The Colin Powell Graduate Fellowship in Leadership and Public Service is a one-year program that enables graduate students to use their developing academic expertise to address urgent social justice issues for African Americans and other underserved communities. Fellows work with a a faculty or community sponsor to develop a thoughtful project that impacts the public. In addition, fellows attend seminars that meet regularly throughout the year, special events, and other professional development activities.

SUPPORT Each fellow will receive a maximum of $12,000 for the academic year.

SPONSORSHIP Prior to applying for the fellowship, students must secure a sponsor, identify a specific project, and work in conjunction with their sponsor to create a realistic and thoughtful work plan for the year. Sponsors may be a faculty member at City College or at the CUNY Graduate Center, or a professional in a leadership role at a nonprofit organization or government agency. If the project is already underway, a clear description of the roles and responsibilities to be carried out by the

applicant should be included. If applicable, sponsors should work in conjunction with the candidate to demonstrate that their project is in compliance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocol and procedures. Sponsors must be willing to supervise the graduate fellow’s work throughout the year, providing guidance and suggesting relevant resources or skill building tools as necessary. Sponsors may not offer support for more than one applicant per academic year.

PROJECT Fellows may decide, in conjunction with their sponsor, to pursue a project of their own creation, or assist their sponsor in an ongoing, established research project. Students can choose to design and execute an independent study of a particular social phenomenon, serve as a research associate for a community-based organization, or carry out predetermined responsibilities for a faculty-sponsored project that is already underway. All projects must address social justice issues impacting African Americans and other underserved populations.

THE COLIN POWELL GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP IN LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE Graduate application for the 2021-2022 school year Admission deadline: Mar. 15, 2021

SEMINAR The year-long, monthly seminar is designed as a series of discussions to provide graduate fellows with the time and space to engage in independent, purposeful, and meaningful study of a topic that ultimately pushes them towards a long-term, post-graduation goal. Over the course of the academic year, students will be asked to think deeply about the kinds of issues, questions, skills or areas of knowledge that are important to their work, and to simultaneously develop a systematic process for learning about that issue, question, skill, or area of knowledge. At the end of the year, graduate fellows will be asked to deliver a formal, in-depth presentation that outlines their project, their findings, and the ways in which the experience might contribute to a public issue impacting underserved communities. Seminar times and dates will be determined by the group at the beginning of the fall semester.

ELIGIBILITY Applicants must be graduate students enrolled in one of the social science graduate programs offered through the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. These include: the Public Administration MPA; the International Affairs MIA/JD; the Sociology MA; the Economics MA; the Mental Health Counseling MA; the Psychology MA; and the Clinical Psychology PhD. You must have a minimum of one full academic year left in your graduate studies at the beginning of the fellowship term and you must be enrolled full-time during the length of the fellowship. We accept students regardless of citizenship status.

Admission Deadline: March 15, 2021 For more information about the Colin Powell School Fellowships, visit this website: bit.ly/cps_fellowships

PROJECT PROPOSAL Please describe the project you hope to complete during the course of the fellowship. Your project proposal should be between 1,000 and 1,500 words and include the following:

• A clear rationale for why you have chosen to pursue this project and how it might serve to further the conversation on a pressing social justice issue and/or impact an underserved community;

• A draft outline of your proposed work plan, including a discussion of deliverables and outcomes;

• Whether your sponsor is a faculty member or a professional in a leadership role at a nonprofit organization or government agency;

• Whether the project is part of established, ongoing research or newly created.

APPLICATIONS AND DEADLINES Completed applications must include the following:

• The applicant information form; • A project proposal; • Two recommendation letters, including one from a

faculty or community sponsor; • A resume; and • A transcript (can be the unofficial version from

CUNYfirst).

All applications must be emailed to the Colin Powell School Office of Fellowships at cpsfellowships@gmail.com by 5 pm on Mar. 15, 2021. Please submit all your materials, with the exception of the recommendation letters, in one email. Advise your recommender to email their letters to us directly by Mar. 15. We will confirm that we have received your application two to four weeks after submission.

Questions? Contact Akasha Solis, Program Manager, Colin Powell School Office of Fellowships, asolis@ccny.cuny.edu

APPLICANT INFORMATION

1. Name:

2. Email: 3. Phone:

4. Department:

5. Degree in progress:

6. Credits as of the end of last semester: 7. Cumulative GPA:

8: Anticipated date of graduation:

9. How did you hear about the program? Check all that apply.

Peer Current/former fellow Faculty Staff Social media

Email Student organization Info session Other:

10. Optional: How do you identify? Check all that apply.

White Latinx Black/African American Asian

American Indian/Alaskan Native Middle Eastern/North African

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Other

11. Optional: Were you born in the U.S.? Yes No Prefer not to state

12. Optional: Were both of your parents born in the U.S.? Yes No Prefer not to state

13. Optional: Does at least one of your parents have a college degree?

Yes No Prefer not to state

14. Have you participated in another fellowship or honors program on campus?

If so, which one(s)?

RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

Name of Recommender: Title:

Email: Relationship to Applicant:

Name of Recommender: Title:

Email: Relationship to Applicant:

THE COLIN POWELL GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP IN LEADERSHIP AND PUBLIC SERVICE