Chancellor's Career Fellows Program
Washington University in St. Louis — Goal 1 Initiative Chancellor's Career Fellows Program
The Chancellor’s Career Fellows Program is a comprehensive, fully funded career education experience for selected WashU first-and second-year students whose family income is less than $75,000,with a preference for students who are the first in their families to attend college.
Students from low-income households, underserved communities, or first-generation families often lack the informal mentoring, coaching, and funding opportunities that pave pathways to employment for many students. The Chancellor's Career Fellows Program seeks to fill that gap by providing existing need-based scholarship programs with the ability to pilot structured, funded research and internship experiences for their scholars.
The Chancellor’s Career Fellows Program is a comprehensive program that includes the following components:
- Connection to and with the Chancellor’s Career Fellows participants and staff mentors for the purpose of building community, friendships, and support
- Enrollment in a one-credit career education course during Spring 2021
- Participation in a student-to-student networking event during Spring 2021
- Participation in a pre-professional experience during Summer 2021 to include an internship, research experience, or other meaningful professional development opportunity
- Enrollment in a one-credit Internship Success course during Summer 2021
- Mentorship from WashU alumni throughout the program
- Access to personalized career advising toward a summer experience
- Up to $5,000 of financial support for each participant for Summer 2021
Undergraduate students can apply for an award, up to $5,000. Award amounts are determined by several factors including, but not limited to, number of weeks working, hours per week, location, budget, and financial need. Financial need status is determined by the Office of Student Financial Services.
The Division of Student Affairs will administer the Chancellor’s Career Fellows program through the Career Center, with assistance from the Office of Student Success, the Office for Scholar Programs and the Office of Student Financial Services.
We established the Chancellor’s Career Fellows Program to help ensure that all of our students have access to the same opportunities for career preparation and success through internships, mentoring, and other support that they might not previously have received. Through this program, we aim to bridge any gaps that could stand in the way of our students achieving their goals. We can’t wait to see where our Fellows’ paths will lead them.
Initiative Differentiators
The Chancellor's Career Fellows Program leverages existing need-based scholarship programs to bring funded opportunities directly to students who can most benefit from them. The initiative makes a financial commitment to leveling the playing field for low-income and first-generation students, while further building relationships with employers in ways that mutually benefit both students and employers.
Key Interventions and Milestones
The first cohort of the Chancellor's Career Fellows Program, made up of 61 students, will begin meeting with advisers and applying to summer internship programs in early 2021. This includes engaging students in a 2-credit class during Spring 2021 that will prepare them for their internship or research opportunity. As the initiative continues to expand, WashU will collect data on impact as each cohort participates in its summer experience.
Expected Impact
The initiative seeks to support students from historically underrepresented communities to successfully secure internships or research opportunities during the summer. Throughout the development of the initiative, the Chancellor's Career Fellows Program will broaden career and academic development for these students, leveling the playing field for all students when it comes to career and educational advancement.
