JRM graduate fellowship in community development
Through a generous donation from JRM Foundation, CEHD will place two graduate students in professional internship experiences in Kathmandu, Nepal as part of the new JRM Fellows program.
Students selected for the JRM Fellows summer 2020 program will be engaged in an internship experience at the Mahendragram Higher Secondary School in Kathmandu, Nepal, for a period of six weeks. During the internship students will work with school teachers and education faculty from CEHD, in a series of workshops designed to help enhance teachers’ pedagogy skills, ways to utilize locally available resource materials in teaching, and reviewing and rewriting school curriculum in a high demand areas such as science, math, English Language to support teaching and learning. The major activities at the school will include: interactions with teachers, parents, and students in and out of school, classroom observations, potentially co-teaching in a content area of interest, professional development for teachers on pedagogy and curriculum, and leading a collaborative project in writing school curriculum in one content area. Students are encouraged to consider this experience as an opportunity to start or explore their research interests in the Global South issues in education and other broad issues such as social, cultural, health, environment, and gender that intersect with education.
Bhaskar Upadhyay (center) with children in Kathmandu, Nepal.
2024 Program: Kathmandu, Nepal
Students will be working in a school that supports students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds from within Nepal; thus the applicant has to be comfortable working in such an environment and always respecting local social and cultural values. Students will need to be comfortable working in a community with limited Western amenities. Students with Nepali language skills or experiences working with Nepali communities such as the Bhutanese refugees from Nepal are strongly encouraged to apply. Given the capacity of the school only two graduate students will be selected this year.
Mahendragram Higher Secondary School is a public school that educates students from the local areas as well as a large population of children from families who work in the local brick factories. The mission of the school is not only educating the children but also to provide nutritional support to the children for healthy life. A greater mission of the school is to promote and support education of the children from the brick factories and girls. The school supports equity in educational access and technology enhanced learning for all.
2024 JRM graduate fellowship application information
Important notes
- Graduate students selected for this program will receive airfare and most living expenses.
- The internship is unpaid.
- Fellows will be expected to attend pre-departure workshops and register for a 1-credit schedule B course related to the ethics of international fieldwork in the spring semester (day/time TDB).
- The internship over the summer is non-credit.
- Program Dates (Tentative)
Nepal Project: May 12–June 23, 2024 (6 weeks)
Eligibility: All CEHD graduate and professional students are eligible for this program. If positions go unfilled in CEHD, invitations will be extended to the broader University community.
Application Materials
To apply, applicants should submit a cover letter explaining how the internship best fits your past experiences and future goals (1-2 pages), CV, a letter of recommendation from your academic advisor, and two additional references. Essays should highlight the academic and professional background of the applicant in relation to the internship focus area.
JRM Fellows will be selected based on their capacity for:
- Previous experience related to the professional requirements of the position
- Fit with academic goals and current program
- Evidence of commitment to international engagement
- Flexibility and initiative to work in new environments
- Capacity to work in groups and be a team player
- A commitment to the reciprocal benefit of Fellow and community partners.
Application form and due date
- Submit a cover letter, CV, and contact information of two additional references via the application form by January 15, 2024.
- Your academic advisor submits a letter of recommendation.
Selection process
Final candidates selected for the program will be interviewed via Zoom. The interview will be conducted on the week of January 22, 2024, and the decision will be made by the first week of February 2024. Further details are on the website.
Contact
CEHD International Initiatives (cehdintl@umn.edu)