Education Achievement Fellowship 2023, Round 2
Through the Education Achievement Fellowship, a Cardinal Quarter opportunity, students engage in a summer practicum as part of a cohort in Boulder, Colorado. A group of 5-7 students are placed with I Have a Dream Foundation of Boulder County, an organization that works collaboratively in their community to implement innovative approaches to closing the education achievement gap. Fluency in Spanish is helpful, as most of the direct service work will be with the Mexican immigrant population. Preferred start date for this program is by June 19th to maximize time involved with the summer youth programs.
Please review the program policies in their entirety before applying.
"I Have a Dream" Foundation of Boulder County (IHDF)
IHDF has an ambitious goal—to end the cycle of poverty in Boulder County through long-term education and support of students from under-resourced families. IHDF believes the way to do this is to close the opportunity and achievement gap in Boulder County—the second largest in Colorado—ensuring under-resourced students have an equal chance of achieving academically, reaching college and succeeding as self-sufficient adults. IHDF serves under 600 students and commits 10+ years to each student (called “Dreamer Scholars”), providing academic, social, and emotional support from elementary school through high school graduation, and to and through college. Most Dreamer Scholars are the first generation in their family to attend college.
The organization is one of the most active "I Have a Dream" affiliates in the country, serving youth long-term from 1st grade through college, connecting them with social-emotional learning, academic and enrichment opportunities appropriate for their age and individual needs. Services include tutoring, life skills training, and enrichment field trips; full-day summer programming to prevent summer learning loss; one-on-one mentoring from adult volunteers; college & career programming (college tours, job shadows, internships, SAT/ACT preparation, FAFSA, college application support); and a $10,000 scholarship upon graduation from high school plus support from our College & Career Department, to ensure success in completing college or vocational school and starting a meaningful career. IHDF also works closely with and supports the parents of Dreamer Scholars.
Fellows might engage in summer school programming and college advising for Dreamer Scholars ages 8-18, working alongside IHDF’s cadre of AmeriCorps interns. Fellows may also work in the main office, providing support to the college and career office or technical support, assisting with youth outcomes and evaluation, and assisting with curriculum design. They will also research and present a capstone project of their design at the end of the fellowship.
Students who get the most out of this fellowship are self-motivated, flexible, and willing to do whatever is needed to advance the missions of these organizations. We ask students to start as early as possible in the summer so that the entire cohort may begin together. Summer housing can be challenging, so students may want to consider rooming together and to begin looking for housing as soon as they’re accepted. Transportation (car or bicycle) is helpful.
Each Education Achievement Fellow receives a base stipend of $6,500 (plus a $500 cost of living supplement) to cover most of the essential costs associated with an unpaid service experience. A financial aid supplement is available to students who qualify.
Visit this page for information on previous fellows' community partners and projects.
Funding for this fellowship has been generously provided by the Education Achievement Fellowship Fund and Haas Center donors as part of the Cardinal Quarter program.
Eligibility:
For complete eligibility requirements, please review our program policies in its entirety.
Undergraduates from all academic disciplines are encouraged to apply, and applicants may vary in academic interests, public service involvement, and experience. Priority will be given to students who have completed fewer than two previous Cardinal Quarter opportunities. Graduating seniors will have lower priority. Students who have begun their coterm programs are not eligible to apply.
Requirements:
The Education Achievement Fellows are required to work with their community partners at least 35 hours/week for nine consecutive weeks at their placements. Fellows are expected to work on-site with their host organization (University policies and health conditions permitting), and have a designated full-time professional staff member on-site as their supervisor/mentor. Please review the complete program policies for additional requirements. Other commitments include the following:
Spring Quarter
- Complete an online program orientation.
- Complete Engaging in Ethical and Effective Service workshop or worksheet.
- Identify and meet with academic mentor at least once.
- Design a personal learning plan and share the learning plan with site supervisor and academic mentor.
Summer
- Submit a brief preliminary report.
- Submit a final report, complete a program evaluation, and correspond with fellowship donor(s) as requested by fellowships program staff.
Autumn Quarter
- Meet with academic mentor at least once.
- Attend a de-briefing meeting for the purpose of reflecting upon and evaluating fellowship experiences.
- Participate in outreach activities to share the experience and help publicize the program.
Selection Process:
For those who seek assistance, advising is available to help students develop their applications. This fellowship is intended for individuals whose application, reference, and interview demonstrate
- an integration of the fellowship experience with applicant’s academic, personal and/or career goals
- prior demonstrated interest or involvement in the subject area, including related coursework
- a compelling match between applicant’s skills and interests and an organization’s work and needs
- strong potential for the fellowship experience to enlarge a candidate’s understanding of an identified community issue or challenge
Complete applications are screened, finalists interviewed, and fellows selected by the host organizations staff with the intention to award fellowships prior to spring break. Applicants should respond promptly (within 48 hours) via email to a fellowship offer, or the offer will be rescinded. Once an applicant accepts a fellowship offer, the student should promptly notify all other Stanford and non-Stanford programs to which they have applied that they have accepted another offer and to withdraw their candidacy.
