As part of Scholar Fund’s education and community development efforts, we believe that it is increasingly important to expand opportunities for undocumented professionals' personal and professional growth in our community. We believe that by providing tools and experiences for professionals to be exemplary leaders and more culturally responsive will be an investment in creating a more equitable nation and future.

Scholar Fund is proud to host the Cultural Leadership Fellowship for Undocumented Professionals! This program is uniquely designed to support undocumented leaders by immersing new and different perspectives, learning about community efforts in the United States and worldwide, and being in community and collaborate with different groups of people across multiple spaces. The fellowship will have experiential learning opportunities for a cohort of 40 undocumented professionals.

An integral part of our fellowship is to host trips across the United States and around the world, with the hope of expanding our reach to other regions outside of Washington State and the world in the future. The fellows will be immersed in a comprehensive culturally responsive spring or summer program organized by Scholar Fund, with the ability to engage in community-based ethnography for an additional two to three weeks, in partnership with local culturally sustaining educators from Washington State, other parts of the United States, and country-based community-based organizations. 

The learnings taken from the travel experience will allow our fellows to learn from the communities they visit and understand the significant differences and similarities with their local communities. As we strive to create a more equitable and just nation, it is vital for us to learn from community experiences rooted in cultural justice that lead to inspiring action and local community impact.

We are excited to reopen our application Friday February 10, 2023 for our Cultural Leadership Fellowship: Non-DACA Hawai’i Program with the intention of filling all 10 available spots. The application is due on Friday, February 24, 2023, by 11:59 PM. The $2,500 program cost will be due Friday March 3, 2023 by 11:59 PM for the new accepted fellows. You will need to submit the following information in the application. 

• Biographical information
• COVID-19 Vaccination Proof 
• Statement describing your background and reasons for choosing to apply to the Cultural Leadership Fellowship. Describe why you chose the specific program(s) you are interested in attending. Also, please express the projected benefits of this experience to your long-term plans. Include any other information that you feel is relevant to your application. (250 words - 500 words)
• The success of the program can depend on the ability of the group to live and be in community with one another. Describe a prior experience with a group situation and how you navigated the social dynamics. (maximum 250 words)
• Please explain your plans for financing the fellowship cost if accepted. (maximum 200 words)

To be eligible for consideration for our program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Must be undocumented without DACA
• Must live in Washington State and have a valid ID or Driver’s License
• Must be at least 18 years old by the start of the program
• Must participate in ALL PROGRAM activities 
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including a booster shot prior to travel
• Must follow COVID-19 safety protocols, including wearing a K/N95 mask indoors, transportation (plane, train, bus, etc.), and other spaces regardless of CDC, state, or country mandates. 
• Must test negative for COVID-19 48 hours prior to departure and 24 hours after arriving to the program
• Must be able to pay round-trip airfare from Washington State and the host state
• Must be able to pay the program fee

The Cultural Leadership Fellowship: DACA International Program online application is now closed.

To be eligible for consideration for our program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Must be undocumented with valid work authorization (DACA) to be able to apply for Advance Parole 
• Must live in the United States and have a valid passport from the respective country of origin by the time of travel
• Must be at least 18 years old by the start of the program
• Must participate in ALL PROGRAM activities 
• Must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including a booster shot prior to travel
• Must follow COVID-19 safety protocols, including wearing a K/N95 mask indoors, transportation (plane, train, bus, etc.), and other spaces regardless of CDC, state, or country mandates. 
• Must test negative for COVID-19 48 hours prior to departure and 24 hours after arriving in the country for the program
• Must be able to pay round-trip airfare from the United States and the host countries 
• Must be able to pay the program fee and any additional fees (visa, passport fees, etc.) 

Each fellow will have the opportunity to attend one program, with the ability to expand their ethnographic research to other regions or countries. 

• Administrative costs for the fellowship
• Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy and language courses in the United States and host country (if in an international program)
• Lodging, meals, local transportation, entrance fees to field-trip sites, etc. 
• Advance Parole fee for international programs
• COVID-19 care package, including home tests, masks, and hand sanitizer

* The program fee does not include flights. Cost of airfare will be covered by the applicant.

* Scholarships are not available at this time; we highly encourage accepted fellows to fundraise and/or ask their employers to sponsor this cost as a professional development opportunity.

‍