The Richard and Nancy Fenno Summer Fellowships are designed to support and encourage Rochester undergraduates to engage in activities that will stimulate their personal and intellectual growth and which will make them even more valuable members of the university community upon their return to campus. Specifically, a summer stipend of $3,000 will be offered for students engaging in activities broadly related to politics and policy. Such activities could include working in any of the government branches in Washington, D.C., in state or local governments, or, in some cases, in analogous international positions. (International support is possible, but preference is given to students pursuing experiences in the United States, whether at the federal, state, or local levels.) They could also include involvement in policy-related interest groups, not-for-profits, or think tanks. As the program is intended to move students away from campus, proposals for students to be involved in the Rochester metropolitan area will not be considered.
Students can be candidates for a Fenno Fellowship after their sophomore or junior years, with preference given to juniors. Students will be judged both on their overall performance as students at the University of Rochester as well as the likelihood that their proposed activities will represent an important growth experience. Students will be expected to write a short report at the end of the summer reflecting on their experiences and to be available to share their thoughts with others during the course of the next academic year (e.g., to inform prospective Fellows what to expect). No course credit will be given for students accepting fellowship support.
