19 October 2021,Tuesday: Indo-Americans Joy Basu, Sunny Patel and Akash Shah have been appointed as White House Fellows. The White House Fellowship program enlists professionals from diverse backgrounds to work as full-time, paid fellows for one year as White House staff, cabinet secretaries, and other senior government officials. Basu has been placed on the White House Gender Policy Council.
The Presidential Commission on White House Fellows announced the appointment of the 2021-2022 class of White House Fellows, the most diverse class in the program’s history. The prestigious White House Fellowship program enlists professionals from diverse backgrounds to work as full-time, paid fellows for one year as White House staff, cabinet secretaries, and other senior government officials.
President Lyndon B. Johnson created the White House Fellows Program in 1964 which aimed to “give fellows first-hand, high-level experience with the workings of the federal government, and their sense of involvement in national affairs.” The fellowship operates as a nonpartisan program that is maintained throughout both Republican and Democratic administrations. Throughout the year, Fellows actively participate in an education program that expands their knowledge of leadership, policy-making and contemporary issues. The mission of the White House Fellows Program is to encourage active citizenship and service to the nation.
Selection to the program is based on a record of professional achievement, evidence of leadership skills, ability to lead, and commitment to service. This year’s White House Fellows have progressed through a highly competitive selection process, and they are a remarkably talented, passionate, and accomplished group. More than half of the fellows are women and reflect the diversity of America overall. These fellows bring experience from a broad cross-section of professions, from the private sector, local government, academia, medicine, law, and the military.