We are now accepting applications for the 2025 SELI Cohort

2025 Application Process and Directions

Fellowship Overview: A continuation of SEF’s legacy of educating leaders in the South, which spans more than a century, the Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI) launched in 2004 to mark the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. Recognizing that much work remains to ensure that all children, regardless of race or class, receive an excellent education, SELI provides highly motivated and diverse undergraduate juniors, seniors and graduate students the opportunity to: 

  • Develop as leaders in education and civil rights 
  • Engage with important community stakeholders 
  • Acquire practical job skills 
  • Learn about contemporary education issues in the South  

SELI fellows receive invaluable professional experience in an assigned school district, education agency, higher education institution, or nonprofit organization in the southern region of the United States. During this experiential learning opportunity, they explore strategies for improving education, addressing community needs, and putting theory into practice. Students are assigned summer placements that pair well with their experience, educational interests, career paths, and developmental needs. To date, more than 300 SELI fellows have worked in more than 120 nonprofit organizations, school districts, state agencies, and higher education institutions that provide advocacy, grant-making, policy analysis, research, community organizing, and direct service in education. 

*Applicants must be willing to relocate for the summer to their placement sites in the southern United States* 

As members of the Southern Education Leadership Initiative, fellows will receive:

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be between 20 and 35 years old. 
  • Must be currently enrolled in a four-year college or graduate program. 
  • Must have completed 60 credit hours (the equivalent of junior status or above in an undergraduate program) or be currently enrolled in a master’s, doctoral, or professional program at a college or university. No minimum GPA is required. 
  • All majors are accepted, but you must have a demonstrated interest in education equity and/or social justice. 
  • Must have excellent interpersonal, writing, and critical thinking skills, with flexibility to respond well to diverse people, settings, and tasks. 
  • Deadline for the submission of a complete application is February 3, 2025, at 5 PM ET. Please see the following pages for more details on required materials and instructions for submitting them. Deadline extensions may be granted on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Amber C. Davis with SEF at adavis@southerneducation.org to request an extension. 
  • Must only work on assigned projects from the placement site and SEF during the fellowship. Students do not design their projects for this experiential learning opportunity but are assigned projects by their placement site supervisor. 
  • Must be willing to relocate to another city or town for the summer, and refrain from any coursework, test preparation, or other jobs or internships during the summer program. Fellows must attend the Orientation and Closing Meeting and be physically present at their placement site for office hours and for the duration of the program. 

2025 SELI Summer Timeline:

2025 Application Process and Directions: 

SELI staff will review applications and select the most promising and qualified students for the fellowship opportunity based on education advocacy-related campus involvement, community service, and the quality of application materials submitted. To apply, please complete the following by February 3, 2025 (5pm ET): 

Online Application: Complete and submit an online application: Link also shown here: (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F5GNBKF). You will be asked to include the following materials: 

    • Resume: Please submit a resume that includes information about the following: education, employment/internships, community service, honors, awards & achievements.  
    • Transcript: Please submit all college or university transcripts (unofficial or official copies accepted). No minimum GPA is required. Please note we cannot access transcripts on web-based portals, they must be electronically attached. 
    • Short Essay Response: Please submit a written response of no more than 3 pages (single-spaced) addressing each of the following (roughly 150 words): 
    • What is special, unique, or nuanced about education in the South?  
    • Define equity/inequity and identify a particular disparity that exists within Southern education that you believe strongly needs to be solved? What education policy or practice would you propose to mitigate the disparity you’ve identified? 
    • What are your career goals? How do you think participating in the Southern Education Leadership Initiative will help you build the necessary skills/experience to achieve those goals?

Recommendation Forms: Please have 1 – 2 recommendation forms submitted on your behalf. Forms should be submitted by a professional reference (past supervisor, professor, mentor, advisor etc.) whom you feel can speak best to your interests and experience. To ensure your recommenders can submit their form, please share the link to the recommendation form with them directly (bit.ly/RecommendSELI). All recommendations must be submitted before the application deadline to complete your submission. 

How to Submit Application Materials:  

    • Students must submit a completed online application form and all required materials to the Southern Education Foundation no later than February 3, 2025 (5pm ET). 
    • Share the recommendation form link with your recommenders to upload their recommendation on your behalf. All recommendations must be submitted by the application deadline to complete your application. 

Once all your application materials have been received, an SEF staff person will email you to let you know your application is complete. Successful applicants will receive instructions to schedule a phone interview. 

Still have questions? 

  • You may email questions to seli@southerneducation.org  (Please note that submitting questions will not have an impact on your acceptance into the program.)