are a small but highly respected group among 

their foreign agricultural counterparts who work 

diligently to accomplish this goal. 

To keep unwanted invasive species and diseases from crossing U.S. borders, IS cooperates 

in major surveillance, eradication, and control 

programs in foreign countries. By helping our 

global neighbors in these efforts, we are also 

helping to protect the United States. Having 

effective agricultural health programs in countries 

around the world significantly reduces the risk of 

pests and diseases spreading to our country. 

For example, screwworm is a devastating foreign pest that attacks open wounds in warmblooded animals—including humans. IS assisted Mexico and Panama in eradicating screwworm from those countries. The eradication 

effort has saved U.S. livestock producers more 

than $400 million annually in control costs and 

lost production values. 

In addition, IS assists Mexico and Guatemala 

in controlling and eradicating the countries’ 

populations of Mediterranean fruit fly, which 

lays eggs in ripening fruit and causes extensive 

crop damage. IS’ work in these countries is critical to prevent the “Medfly” from establishing 

itself in the United States—a problem that could 

cost our country more than $1.5 billion annually to eradicate.

Building Health Capacity Overseas

One of IS’ main goals is to enhance the ability 

of foreign officials to address—in their own 

countries and organizations—the kinds of animal and plant health issues we seek to prevent 

in the United States. IS works closely with the 

World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) 

and the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture 

Organization (FAO) in this effort. For example, 

in order to safeguard the United States and other 

countries against the threat of a human pandemic, IS is actively engaged in the international 

effort to prevent and contain highly pathogenic 

avian influenza (HPAI). IS personnel have 

worked with more than 40 countries to provide 

technical expertise and equipment (such as surveillance and diagnostic tools), conduct preparedness and diagnostic workshops, deliver epidemiology courses to veterinarians from more 

than 50 countries, and help staff an avian influenza Crisis Management Center in Rome. 

By collaborating with other countries and 

sharing U.S. experience, IS helps strengthen 

animal and plant programs, increase technical 

capacity, and improve infrastructure in other 

countries—all of which results in decreased risk 

to U.S. agriculture. 

Facilitating Safe Agricultural Trade

IS plays a major role in building and maintaining strong agricultural trade relations between 

the United States and other countries. IS 

employees discuss trade requirements with foreign agricultural officials, work to eliminate 

quarantine barriers for U.S. products, and 

explain the scientific basis for U.S. agricultural 

import requirements. Through their close work 

with foreign governments, IS employees stationed abroad have been instrumental in protecting existing markets and opening up new 

markets for trade worldwide. 

In addition, IS employees work tirelessly to 

ensure that agricultural products entering the 

United States are safe. Employees manage preclearance programs in a number of countries, 

including Mexico, Chile, and the Netherlands. 

Our officials inspect, or “preclear,” fruits, vegetables, and flower bulbs that are destined for the 

United States to ensure that they are free of 

pests and diseases. In cooperation with the U.S. 

Department of Defense, IS also assists in preclearing military personnel, baggage, and equipment used overseas before returning to the 

United States. 

Claudia Cartwright

Dr. Claudia Cartwright epitomized the next 

generation of IS Veterinary Medical Officers and 

was one of the first recipients of the IS 

Fellowship Program, using it to obtain her 

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. After being 

assigned to her first foreign post in the 

Caribbean, she was diagnosed with cancer. 

Following an aggressive surgery and treatment, 

Dr. Cartwright volunteered to go on a temporary assignment in Rome, Italy, with the intent 

to beat the disease and become a Foreign 

Service Officer. Unfortunately, she was medically evacuated from Rome approximately 2 years 

into her posting and succumbed to her illness 

on September 19, 2008. She leaves behind a 

devoted husband, adoring daughter, loving parents, and a worldwide community of friends 

and colleagues. 

What Is International Services?

International Services (IS) is a program within 

the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) that works to protect and promote U.S. 

agricultural health globally. More than 300 

Americans and host-country nationals work in 

34 foreign countries on 6 continents, preventing the international spread of animal and plant 

pests to the United States, facilitating safe agricultural trade, and helping to build effective 

and efficient animal and plant health infrastructures overseas. With the wide range of skills 

and expertise needed to accomplish this work, 

IS employs a diverse team of professionals—

including veterinarians, plant health specialists, 

entomologists, epidemiologists, and others. 

