The Impact Beloit Community Fellows Program is a distinguished yearlong program for students inspired to make an impact in the Beloit community. Students will gain valuable, hands-on experience working on projects integral to the operations of a community partner organization. This experience, coupled with mentorship from Beloit College faculty or staff advisors and professional development workshops, prepares Fellows for meaningful careers and develop the skills to be a socially responsible leader.

Students serve as liaisons between the college and a community partner, participating in project-based work, research, or programming tasks throughout a full academic year. The Community Fellows Program is intended to be mutually beneficial for both the organization and the college, meeting the practical needs of the partner and preparing Fellows with career-ready, on-the-job skills while being civically engaged.

Mentorship & Reflection

In addition to their work with a partner organization, students are paired with a Beloit College faculty or staff mentor with whom they meet biweekly throughout the semester. Additionally, students attend regular professional development workshops with the Impact Beloit staff and Community Fellows cohort. Over the course of each semester, students submit three written reflections that lay out goals, assess progress, and articulate learning gains.

Requirements for Participation

Successful candidates for Community Fellows positions must:

• Be high-achieving students who will be juniors, seniors, or students returning to complete both a 9th and 10th semester in 2024-2025 (preference is given to seniors);
• Demonstrate maturity and responsible, dependable behavior;
• Demonstrate an interest in working with community-based organizations or social impact projects (Preference will be given to students who have previous community-based experience or project management experience).
• Commit to spending 8 hours per week serving with a community partner during the fall and spring semesters

Compensation

Each Fellow receives the following as compensation:

• One unit of credit each semester in exchange for 8 hours of work each week
• A $2,500 stipend with $1,250 distributed at the beginning of each semester

Application Process

To apply to the program, students must:

• Complete the Community Fellows online application
• Submit a resume
• Provide two professional references

Students will make note of their preferred fellowship positions and interest areas in the online application. Applications will be screened by the Impact Beloit Community Fellows team and reviewed by community partners. Community partners will interview potential candidates for their fellowship positions.

Interested Community Partners

Community organizations interested in hosting an Impact Beloit Community Fellow can contact Suzanne Goebel, Community Partner & Employer Relations Manager, at goebels@beloit.edu.