Community Fellowship Program

The application deadline for the 2012-2013 Community Engagement Fellowship has closed.

Information about the 2013-2014 Community Engagement Fellowship will be available in December 2012.

Application Components

1. Completed application. Apply online today or click here to download an application.
2. Official, sealed transcripts from all colleges/universities attended.
3. Current resume.
4. Three (3) letters of reference that speak to your capacity for leadership, professionalism, and ability to succeed in this fellowship program.
5. Essay (500 words maximum) that explains your interest in Community Engagement and future goals.

The 2012-2013 application process:

1. Interested applicants submit an application, and all application components, to the Graduate Program office by March 1, 2012.
2. 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 on March 15, 2012.

Fellowship site information will be distributed to all accepted students in advance of the March 15th 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 will gain a broad understanding of civic engagement and the nonprofit sector, including trends, theoretical models, and best practices. This versatile degree will prepare 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 internship 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.

2011 - 2012 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 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, and Summer 2012.  Internships begin in the fall and wrap up at the end of the spring semester.

For more information:
School of Education, Graduate Programs
Phone: (978) 837-5436
Email: communityengagement@merrimack.edu