Heinz Student Awarded Tisdale Fellowship
Elisa Echeverria has been selected as an Eben Tisdale Public Policy Fellowship. Elisa, a first year MSPPM student, is one of six Carnegie Mellon applicants and the single Carnegie Mellon University student to receive a fellowship.
The Tisdale Fellowship brings eligible students to Washington, D.C. for internships that explore current public policy issues of critical importance to the high technology sector of the economy.
The eight-week internship experience is in the government relations office of a leading high technology company or association. In the recent past, fellows have interned at such companies as Agilent Technologies, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, NCR, and Infotech Strategies, as well as associations such as the Information Technology Industry Council. Fellows have an opportunity to observe first hand the development and advocacy of public policy issues in Congress, the Administration and industry associations and to participate in projects of their own, focusing on current critical issues.
In addition to the internship, fellows participate in a weekly issues seminar, organized with the assistance of the sponsoring companies and associations. Expert speakers lead discussions of current public policy issues in Washington, and the methods high technology industry uses for effective advocacy. In the past, topics have included global electronic commerce, protection of privacy, export controls, digital intellectual property protection, biotechnology issues and educational technology policy. The seminars give Fellows an opportunity to reflect on the appropriate role industry can have on public policy making at the Federal level. Fellows also are encouraged, through a variety of events and discussions, to reflect on how growing high technology affects society, culture and the global economy.
The goal of the Fellowship is to create a supportive and collegial environment in which a new class of public policy professionals will be mentored to help ensure that the high-tech industry continues to have highly capable and well-trained individuals in both policy advocacy and senior management positions.
Elisa's professional experience has been in marketing and consulting within the technology industry. Her current focus is on the relationship between technology, economic growth, and public policy. The Tisdale Fellowship provides an opportunity to build on her interest in working for the public's economic interest in a political arena. She views civic activities of technology companies as a tangible way of giving back to their communities.