2015 Humanity in Action Fellowship

Humanity in Action is now accepting applications for the 2015 Humanity in Action Fellowship. The Fellowship will run from May 25-June 28 for Fellows from American universities and May 30-June 28 for Fellows from European universities. Fellows of the Humanity in Action Fellowship are placed in one of five cities: Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris or Warsaw.

Applications for the Humanity in Action Fellowship are due on January 8, 2015. Follow this link to apply.

OVERVIEW • FELLOWSHIP FOCUS • CURRICULUM • ELIGIBILITY • SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES • SELECTION • COSTS • ACADEMIC DIVERSITY • AFTER THE FELLOWSHIP

Overview

Humanity in Action Fellowship programs will take place in 2015 in Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris and Warsaw. The 2015 program dates for participants from the United States are May 25 through June 28, 2015. Here is an outline of the schedule:

• May 25-May 28, 2015: U.S. Fellows participate in a special orientation program at the Council on Foreign Relations and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
• May 29, 2015: U.S. Fellows arrive in Europe.
• May 30-June 28, 2015: Fellowship programs take place in Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Paris and Warsaw.
• June 30, 2015: Fellows depart from the program.

Intensive and demanding, the Humanity in Action Fellowship brings together international groups of college students and recent graduates to explore national histories of discrimination and resistance—including anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and racism—as they affect different minority groups today. The Fellowship seeks to educate, connect and inspire the world's future leaders in the fields of human rights and social justice. 

Educate: Each Fellowship program is highly interdisciplinary and features lectures and discussions with renowned academics, journalists, politicians and activists, as well as site visits to government agencies, non-profit and community organizations, museums and memorials. The programs seek to highlight different models of action to remedy injustice. They also aim to instill a responsibility among Fellows to recognize and address the need to protect minorities and promote human rights—in their own communities and around the world.

Connect: The objective of the Humanity in Action Fellowship is to facilitate a collective exploration of the social and political roots of discrimination, as well as to create a forum where potential solutions can be considered and discussed. Within this forum, Fellows from diverse backgrounds connect with one another and with established leaders who serve as program speakers. Additionally, Senior Fellows, the alumni of the Humanity in Action Fellowship, participate in Humanity in Action's international network. Fellows have access to HIA Connect, an online platform where Humanity in Action's network of more than 1,400 Fellows and Senior Fellows connect, share information and remain active in the issues addressed during the Fellowship.  

Inspire: After completing the Humanity in Action Fellowship, Fellows have one year to initiate Action Projects on important issues within their own communities. These Action Projects allow Fellows to apply the knowledge and skills they gained from their Fellowship experiences. To support the professional growth of its Fellows beyond their Fellowship experience, Humanity in Action also offers ongoing opportunities, including professional fellowships in the U.S. Congress and European Parliament as well as annual international conferences and study trips. 

A Note on Humanity in Action's Focus

Humanity in Action's programs concern human rights activities generally, but they focus specifically on the relationship between majority and minority groups in the countries in which the programs take place: Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Poland. Before applying, be sure to read our Fellowship Focus page.

Fellowship Curriculum

The Humanity in Action Fellowship explores Europe’s unique history during the Second World War and the Holocaust along with present-day tensions related to minority groups in the continent. Key areas of inquiry include national identity, immigration, xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, racism, political extremism and discrimination of Roma -- all seen through the specific lens of each of the five countries. Before applying, be sure to read our Fellowship Curriculum page.

Eligibility

Applicants to the Humanity in Action Fellowship must be currently enrolled undergraduate students (sophomores, juniors and seniors) or recent graduates. For the 2015 Fellowship, we define recent graduates as individuals from the undergraduate classes of 2013 and 2014 at accredited, four-year undergraduate colleges or universities in the United States. Applicants of minority backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

If you are an American citizen studying at a foreign university, you are eligible to apply to the Humanity in Action Fellowship through the United States. If you are an American student studying at a university in Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands or Poland, you may be eligible to apply through the Humanity in Action offices in those countries. Please contact those offices directly to confirm your eligibility.

