The Colin Powell School fellowships offer many opportunities for you to develop your academic and professional interests. If you want to work in government or at nonprofit organizations, these fellowships are for you!
Learn all about fellowship requirements, deadlines, the application process, and how to increase your chances of being selected.
The CCNY Career Catalyst introduces students to the world of professional services in collaboration with Accenture, a leading global professional services company that helps the world’s leading businesses, governments and other organizations build their digital core, optimize their operations, accelerate revenue growth and enhance citizen services—creating tangible value at speed and scale.
The Colin Powell Fellowship in Leadership and Public Service is a two-year program for undergraduate students who want to pursue careers in government, nonprofit organizations, and other forms of public service. It is particularly for students who immigrated to the US or whose parents immigrated to the US, as well as those who demonstrate interest in exploring social issues that impact African American and other underserved communities.
The Climate Policy Fellows Program is designed to support CCNY undergraduate students from the sciences, social sciences, architecture, and engineering degree programs with training, professional development, and internship opportunities that link climate-related science, engineering, and economics to public policy.
Launched in 2021, the David Mixner Fellowship helps students find internships at organizations leading the movement for LGBTQ+ rights and freedom. The fellowship is named for David Mixner, a lifelong political activist involved in the movements to end the Vietnam War, pass civil rights legislation, achieve nuclear disarmament, and create a humane, stigma-free, education-based and treatment-focused approach to the AIDS epidemic.
Launched in August 2020 in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter protests, the Racial Justice Fellows Program is a joint initiative between the Colin Powell School and CCNY’s Black Studies Program, based in the Division of Humanities and the Arts. As it embarks upon its second year, the Racial Justice Fellows Program will continue to place students at the center of efforts to create systemic change, creating a pipeline for students to become deeply involved in antiracist movements. By supporting fellows financially and programmatically, we will cultivate a new generation of leaders who can help build a more just and equitable society.
The Colin Powell Graduate Fellowship in Leadership and Public Service is a one-year program that enables graduate students to use their developing academic expertise to address urgent social justice issues for African Americans and other underserved communities. Fellows work with a faculty or community sponsor to develop a thoughtful project that impacts the public.
The Boudreau Fellows Program honors the Colin Powell School’s inaugural dean, Vince Boudreau. Boudreau Fellows will be supported with mentoring, advising and opportunities to engage in special projects, as well as assistance to find professionally relevant internships in between their two years of support.
The NBCU Academy Fellows program is designed to educate and support outstanding students who are on a path to become leaders, journalists, and content creators. Fellows will participate in intensive mentoring, professional development, and paid internships, opportunities provided to fellows by the faculty and staff of CCNY with generous financial support from NBCUniversal News Group.
The Colin Powell School’s Semester in Washington, D.C. Program offers students an outstanding opportunity to live, work, and study in the nation’s capital. Students spend the spring semester interning at a government agency or nonprofit organization while completing 12 credits, including two special courses designed just for them and taught in D.C.
The Santander Finance Fellowship, a highly-selective year-long program, provides selected students the opportunity to learn advanced financial analysis and strategic problem-solving skills, be mentored by experienced finance professionals, and connect with potential employers before graduation.
Fellowships are special programs that enable you to take a deeper dive into the issues that you care about, while also receiving financial support and internship opportunities. At the Colin Powell School, most of our fellowships are focused on pressing issues that affect our communities and our society. If you’re interested in working on poverty, inequality, climate change, racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, mental health, or other critical issues, apply to our public service fellowships – the Colin Powell Fellowship in Leadership and Public Service, the Climate Policy Fellows Program, the Racial Justice Fellows Program, or the Mixner LGBTQ+ Equal Rights Fellowship. We also have opportunities for students who want to go into the private sector, including the Santander Finance Fellowship or the Colin Powell-Bloom Energy Innovation Fellowship.
Yes! The undergraduate fellowships are open to all full-time students at CCNY, regardless of major, GPA, or citizenship status. However, note that you need to have enough time remaining at CCNY to complete your fellowship. All of the fellowship programs start in the Fall, and most last one school year. The Colin Powell Fellowship in Leadership and Public Service lasts two years, while the Semester in DC program takes place each spring. Click on each fellowship’s link above to make sure that you are eligible.
All of the fellowships come with paid internship opportunities and some come with additional stipends or scholarships. You’ll be part of a cohort of like-minded students from across CCNY, who you’ll get to know well over the course of the fellowship. You’ll also meet guest speakers working on the issues that you care about, giving you insight into this work and professional contacts. It’s great to list fellowships on your resume, since they indicate that you went above and beyond in college.
That depends, so read each of the fellowship descriptions to find out more. The Colin Powell Fellowship in Leadership and Public Service requires you to take a class every semester for four semesters. The Climate Policy Fellows Program consists of two Friday/Saturday workshops per semester. The Racial Justice and Mixner Fellowships meet monthly during club hours.
Click on each fellowship link to access the application. The deadline to apply for the Colin Powell Fellowship in Leadership and Public Service, the Climate Policy Fellows Program, the Racial Justice Fellows Program, the Mixner LGBTQ+ Equal Rights Fellowship, and the Colin Powell Graduate Fellowship is Feb. 28, 2023. Fellowship terms begin in Fall 2023, with the exception of the Semester in D.C. program, which takes place each spring.
Attend the info sessions to learn more about each fellowship. Get started on your application early – don’t put this off until the last minute! Use as much space as allotted for your essay responses, since this will enable the readers to learn more about you and your interests. Ask a friend or family member to provide feedback on your essays and help you improve them. Talk to previous or current fellows about their experiences so that you have a better understanding of the program as you’re applying.
No. Please only apply to one fellowship per cycle.
Check out our Paid Internship Program. While not a fellowship, you can get valuable internship experience in the field of your choice.
Read these testimonials!
“100% recommend. The climate policy fellows program is engaging, informative, and educational. I like how the events are well-balanced throughout the semester, which doesn’t overwhelm us as we are also taking classes and busy with other matters. We also get paid for the time we contribute during the semester, which is amazing. We will also be able to get a paid internship with the fellowship, which is even more amazing!”
“Go for it! If you think public service is what you want to do in the future, then the Colin Powell Fellowship is the best thing to do. Don’t think before applying that you won’t get it or that you’re not the material because you are — these opportunities were meant for you! You’re going to regret not doing it.”
“Definitely apply! You will meet new people and grow as a person, and learn more about yourself.”
“The most fun and professional way of training toward the labor market.”
Reach out to Christine Garmendiz, Fellowships and Student Success Program Coordinator (cgarmendiz@ccny.cuny.edu), or Debbie Cheng, Director of Fellowship Programs and Office of Student Success (dcheng@ccny.cuny.edu), any time!
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