The Public Engagement Fellows Undergraduate Program will place each fellow in one of our college’s centers, programs, institutes, and labs to further the work of the equity, inclusion, and social justice initiatives of that entity (see a list of participating projects).
Amount
Fellows will receive funding support in the amount of $10,000 for participation in the two-year fellowship ($5,000 per year), in addition to any merit-based scholarship they may receive from their degree program. Each year, fellows will receive a $2,500 scholarship through Financial Aid as a credit toward tuition and a $2,500 Research Assistantship through their work with the designated center, institute, or lab. Students are eligible for fellowship funding in combination with merit-based scholarships, not to exceed the cost of tuition.
Benefits
Fellows participate in a cohort-based experience that includes a seminar with social justice leaders, mentorship and networking opportunities, and public events including the executive dean’s award ceremony, which showcases publicly engaged work.
Requirements
The SPE Public Engagement Fellowship comes with a Research Assistant obligation of approximately 220 hours of project work (110 per year) with the designated center, institute, or lab. Requirements also include attendance at periodic fellowship cohort events during each of two academic years, interim and final updates about the fellowship project, progress toward the master's degree in which fellows are enrolled, and enrollment in at least 6 credits per semester.
Eligibility
To be selected for the Public Engagement Fellowship, students must be admitted to the Bachelor’s Program for Adult and Transfer Students (BPATS) and be committed to promoting positive change through EISJ initiatives in partnership with local communities, government agencies, organizations, businesses, and entrepreneurial initiatives. Fellows must be able to attend, in person or through hybrid participation, a weekly placement with a Schools of Public Engagement center, lab, or institute and on-site monthly events; this applies to both on-campus and hybrid students.
Priority consideration is given to:
Individuals who identify as from, or have experience working closely with, underrepresented communities in higher education or another context
Individuals who have faced dynamics affecting their higher education progress, including socioeconomic barriers, personal or group identity, mobility or immigration status, challenges to health or well-being, and other experiences
Only new applicants to BPATS are eligible for the Undergraduate Public Engagement Fellowship. The fellowship is not open to continuing students.
Participating Programs
How to Apply
The Public Engagement Fellowship Selection Committee will review applications on a rolling basis and will give priority to applications submitted by June 1. Decisions will be delivered to candidates over the summer.
Please note that although students can apply to all the fellowships offered by the Schools of Public Engagement, applicants can be awarded only one SPE fellowship.
The application process consists of the following steps:
Submit a completed application to the Bachelor’s Program for Adult and Transfer Students at the Schools of Public Engagement, and submit all required application materials by the priority deadline of June 1.
Submit a Public Engagement Fellowship application form. This form must be submitted after you have created an application account to apply to BPATS, since you will need to provide your nine-digit Application Reference Number.
In the Public Engagement Application form, you will be asked to submit a resume (one to two pages) and to write a brief (250–300-word) statement responding to the following questions:
- In which participating project (center, lab, or initiative) do you hope to serve as a fellow, and why are you interested in contributing to this project?
- What relevant life, work, or volunteer experiences will you bring to this fellowship?
- What do you hope to learn or gain through this fellowship?
Finalists may be invited to schedule an interview with the Public Engagement Fellowship selection committee or a participating center, lab, or initiative.