Applications for the Utah Valley University Center for Social Impact scholarships are due on March 28, 2022. The center is currently looking for students to become Social Impact Fellows.
“The Social Impact Fellows are a leadership team who basically are tasked with helping other students get as engaged as much as possible in social issues, with community partnerships in local communities, and to feel like they’re being taught the tools needed to strategize for effective and sustainable social change.” Said Cassie Bingham, the Program Director of Impact Program Design.
Bingham outlined some of the roles of Social Impact Fellows, “they throw events, they do like regular programs, they host a ton of different speakers through our podcasts and through our YouTube series, so all sorts of stuff basically just to get the student body as engaged as possible in caring about issues that affect real communities.”
Bingham discussed the advantages of serving as a social impact fellow. “This is an opportunity to get to dive into that for a full year with a close-knit group of fellow leaders while getting a scholarship and possibly internship credit, getting personally mentored by the staff here at the center for social impact, so I think it’s an incredible opportunity,” said Bingham.
The Center for Social Impact website states that the role of being a Social Impact Fellow includes planning and implementing student-run programs and events that impact UVU and the community. Social Impact Fellows are trained on the principles, methodologies, and pathways of social impact. The center will help Fellows enhance their personal development, leadership skills, and critical strategic thinking ability throughout their entire leadership term.
According to the scholarship application packet, all Social Impact Fellow positions are granted an in-state full-tuition undergraduate waiver fall and spring semester or a cash award if they are already receiving tuition scholarships. Students with out-of-state residency and graduate students will receive tuition waivers for the cost of in-state undergraduate tuition. To qualify for the scholarship, students must be in good university standing, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher for the last four semesters or a cumulative GPA of 2.75, 12+ credit hours a semester, and scholarship semester eligibility (less than 8 total semesters of scholarships from UVU).
“Please apply,” said Bre Lambert, a current Social Impact Fellow, to those considering applying. “Just apply and see what happens. It definitely is something that has completely changed how I think and how I interact with people that think differently than me, and that has definitely made me not only a better student but just a better person in general.”
Lambert describes her overall experience as Social Impact Fellow as “amazing”. Her involvement in social programs has led her to receive job offers after she graduates. Lambert says that being a Social Impact Fellow has helped her think professionally in an effective way and has provided her with relationships that will last even after graduation.
More information about applying can be found on the Center for Social Impact Center website. You can begin the process of becoming a Social Impact Fellow through their application form. You can also find the link to apply through the bio of the Social Impact Center Instagram account @uvusocialimpact.
