Student Fellowship
Overview
The Harris Centre Fellowship is a one-year professional development program for Memorial students with a passion for solving problems and driving change.
By learning together through roundtable discussions, interactive workshops, mentorships, and real-world policy research, fellows will develop the skills and relationships they need to take a leading role in creating positive social, political, and economic change in our province and beyond.
Now accepting applications!
Open to: Graduate Students, Undergraduate Students in Senior Year
Application Due: October 30, 2024 (11:59 PM)
Program Information
The Harris Centre Fellowship is a new pilot program developed by The Harris Centre in partnership with the Law and Public Policy Program at Memorial University.
See below for detailed information on the application process, selection criteria, program requirements, and more. Or you can download the full guide: Application Guide
*Student Fellows can anticipate a monthly time commitment of approximately 4-5 hours for meetings and workshops. The program will run from November to May.
Interested students must complete a short online application form linked above where they will submit the following documents:
- Updated CV
- Unofficial copy of recent academic transcripts
- Cover letter outlining why you would like to participate in the program, your areas of interest, and any relevant experiences
- A Letter of Recommendation from your faculty supervisor (graduate students), or any faculty member from your department (undergraduate students)
Letters of recommendation can either be uploaded in the application form or emailed to Cathy Newhook at cathyn@mun.ca. Letters can be received up to 5 days after the application deadline closes.
Application materials will be reviewed and adjudicated by a committee of Harris Centre staff and Memorial faculty. Successful applicants will be notified by email.
Reviewers will assess applications by:
Academic Standing
Applicants must be in good academic standing. While applications will not be evaluated solely on their GPA, students must demonstrate a solid commitment to their academic endeavors.
Background and Interests
The Harris Centre Fellowship program is designed to foster the development of students who are interested in contributing to the social and economic wellbeing of their communities. As such, applicants who have demonstrated their interest and commitment to community-engaged work (either through academic, professional or personal/volunteer experience) will be prioritized.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Selection will also aim to achieve a diverse overall cohort of students with a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and academic and professional interests.
The Fellowship is made up of a cohort of students from diverse disciplines and backgrounds who will work and learn together over the course of one academic year. The three core activities are roundtable discussions, professional development workshops, and the project of researching and developing a policy brief on behalf of a community partner.
Through these activities, fellows will gain a rich understanding of the complexities of the local policy and development landscape of Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as how local issues relate to national and international contexts.
During the program, Fellows will also network with and learn from experienced policy professionals, government officials, community leaders and researchers working to solve complex socio-economic and political challenges and drive positive change. Fellows are also invited to attend public policy forums and events hosted by the Harris Centre.
There are no costs associated with this program. There are no application fees, and all workshop attendance is covered by the Fellowship.
In addition, students will receive a small honorarium upon completion of the program requirements.
In order to complete the Harris Centre Fellowship Program students are required to:
- Participate in all 5 Roundtable Discussions
- Complete a minimum of 3 Professional Development Workshops
- Develop a short Policy Brief and present it at the 2025 Ideas & Insights Exchange
Detailed information on each of these requirements including sample workshops can be found in the program guide available on this page.
The Fellowship runs for 1 academic year (November - May). During that time, Fellows can expect to spend approximately 5 hours each month for required program activities (workshops, roundtables, policy project).
Other activities (extra professional development workshops, networking events, policy forums, mentorships) may use additional time, but are optional and dependent on the availability and interests of individual Fellows.