply can be found at clarkedsfellowship.org.

Download the UNLV partnership agreement.

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About The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars

The Washington Center creates flexible, immersive pathways to enhance the pipeline of diverse talent that build more equitable, inclusive workplaces and communities. Since our founding, we’ve helped more than 60,000 young people translate their college majors into career paths. We use our scale and expertise to customize each learner’s experience to be truly transformative.

About the University of Nevada, Las Vegas

UNLV is a public, urban institution that serves a diverse student population of more than 30,000 students, of whom more than 5,000 are graduate and professional student scholars. Our community of scholars is supported by more than 3,300 faculty and staff, including approximately 1,300 graduate faculty members. UNLV is classified by the U.S. Department of Education as a Minority, Hispanic-, and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. This triple designation is accompanied by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education “Very High Research Activity” or “R1” status, the highest rank among research universities in the U.S. With more than 175 graduate programs offering outstanding quality and opportunity, admitted graduate students are able to work closely with world-class graduate faculty who are engaging in scholarly and creative activities to improve the well-being of our community, state, nation, and world.