What We Do

Safeguarding U.S agriculture is a challenge that 

reaches beyond political boundaries and international borders. To carry out this mission successfully, USDA must build and maintain 

strong, collaborative relationships with its animal and plant health partners. IS professionals 
The Claudia Cartwright Fellowship

IS offers fellowships and career opportunities to 

academically qualified students who are enrolled 

in post-baccalaureate programs related to agriculture or the biological sciences. Fellowship recipients can receive up to $25,000 in financial assistance for the final 2 years they are enrolled in a 

master’s or doctoral degree program. Students 

must maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average 

during their fellowship enrollment.

What Does the Claudia Cartwright 

Fellowship Offer You?

n Up to $25,000 per year towards tuition for 

graduate studies and related academic studies

n Paid employment during summers and other 

school breaks 

n Tutoring assistance and mentoring

n Coverage in the Federal employees' retirement 

system, including participation in the Thrift Savings 

Plan (401K)

n Paid vacation and sick leave 

n Life and health insurance benefits, depending on 

the length of work periods 

n Possible permanent employment upon graduation

For each year of fellowship aid, the Career 

Experience Program agreement requires 640 

hours of study-related work with IS. This work, 

successfully completed, allows APHIS the 

option to offer students noncompetitive conversion to a full-time, career-conditional, 

Foreign Service appointment.

During the fellowship period, recipients gain 

IS work experience in the fields of plant and 

animal health or international agricultural 

trade. Plant health work typically includes 

diagnostic testing; biologically assessing exotic 

pest potential; conducting plant quarantine 

and preclearance operations; and carrying out 

biological control activities. Animal health 

work usually involves livestock and/or poultry 

disease control activities (such as observing or 

performing routine medical procedures); performing laboratory tests; tracking test results; 

and preparing specimens. 

Participants are expected to achieve a career 

Foreign Service appointment with IS after successful completion of the program and graduation with an appropriate degree. If appointed, 

upon graduation, fellowship recipients are 

required to work full-time for at least 1 calendar 

year for each school year that they participated 

in the Fellowship Program.1 

Qualifications

Students interested in the Claudia Cartwright 

Fellowship Program should apply directly to 

USDA-APHIS.

1 If the recipients fail to serve the entire length of the mandatory 

IS employment, they will be required to reimburse the agency a 

prorated share of scholarship funds used. Candidates accepted 

into the program will be expected to convert into the Foreign 

Service and pursue a career with APHIS overseas, which requires 

passing a top secret security clearance and worldwide availability 

medical clearance. 

To apply, candidates must:

n Be a U.S. citizen,

n Be enrolled in the final 2 years of a master’s or doctoral degree program—in good academic standing—

at an accredited university within the United States, 

n Be willing to work for the agency during school 

breaks, and

n Sign a statement committing to be available for 

permanent work assignment worldwide.

Deadline for Application Is April 1

Completed applications must be postmarked 

no later than April 1.

Nominations should be addressed to:

USDA, Marketing and Regulatory Programs 

Business Services, Human Resources

South Building, Room 1710

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250

Your application must contain the following 

items:

n Résumé, including current and summer addresses, 

telephone numbers, and e-mail address;

n Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate 

courses completed to date;

n Three letters of recommendation—at least two of 

which are from current professors;

n A personal essay about your interest in and 

potential contribution to IS; and

n Documentation of service in the U.S. Armed Forces 

or Peace Corps, if applicable.

You may obtain further information by calling 

(202) 690-4759 or (301) 734-7550 (for local calls 

in the greater Washington, D.C., area).

To learn more about IS activities worldwide, go to 

www.aphis.usda.gov/international_safeguarding.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination 

in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national 

origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, 

familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic 

information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an 

individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. 

(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office 

of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 

20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 

(TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Issued September 2009

United States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Program Aid No. 2028

The 

Claudia Cartwright 

Fellowship

Making a Difference in 

American Agriculture 

Worldwide