Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences › Students › Undergraduate Students › Programs › Dietrich Community Engagement Fellowship Program

Dietrich Community Engagement Fellowship Program

Launched in fall 2022, the Dietrich Community Engagement Fellowship is a unique program designed to equip students with the leadership skills needed for social change and to ignite a passion for lifelong service.

The program provides students with academic training and experiential learning opportunities that synergize to cumulatively build toward developing the capacity for community-based leadership.

Throughout the five blocks of the program, students will have the opportunity to examine models of community development, social justice and activism, power structures and systems and ethical considerations of engagement. Additionally, students will develop the ability to demonstrate cultural humility, engage in social perspective taking, build consensus within groups and evaluate potential courses of action to address challenges that impact their communities.

Graphic illustrating four fellowship blocks: Block 1 - Prepare; Block 2 - Practice; Block 3 - Plan; Block 4 - Propose.

Meet the Fall 2022 Fellows

Selection Process

Applications for the Fall 2023 cohort will be accepted until Monday, April 24. Applicants will be notified on May 5th.

Application questions

Submit your materials

Eligibility

The program is open to any undergraduate students with a primary major in Dietrich College as well as BHA students.

Students from any class level are eligible to apply but must have at least two years left of their undergraduate program when they start the fellowship in order to complete all the requirements.

Fellows must be in good academic standing, meaning they cannot be on academic probation at the time of application.

For More Information

Please reach out to Kimberly Piatt, director of experiential learning, with any questions about the fellowship. She can be reached via email or by scheduling a meeting . You can also sign up for our mailing list to receive updates about this program.

Benefits of the Fellowship

Exclusive membership in a cohort and access to unique courses that prepare students for community leadership
A one-time $3,000 Community Engaged Learning Grant to support their participation in the community
Connection to professional development workshops and events that explore community engagement through a variety of lenses, including local, policy, global, research and technology
Opportunities to build a network by interacting with leadership who have turned their passion for community engagement into meaningful careers
Certificate of recognition upon completion of the fellowship

Sequence of Courses

The academic coursework for the fellowship is still in the process of development and students in the inaugural cohort will provide essential feedback that helps shape the program. The sequence of courses potentially may be as follows:

Fall: 66-148 Intro to Community Engagement (3 units)
Spring: 66-216 Connecting with the Pittsburgh Community (6 units)
Summer: Experiential Learning Activity connecting with the community (in consultation with the director of experiential learning)
Fall: Community Action Seminar
Spring: Community Capstone Project

The Dietrich College Community Engagement Fellowship was inspired and made possible by a generous gift from Lynn S. Collester (DC 1985) and Michael D. Collester.