The Presidential Management Fellows, a program that looks to attract recent and upcoming graduates of advanced academic programs to government service, marked its 40th anniversary Sept. 18.

The Office of Personnel Management originally established the PMF as an internship program as part of a 1977 executive order signed by President Jimmy Carter.

The PMF graduated its first class of fellows in 1978.

“The PMF Program is an excellent leadership training ground for women and men who desire to be challenged with federal opportunities to transform them into problem-solving, strategic-thinking future leaders,” said Jeff Pon, director of OPM.

“This year we honor the past and present PMF civil servants for their commitment to excellence in their service to the nation, and we look forward to working with the next 40 years of PMF leaders and managers.”

Applicants submit their qualifications through the USAJobs site in the hopes of being chosen as a finalist. Those finalists are then eligible for appointment as fellows at participating agencies and begin the leadership program at the entry level.

According to the PMF website, an average of 50 to 60 percent of finalists are selected for appointments as fellows.

The fellowships last two years as a full-time paid position with benefits.

PMF alumnus include former NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe, who oversaw the agency during the Mars Exploration Rover program and the space shuttle Colombia explosion in 2003.

PMF graduates have worked on major agency initiatives, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Task Force on Multi-Generational Recruitment and Retention, and gone on to win coveted public service awards, such as the Service to America Medal’s People's Choice award.

Applications for the 2019 class of fellows open Oct. 9, 2018, and close Oct. 22. The announcement of the 2019 finalists is scheduled for approximately four weeks after applications close.

Jessie Bur covers federal IT and management.

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