If you are a non-U.S. citizen studying at a university in the United States, you are eligible to apply to the Humanity in Action Fellowship through the U.S. office.

Applicants may not apply to a program in a specific country and cannot choose their city of participation. 

Characteristics of Successful Candidates and Fellows

Humanity in Action seeks candidates who are passionate about active and responsible citizenship, diversity and human rights. Successful Humanity in Action candidates and Fellows possess the following characteristics: 

Intellectual Curiosity:  Humanity in Action seeks candidates who are eager to discuss a range of historical and contemporary topics that drive, challenge and impact diverse societies. This means that Fellows should be eager to stretch their understanding of these issues beyond their own national contexts and specific fields of study.

Collaborative Spirit: Humanity in Action seeks candidates who thrive in collaborative settings and enjoy discussing challenging issues in culturally and internationally diverse groups. Humanity in Action’s pedagogy is based upon collective and intellectually demanding discussion with speakers, peers and host families. Fellows must possess the social maturity and skills to discuss sensitive topics. 

Open-Mindedness: Humanity in Action seeks candidates who are open to challenging their personal convictions. The Humanity in Action Fellowship is not a program that serves to confirm the assumptions of beliefs already held by its Fellows. Instead, the program intends to broaden and stretch the Fellows’ understanding of complex human rights issues.

Entrepreneurial Drive: Humanity in Action seeks candidates who are entrepreneurial and innovative in developing Action Projects and careers as active and responsible citizens. 

Selection Process

Admissions to the Humanity in Action Fellowship program is highly competitive. In 2014, Humanity in Action received more than 600 applications from the United States and selected 40 Fellows. 

The selection process involves two phases. In the first phase, a panel of Humanity in Action Board members and Senior Fellows reads all applications and selects a pool of finalists for further review by a Selection Committee. During the second phase, the Selection Committee reads and evaluates all finalist applications, and one of its members interviews each finalist. The final selections are based on this second reading and the interview.

Humanity in Action does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, religion, political party, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or financial ability. 

Costs

Humanity in Action covers the costs of participation and accommodation during the fellowship programs. Humanity in Action will also cover the cost of airfare to Washington, DC to attend the orientation at the Council on Foreign Relations. However, all Fellows will be responsible for financing the cost of round-trip airfare from the United States to their program city. Humanity in Action will cover this cost for Fellows with documented need.

Although Humanity in Action provides a modest stipend for meals, Fellows should also plan to bring spending money of approximately $750 for food and social activities during the fellowship program.

Diversity of Academic Background and Career Aspiration

Humanity in Action encourages individuals from all academic disciplines to apply. The Humanity in Action Fellowship’s academically diverse setting enriches discussion and offers Fellows the opportunity to engage in perspectives outside their own disciplines. Humanity in Action encourages applicants who aspire to careers in business, government, medicine, academia, activism, the non-profit sector, the arts and more.

Humanity in Action Obligations and Opportunities: After the Fellowship

The Humanity in Action Fellowship lasts one month, but its impact on the lives of Fellows and their communities lasts for many years to come.

Action Projects: After completing the Humanity in Action Fellowship, Fellows have one year to initiate Action Projects on important issues within their own communities. These Action Projects allow Fellows to apply the knowledge and skills they gained from their Fellowship experiences.

Senior Fellow Network: Fellows are invited to participate in the Humanity in Action Senior Fellow Network. Fellows have access to HIA Connect, an online platform where Humanity in Action's network of more than 1,400 Fellows and Senior Fellows share information and remain active in the issues addressed during the Fellowship.

Ongoing Professional Opportunities: To support the professional growth of Fellows beyond the Fellowship, Humanity in Action offers ongoing opportunities, including professional fellowships in the United States Congress and the European Parliament as well as annual international conferences and study trips. 

Follow this link to learn more about the obligations and opportunities after the Humanity in Action Fellowship.