Communicating with a Host Organization
Can I contact a Host organization directly?
How should I communicate with a Project Mentor who has contacted me?
Declining a Position
What if I am not interested in a position for which I’ve been invited to interview?
What if I am not interested in a position I have been offered?
What if I have accepted a position, but can no longer fulfill the requirements of completing a Fellowship?
Placement Timeframe/Schedule Changes
When can I expect to hear from prospective Hosts?
What if my availability changes after I have already begun interviewing or been accepted for a position?
What if I have not been placed and another opportunity comes up?
Communicating with a Host Organization
Can I contact a Host organization directly?
Applicants are encouraged to proactively:
- Submit interest statements
- Update their application to highlight their strengths
- Ask Ignited questions throughout the process
Applicants are cautioned to:
- Refrain from contacting a Host organization directly prior to being invited for an interview.
- Make contact with Host organizations ONLY through Ignited unless you have been explicitly invited to do so by the Host organization. (Returning Fellows, this applies to you as well!)
Ignited works directly with Hosts and Project Mentors to help identify candidates for their positions. Project Mentors typically do not welcome direct contact from candidates.
How should I communicate with a Host who has contacted me?
After a Project Mentor has initiated contact, when communicating with the Project Mentor, please:
- Communicate quickly and professionally
- Maintain a positive and enthusiastic tone
- Contact Ignited at any time in the process for guidance/support with communication
What if I am not interested in a position for which I’ve been invited to interview?
If you decide the position is not the best fit for you, PLEASE communicate this to Ignited and we will contact the Host organization.
In the unlikely event that a Mentor contacts you directly, please respond thoughtfully in a way that shows your enthusiasm for the Host organization/project and explains why the project is not the best fit for you. For example, you could say:
Thank you so much for considering me for this exciting opportunity! It would be a pleasure to work for Host organization name; however, I am seeking a professional growth opportunity in a different area at this time.
When communicating directly with a Project Mentor, please be sure to CC the Ignited team at fam@igniteducation.org on your communication.
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What if I am not interested in a position I have been offered?
The Summer Fellowship Program is very competitive and most applicants do not receive more than one Fellowship offer. However, if the position you’ve been offered is not a good fit for you, PLEASE, promptly communicate this to Ignited and we will communicate with the Project Mentor.
What if I have accepted a position, but can no longer fulfill the requirements of completing a Fellowship?
Once applicants accept a Fellowship, it is important to honor this commitment the same as you would any employment offer. Reneging on a Fellowship could jeopardize the availability of future Fellowships with that organization so it is very important that you honor your commitment.
However, we do understand if an unforeseen serious emergency comes up. In this case please contact Ignited immediately, so we can help communicate this to the Host organization and, if possible, fill the position quickly with another candidate.
Please remember that reneging on a Fellowship position could preclude you from being eligible for future Ignited Fellowships.
Placement Timeframe/Schedule Changes
When can I expect to hear from Host organizations?
Ignited will begin posting Fellowship Projects in March. The interview and selection process will begin in March and can last all the way into June. Although we encourage Project Mentors to begin interviewing in early March, this timeline, although helpful to teachers, is not always feasible for Project Mentors who may post projects and interview teachers well into May, and even early June.
Fellowship placement varies by Host. Don’t count on it happening overnight or in a week. A more realistic time frame is 3 weeks. If, after 3 weeks, you haven’t heard anything about a position in which you expressed interest, you still see the position unfilled at the Ignited website, and would like to know more, feel free to contact applicants@igniteducation.org to find out the status.
What if my availability changes after I have already begun interviewing or have accepted a position?
Please contact Ignited immediately to let us know any changes in your schedule and update your application to reflect these changes.
Ignited must approve all schedule changes and we will work directly with the Host organization to communicate and seek approval of requested schedule changes.
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What if I have not been placed and another opportunity comes up?
Many applicants are offered a Fellowship position in late spring (even in mid-June!), so your ability to be flexible could help you to be placed. That said, we understand if you have to make another decision before you are placed. We just ask you to let us know as soon as you are no longer available so we can pull your application from the pool.