Our Fellowships are a fantastic way to deepen your engagement with our community partners, synthesize your social justice experiences, and grow in your commitment to justice. Consisting of a community-based internship, intensive reflection and vocational discernment, and project-based leadership on campus, the CCE Fellowships are geared towards students who have already demonstrated a significant commitment to service and justice.
We have both year-long and summer fellowships available to students. These paid fellowships are intended as capstone experiences for students who have already been significantly involved in service and justice. Typically, seniors (or rising seniors for the summer fellowships) are selected for these programs, but juniors (and rising juniors for the summer fellowships,) are considered.
Summer Fellowships serving Seattle University Youth Initiative (SUYI) youth (K-4th grade): These fellows partner with the Youth Tutoring Program as classroom assistants for their summer programs. The fellowship will run from mid-June to mid-August and fellows will spent the vast majority of time working directly with young people. Once a week, fellows will meet as a cohort for reflection, discussion, and vocational exploration.
Summer Fellowship serving SUYI Organizations: These fellows partner with any organization that is connect to the Seattle University Youth Initiative. Fellows may or may not work directly with youth. Fellows will work with the program coordinator to identify an organization that fits their interests From early June to the start of the school year, fellows will serve 200 hours at the organization and spend 100 hours organizing and leading an event for incoming SU students (either a new student immersion or Serve Seattle). Once a week, fellows will meet up as a cohort for reflection, discussion, and vocational exploration.
The Shinnyo Fellowship for Community Leadership is an outgrowth of the Shinnyo-en Foundation’s Infinite Paths to Peace initiative. This nine-month Fellowship for Community Leadership allows students to integrate direct service, community leadership, reflection, and ongoing professional development in the context of nurturing their lifelong paths to service and peace.
Key components of the fellowship include:
Service: Fellows will offer direct service consistently with a community partner of the Fellow’s choice from August to May. Fellows will be encouraged to choose a non-profit or governmental agency whose work resonates with their own intended career path or ‘vocational calling’. This portion of the fellows’ time will be about 5 hours per week.
Leadership: Fellows will work collaboratively to develop a Peace Project to implement. The bulk of the project planning will take place during winter quarter, with implementation in spring quarter. This project will help to connect the Fellows’ work in the community with the campus. Fellows will have mentorship in developing this collaborative project. An example of such projects might include a teach-in or guest speaker connected to the issue the Fellow engages in their service.
Reflection: Fellows will meet weekly with the CCE Director of Campus Engagement. Additionally, Fellows will take part in the following activities:
o Participate in the Orientation and Annual Retreat sponsored by the Shinnyo-en Foundation.
o Write a Project Prospectus in the fall.
o Engage in discussion on directed readings and reflect on how assigned readings inform their views on leadership for a more just and humane world.
o Produce a minimum of three blog posts per quarter that are related to their service and exploration of related topics.
o Write a final synthesis reflection paper and project report, integrating components of their Fellowship experience.
Professional Development: Fellows may participate in ongoing professional development opportunities such as the following:
o Attend Shinnyo-en Foundation Fellows’ Orientation before the summer retreat.
o Take a course that relates to peace studies or community leadership.
o Participate in a Shinnyo-en Foundation event or a conference related to peace education, civic engagement, etc.
o Participate regularly in meditation, yoga, attendance of worship services, and/or other spiritual practices that nurture one’s inner self.
o Meet regularly with a mentor (alumna/us, faculty member, or community leader).
o Other experiences that align with the Fellow’s learning plan.
