By Paul Welch


The Southern Education Foundation (SEF), http://www.southerneducation.org, is reaching out to tomorrow’s leaders through the 2014 Southern Education Leadership Initiative. Since 2004, SEF has placed over 165 students in 70 nonprofits and foundations throughout the Southern region focused on providing advocacy, grant-making, policy analysis, research, community organizing, and direct service in education. We are seeking outstanding upperclassmen and graduate students to apply for this summer’s 2014 SELI program. Attached is the SELI 2014 Application now with an extended due date of March 14, 2014 @ 3pm.

Fellows receive:

  • an opportunity to work for eight weeks during the summer in an organization concerned with equity and excellence in education e.g., a policy institution, community-based organization or foundation;
  • a living expense stipend of $4,000 (for current upper-level undergraduates or graduating seniors), or $4,500 (for graduate students (incl. law and doctoral students) who will have completed at least one term by June 1, 2014);
  • all airfare/car mileage expenses associated with traveling to and from SEF trainings to summer placement site;
  • trainings that expose them to research in the field, stress the importance of civic engagement, teach strategies for making change, and provide opportunities to meet and learn from inspiring leaders involved in education policy and practice;
  • guidance and supervision from seasoned sector leaders to work through the summer intensively on assigned research, education policy, and nonprofit program related projects; and
  • the opportunity to present their work to their peers, reflect, brainstorm how to take the lessons learned from this experience back to their communities, and become part of a network of emerging leaders in the sector.

To learn more about the program, application, and eligibility requirements and student experiences please visit: http://southerneducation.org/SEF/media/SELI/2014-SELI-Application.pdf . Please forward this on to any student you think would be interested in this life changing opportunity. For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.