Empowering Asian/Asian American Communities Fellowship

The Empowering Asian/Asian American Communities (EAAAC) Fellowship allows students to engage with Asian/Asian American communities to apply what they have learned in and out of the classroom about race, diversity, equity, social justice, and the Asian/Asian American experience. Students will participate in a summer practicum experience working with a nonprofit organization or government agency on social, political or economic issues affecting Asian/Asian American communities. Fellows can expand on an experience started through a course or extracurricular activity by continuing with an existing partner organization, or they can identify another relevant community organization.

EAAAC Fellows spend a summer working full-time with a supervisor/mentor in a community organization of their choice. For opportunities during the fall, winter, or spring quarters, please see the Jane Stanford Fellowship program.

Applicants propose their own placements in collaboration with their potential host organization. The application should effectively demonstrate that the intended partner organization has the need, interest, and capacity to work with an intern/fellow and to support the proposed work plan.

Upon selection, a suitable academic mentor is paired with the fellows in order to help them highlight options that assist with preparation for and follow up on the summer learning experience.

Each EAAAC Fellow receives a base stipend of $6,500 to support travel and living expenses during the summer. Additional financial aid and supplemental funding is available to students who qualify.

The Haas Center for Public Service and the Asian American Activities Center partnered to launch the Empowering Asian/Asian American Communities Fellowship as part of the Cardinal Quarter initiative.The Fellowship is one of more than 550 Cardinal Quarter opportunities through which Stanford students pursue a full-time summer or quarter-long public service experience with Stanford support. Funding has been generously provided by Haas Center donors as part of the Cardinal Quarter program.

Requirements: 

The Empowering Asian/Asian American Communities Fellows are required to work at least 35 hours/week for nine consecutive weeks at their placements. Please review the program policies in their entirety before applying. Other commitments include the following:

Spring Quarter

• Attend a program orientation in April.
• Meet with academic mentor at least once. 
• Design a personal learning plan for the summer and meet with the Asian American Activities Center Directors to review.

Summer

• Share learning plan with site supervisor and update accordingly.
• Submit a brief mid-summer report.
• Submit a final report, complete a program evaluation, and correspond with fellowship donor(s) as requested by fellowships program staff.

Autumn Quarter

• Meet with academic mentor at least once. 
• Attend a de-briefing meeting for the purpose of reflecting upon and evaluating summer experiences.
• Participate in outreach activity in conjunction with the Asian American Activities Center to share the experience and help publicize the program.

Eligibility: 

Fellowships will be awarded to currently enrolled undergraduate students from any academic discipline. Graduating seniors may apply with the understanding that preference may be given to competitive continuing undergraduate applicants. Applicants vary in academic interests, community service involvement, and experience

Selection Process: 

For those who seek assistance, advising is available to help students develop their applications and/or to identify potential partner organizations.

This fellowship is intended for individuals whose application, references, and interview demonstrate

• an integration of the fellowship experience with applicant’s academic, personal and/or career goals
• prior demonstrated interest or involvement in the subject area, including related coursework
• a compelling match between applicant’s skills and interests and an organization’s work and needs
• strong potential for the fellowship experience to enlarge a candidate’s understanding of an identified community issue or challenge

Complete applications are screened, finalists interviewed, and fellows selected by a committee with the intention to award fellowships prior to spring break.