TRENDS Global Fellowships 2021
TRENDS Global Fellowships are unique and different from other fellowships that promote community engagement or assistance to people in need, which are typically affiliated with a specific academic institution or associated with a particular geographic area and do not offer systematic training and networking opportunities. By contrast, TRENDS Global Fellowships are designed to empower the next generation of thought leaders to implement their ideas effectively while building social capital to develop their careers and maximize the impact of their ideas locally, nationally and globally. TRENDS Global offers specialized skills training through a series of Impact and Networking Seminars (see below), facilitates engagement with global thought leaders and experts who shape policy, and provides social capital building opportunities through the Annual TRENDS Global Innovative Solutions Symposium.
TRENDS Global Student Fellows
TRENDS Global seeks to fund advanced undergraduate students from all disciplines with a passion for others and are interested in pursuing their community engagement idea(s) through an existing or envisioned TRENDS Global Chapter on their home campus. Working through TRENDS Global, students will be able to take advantage of a nationwide network of TRENDS Global Campus Chapters that will help solicit administrative support from their academic home institutions and recruit other likeminded student members. Selected TRENDS Global Student Fellows will receive financial assistance in the form of a scholarship or tuition waiver for up to two years and membership in the TRENDS Global Alliance (terms and conditions apply).
Minimum application requirements include: A resume, statement of purpose describing the applicant’s community engagement experiences and the proposed impact project idea, transcript indicating a minimum overall GPA of 3.0, and two letters of recommendation describing the applicant’s qualifications for the TRENDS Global Fellowship.
TRENDS Global Impact Fellows
TRENDS Global also seeks to fund recent graduates who are interested in developing a sustainable structure for their community impact idea(s). For a period of up to two years, TRENDS Global will provide administrative and logistical support as well as conceptual assistance to selected TRENDS Global Impact Fellows for developing their project ideas into TRENDS Global affiliates. Selected Impact Fellows will receive an annual stipend for up to two years and additional program funds for items such as materials, supplies, equipment, travel, and operating funds (terms and conditions apply).
Minimum application requirements include: A Bachelor’s degree (minimum 3.5 GPA), resume, fully developed proposal as specified in the TRENDS Global proposal guidelines, and three letters of recommendation.
TRENDS Global Impact and Networking Seminars
The TRENDS Global Impact and Networking Seminars provide participants who wish to strengthen their developmental and organizational skills with the competencies necessary to build sustainable community impact. During the pilot phase, seminars will be geographically focused on the Southeastern United States and conducted as weekend workshops to provide space and time not only for skills and competency development, but also for participants to get to know and learn from each other and to interact more informally with renowned thought and community leaders. Seminars are interactive, focusing equally on the development of community impact skills as on building social capital. Seminar topics may include:
- Empowering communities to develop localized solutions
- Assessing Community Needs and Impacts
- Impact Partnering and Building Social Capital
- Ethics in Diversity
- Funding Impact and Change Projects
Besides classroom instruction and hands-on application exercises, TRENDS Global Impact and Networking seminars provide ample opportunities for participants to bond and develop relationships with instructors, donors, and experts in the field through joint meals and social activities such as visits to local attractions and a series of recreational activities (e.g., exercise opportunities or movie and game nights).
TRENDS Global Innovation Solutions Symposium
The TRENDS Global Innovative Solutions Symposium will bring together all members of the TRENDS Global Alliance with faculty sponsors, thought leaders, innovators, and individuals renowned for their engagement in marginalized communities. The Symposium provides the opportunity for TRENDS Global Fellows to present their projects, discuss their ideas, and learn from individuals who have been successful at stimulating community transformation and development. The annual Symposium offers networking opportunities between established leaders in the field and the next generation of idea creators dedicated to empowering disadvantaged and underserved populations.
