Apply Today for the ARIN 55 Fellowship Program

By Amanda Gauldin – Project Manager

The call for applications to the ARIN 55 Fellowship Program is out! We are excited to once again bring selected Fellows to our Public Policy and Members Meeting, this time taking place in Charlotte, North Carolina, in late April.

For more than 15 years, the ARIN Fellowship Program has been a vital part of our meetings, broadening our engagement and helping newcomers to the community gain a better understanding of the work we do at ARIN. For ARIN 55, Fellows will continue to follow a customized program of presentations from community experts and ARIN staff, enhancing their understanding of the complexities of ARIN and Internet number resource policies. Virtual sessions leading up to the meeting will provide additional time for focused discussion, structured mentorship, and educational content.

Who should apply?

Are you part of the Internet community and want to:

• Gain understanding of Internet number resource policy and ARIN’s Policy Development Process (PDP)?
• Bring your voice to Internet governance by participating in ARIN meetings and policy discussions?
• Network with ARIN’s Board of Trustees, Advisory Council, staff and community members from throughout the region?
• Learn more about ARIN’s operations and services?
• Develop professionally and enhance your career in the Internet industry?

If you answered “yes” to any of these, and you’re at least 18 years old and residing in the ARIN region, consider applying to the ARIN Fellowship Program. The Fellowship Selection Committee will select up to 15 Fellows to participate in the program with either virtual or in-person attendance at the ARIN 55 meeting. We look forward to hearing from you, so be sure to get your application in by 27 January.

What does the program entail?

With the personal support of ARIN community member Mentors, Fellows progress through an engaging and approachable agenda of presentations, discussions, and Q&As with ARIN leadership — including ARIN staff and Advisory Council members. The sessions provide an overview of Internet number resource policy and the ARIN PDP, information about ARIN services and operations, and an introduction to ARIN Internet number resources.

Fellows can ask questions, get feedback, and gain the knowledge and confidence to join in community discussions, propose new ideas, and become part of the future of Internet governance and policy in the ARIN region. Following pre-meeting virtual sessions, Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in the ARIN 55 Public Policy and Members Meeting, held 27-30 April 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

What is the time commitment?

Fellows will participate in virtual sessions before ARIN 55 and attend the meeting either virtually or in person in Charlotte. Each virtual session runs up to 90 minutes. Additionally, pre-session recordings providing an introduction to ARIN and Internet number resource policy will be made available before the first virtual session.

• Session 1 | Tuesday, 1 April, 2:00 PM ET (Virtual)
  Welcome and program overview
• Session 2 | Tuesday, 8 April, 2:00 PM ET (Virtual)
  Introduction to the Policy Development Process and policies on the docket for ARIN 55
• Session 3 | Tuesday, 15 April, 2:00 PM ET (Virtual)
  Additional policy discussion and an overview of global Internet policy development
• ARIN 55 Meeting Orientation | Tuesday, 22 April, 2:00 PM ET (Virtual)
• ARIN 55 Public Policy and Members Meeting | 27-30 April
  Attendance required virtually or in person in Charlotte, North Carolina
• Post-ARIN 55 Review | Tuesday, 6 May, 2:00 PM ET (Virtual)

Fellows will receive session agendas in advance with subject matter to review in preparation, and slide decks will be available during each session for further reference. Although no homework is assigned during the Fellowship, Fellows should expect to spend a few hours outside the sessions reading materials to be well-prepared for group discussions.

What can you expect from this program?

Each Fellow will be paired with a Mentor for small group discussions and additional Q&A time. Along the way you will learn about the PDP, get to know other Fellows, ARIN staff, and ARIN leadership, and grow your confidence to participate in the ARIN 55 policy discussions and beyond.

“Since 2009 the Fellowship program has played a critical role in ARIN Public Policy and Members Meetings and our community,” said Joe Westover, ARIN’s Director of Customer Experience and Strategy. “In 2025, we are thrilled to continue offering and evolving this opportunity for participation in our meetings. With the improvements and expansions to the curriculum we have developed for the program in recent years, Fellows now benefit from a hybrid format that provides both the greater structure, more in-depth dialogue, and additional mentorship time of virtual sessions along with the chance to participate in and experience the community at an ARIN meeting.”

But don’t just take it from us; recent Fellows have had enthusiastic feedback about the program.

What do past Fellows have to say?

“Even with years of experience in Internet governance, this experience opened up new areas of the field that deepened my understanding and challenged what I thought I knew.”
– Jenna Fung, ARIN 54 Fellow

“With a non-technical background, this experience was particularly enriching, as I had the opportunity to engage with Internet governance discussions that shape regional Internet number resource policies and to understand how ARIN operates within the broader landscape of Internet infrastructure and community needs.”
– Kathleen Scoggin, ARIN 54 Fellow

“The highlight for me was the draft policy discussions during the ARIN Public Policy and Member Meetings held from April 15th to 17th. Thanks to our Mentors’ advice — another fantastic benefit of the ARIN Fellowship — I had read the draft policies beforehand and was prepared for the discussions. It was enlightening to delve into the recent updates from ARIN and delve into the nuances of each policy, witnessing the community’s dedication to detail.”
– Atefeh Mohseni Ejiyeh, ARIN 53 Fellow

“It was a transformative experience and I learned so much from this process and met a wonderful community of folks who are inclusive and want to see more young people getting into Internet governance and policy.”
– Dana Cramer, ARIN 52 Fellow

How can you apply?

To apply to the ARIN 55 Fellowship Program, just answer a few short questions during the application period open through 27 January. Selected Fellows will be notified of acceptance into the program on 24 February. For more information on the program please visit our Fellowships page.

Click here to access the application and submit yours by 27 January.

Have questions? Email fellowships@arin.net.

We look forward to welcoming an amazing group of Fellows to the next ARIN Public Policy and Members Meeting!

If you know someone who would make a great ARIN Fellow, please encourage them to apply. You may also download and share our informational flyer.

Post written by:

Amanda Gauldin
Project Manager

Recent blogs categorized under: Fellowship Program

• My Experience as an ARIN Fellow
• Introducing the ARIN 54 Fellows
• Journeying from Novice to Contributor: My Path into ARIN Policy Development
• Apply Today for the ARIN 54 Fellowship Program