Fellowship Overview
The Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI) is an intensive, eight-week, paid summer fellowship for Emerging Leaders interested in advancing racial equity and improving education across the pre-K through college continuum. Placed in nonprofits, school districts, or state education agencies in the South, SELI Fellows spend the summer developing as leaders, engaging with valuable stakeholders, and acquiring practical job skills through direct learning experiences.
A continuation of SEF’s legacy of educating leaders in the South, which spans more than a century, SELI’s 2004 launch marked the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision. Our initiative recognized that there is still important work to be done to ensure that all children, irrespective of race or class, receive an excellent education. Through SELI, talented and diverse young leaders have conducted important research, policy analysis, advocacy, and organizing efforts for nearly 120 partner organizations over the course of its 18-year tenure. SELI alumni can be found today working as educators, policymakers, researchers, community organizers, and committed civic leaders dedicated to improving the lives of all children.
Education and work are the levers to uplift a people. Work alone will not do it unless inspired by the right ideals and guided by intelligence.
Network Benefits
Fellows Receive:
- Experience: The opportunity to work for eight weeks in an organization focused on equity and excellence in education, such as a policy institute, school district, community-based organization, or philanthropic institution.
- Stipend: A living expense stipend of $5,000 for undergraduate and graduate students.
- Travel Expenses: Airfare/car mileage expenses associated with traveling between home, Orientation, and Closing meetings in Atlanta, and the summer placement site (assistance also provided by SEF in making travel arrangements).
- Training: Fellows will participate in a three-day orientation, (May 17-19, 2023) during which they learn about research in the field, the importance of educational equity, strategies for making change, and interact with SELI alumni and SEF staff. *Attendance in full is required
- Fellowship Placement- (May 22-July 14, 2023): Fellows will be supervised by seasoned leaders as they work on challenging research, education policy, and nonprofit program-related projects. *Full-time 40 hours a week, in-person attendance required
- Opportunities to Share and Reflect on the Experience: During the SELI Closing meeting (July 19-21, 2023), fellows will come together to share lessons learned, reflect, and brainstorm on how to continue making change as part of a network of emerging leaders in the sector. *Attendance in full is required
Have questions about the fellowship? See our FAQ for answers to general questions. For additional assistance, please forward all inquiries to seli@southerneducation.org.