16 ACUMEN • SPRING 2025 “Students who are applying to the Community Fellowship will write in their (application) essay what their dream fellowship is….,” Pooley says. “At the same time, we’re also hearing from community partners who are interested in hosting someone and we’re trying to figure out how those two might line up.” She also assesses whether applicants are self-directed. “The fellows are functionally a part-time staff person,” Pooley says, adding that they are given a high degree of autonomy. Pooley explains that the Fellows take two classes that support their fieldwork. That support may include providing students with the fundamentals of grant writing or familiarizing them with a computer program that they have been asked to use on the job. “We can have a session designed to catch them up or provide a little ‘howto’ about the things they’re expected to do at their placement,” she says. In other graduate classes, students often use real-world issues from their work as Fellows in completing class assignments. The program benefits both the partner organizations and the Fellow. Sara Satullo, deputy director of community development for the City of Bethlehem’s Department of Community and Economic Development, says, “Having a Fellow allows us to add capacity at a low cost. Our department does so many different things that we can base (the fellowship) on the student’s experience and interests and pair them up with the right person and team on a project they’d like to work on.” Krista Brown-Ly, interim executive director of Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, says the center welcomes the opportunity to augment the center’s staff while prioritizing a Fellow’s personal goals. “Where we really like to start is A Win-Win Community Fellowships are awarded to students enrolled in Lehigh’s one-year master’s degree programs in political science, public policy or environmental policy. To be considered, applicants submit letters of interest that outline their goals. Those who are chosen are paired with community partners in government, health care and the nonprofit sector. They work 15 to 20 hours a week—approximately 700 hours total—from September through August of the following year. Fellows pay for 9 graduate credits, while the remaining 21 credits are funded by Lehigh and partner agencies. Although the financial support received is valuable, the opportunity for meaningful work experience is a primary motivator for applicants. “The opportunity to be in the Fellows program and do something tangible in the community is definitely a draw,” says Christian Martinez ’23G, who was hired by the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission after being a Fellow there. The number of community partners and the areas of focus vary from year to year. The process of choosing Community Fellows centers on matching applicant interests with available partners, explains program director Karen Beck Pooley, professor of practice in political science. Left to right: Community Fellows director Karen Beck Pooley stands outside of a business in Bethlehem’s Southside Arts District, Community Fellow Sean Cardinale, Community Fellows Maya Brooks (center) and Huda Hagos (right) participate in a seminar. CHRISTINE KRESCHOLLEK
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