Community Fellowship Program

 

The application period for the 2013-2014 Community Engagement Fellowship program is now closed.  Check back with us in the fall for more information on the 2014-2015 application period.

          

Application Information

Applications for the Fellowship program are accepted online. Click on “apply now” to get started. You will be required to create an account by registering a username and password. Registering an account will allow you to start an application, save, and then log back in at any time to complete it before submission.

• Your essay(s), resume, and any additional documents may be uploaded electronically through the application portal.
• You can also enter electronic contact information for your recommenders and they will be sent an email with a link prompting them to complete your recommendation online. You can also choose to mail in hard copies of your letters of recommendation.
• Enrollment history is collected in the online application. However, an official copy of your transcript(s) must be mailed to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

Application Components

• Completed online application.
• Official, sealed transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.
• Current resume.
• Two (2) letters of reference that speak to your capacity for leadership, professionalism, and ability to succeed in this fellowship program.
• Essay (500 words maximum) that explains your interest in Community Engagement and future goals

 

The application process:

• Interested applicants submit an application, and all application components, to the Graduate Program office by the deadline (TBD).
• After review, applicants will be notified of their acceptance in the Community Engagement master’s program and candidates will be invited to interview with potential placement sites in March.

Fellowship site information will be distributed to all accepted students in advance of the March interview day.

About the Program

The Master’s in Community Engagement (M.Ed.) prepares students to be nonprofit leaders, social change activists, and leaders in the national service learning movement. The curriculum focuses on diversity and social justice, community development, and organizational change. Students gain a broad understanding of civic engagement and the nonprofit sector, including trends, theoretical models, and best practices. This versatile degree prepares students for outreach and partnership work in schools, colleges, and community organizations.

• The Community Engagement Fellowship is a highly competitive, full-tuition fellowship that links graduate study with a nine-month clinical residency in a partner school, college, or community-based organization.
• Students take graduate courses in the summers and evenings through the academic year while serving as part-time professionals in varied capacities in their respective placement sites.
• All Fellows have experienced and highly effective site-based mentors, college supervisors, and faculty advisors to support their learning and to strengthen their impact in their positions.

All Fellows graduate in one year with a master’s in education (M.Ed.) in Community Engagement. The program is open to all majors.

Sample Partner Sites

• Greater Lawrence Community Partnerships for Children
• Habitat for Humanity
• Community Teamwork
• Merrimack College

Program Structure and Sequence

The core of our program emphasizes social justice and the multifaceted role that colleges and universities can and should play in a democratic, pluralistic, and complex society. Fellows:

• take a set of core courses
• concentrate in a particular area of specialization
• complete a research project as the culminating capstone experience

All components are interlinked and interwoven to support purposeful and reflective practice, engaged scholarship, and impactful work.

Community Engagement Fellows complete the program in four (4) terms:

• Summer 
• Fall 
• Winter 
• Spring 

Internships begin in the fall and wrap up at the end of the spring semester.

For more information:
Office of Graduate Admissions
(978) 837-5073
graduate@merrimack.edu