Fellowship | Ideas Generation

THE FELLOWSHIP

IDEAS Generation:

Our IDEAS Fellowship is a two-year, cohort-based program designed to incubate and accelerate the next generation of connected leaders advancing IDEAS: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Social Justice in their workplaces and communities.

Through virtual skill-building intensives, intergenerational mentorship with industry leaders, compensated experiential learning, and professional placements, this inaugural program will bring greater rigor and impact to workforce development in the IDEAS field.

The Current State:

The IDEAS Generation Fellowship addresses all four of these challenges by ushering in cohorts of connected, impactful IDEAS practitioners. Fellows will gain the practical experience, mentorship, and skills needed to cultivate and sustain IDEAS values in organizations - at once building the pipeline of next generation leaders and resourcing institutions with the capacity to transform.

Meet Our 2023-2024 Fellows!

Alex Smith-Scales

Chris Kusumonegoro

SaDiedrah Harris

Sandra Ferreira

Who is this for?

This fellowship is for anyone interested in a professional role in the IDEAS field (either internal to an organization or as an external consultant). However, due to forces out of our control, IDEAS Generation is only able to accept applicants that are American citizens and/or those who have authorized work visas in the United States.

We particularly encourage applicants who are new to the workforce and/or have 1-5 years of prior IDEAS experience (e.g. leading an employee resource group, serving on a DEI Council, leading IDEAS projects in your organization or educational institution). If you have more than 5 years of experience, no worries! We still encourage you to apply. Additionally, fellows must be able to participate virtually part-time for about 8-12 hours a month for the first twelve months of the program. All educational and professional backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences are welcome to apply.

What does the fellowship entail?

All fellows will receive a monthly stipend of $1000/month as well as:

An in-person, community-building orientation (location TBD)
Mutual mentorship/professional coaching with industry leaders
Opportunities to work on IDEAS Generation client projects advancing IDEAS in organizational systems and communities
12 virtual skill-building intensives
Community of peers with which to share resources, expertise, & support
Year-long professional placement at a partner organization

Key Dates

Please note these important dates in the fellowship program:

5/3 at 5:00pm EST - Informational Webinar
5/24 at 5:00pm EST - Informational Webinar
6/1 - Fellowship Application Open
6/30 - Fellowship Application Closed
7/14 - Round 1 Fellowship Notifications Sent
7/28 - 8/3 - Fellow Interviews
8/8 - Round 2 Decisions
8/11 - Final Fellow Selections Made
9/8 - 9/10 - In-Person Fellow Orientation

Click Here for the Webinar Recording!

FAQs

Q. Who is eligible for this fellowship?

A. Any person who is interested in joining the IDEAS field (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Social Justice) or who has roughly 1-5 of related experience in the field. While all levels of prior professional experience are welcome, this program is not designed for Senior Leaders seeking to become Chief DEI Officers but rather entry to mid-level roles. Participants must be available for part-time work lasting approximately 8-12 hours per month in the first year of the program. Moreover, while we are working towards a future when visa and work authorizations will not limit who can participate in this opportunity, right now IDEAS Generation can only accept American citizens and those with independent US-work authorization. We unfortunately cannot accept applicants requiring visa sponsorship to travel and/or work in the United States at this time.

Q. Why are the intensives mandatory?

A. Effective IDEAS leaders need to be able to draw from a broad set of skills and frameworks to effect change in organizations. Fellows in this program will meet twice monthly for virtual intensives to cultivate the skills and practical experience needed to transform cultures towards becoming more IDEAS-centered.

Intensive topics may include but are not limited to: organizational development, stakeholder engagement & change management, strategic communications, data analytics, project management, strategy development, facilitation and training, individual and group coaching, and IDEAS-centered design. Each Fellow will also facilitate a session based on their own lived and learned expertise for the broader cohort.

Q. How will compensated learning be provided?

A. Six months into the fellowship, Fellows will begin consulting assignments on existing IDEAS Generation client projects. Time working on IDEAS-centered change initiatives will focus on developing practical experience while being supported by our team and project advisors. Fellows will be trained on IG proprietary content and approaches so that they can deliver our work beyond our existing client partners.

Q. How will professional client placements work?

A. Upon completion of a year of intensives, coaching, and IG project work, Fellows will be placed (part or full time depending on capacity/need) with nonprofit and social enterprises seeking to advance IDEAS. IDEAS Generation will serve as a liaison to help vet and match Fellows with partner organizations based on geography, organizational needs, and a Fellow's interest. During partner placements, IG will provide wrap-around support to fellows including monthly Roundtables & Healing Circles, ongoing coaching, and community-building events and activities. IG and Fellows will also have periodic check-ins about their experiences in their placement organizations.

Q. How will the Fellows be selected?

A. IDEAS Generation will review all written submissions from the application form to determine the selected fellows. Beyond the first round of written responses to application questions, we will invite a select number of applicants to participate in a virtual interview with members of the IDEAS Generation team and other partners in the field. Following interviews, finalists may be asked to submit supplemental materials before a final decision is made.

Q. What kind of candidates is IG looking for?

A. We are looking for people who are motivated to radically impact organizations and communities using the IDEAS framework. Selection will be based on an applicant's experience, ability to meet the program's time commitments, and expressed interest in transforming the IDEAS field. We are particularly excited to hear from applicants who have a clear vision of what they want to see changed in their prior/current organizations or the industry writ large. Strong candidates will be able to articulate how their life experiences, identities, and passions position them to address these realities and how a Fellowship program like this can help them to do so.

Q. How many fellows will be selected this year?

A. Up to 4-6 fellows will be selected for the inaugural cohort. We will re-evaluate this number for future years.

Q. When will I find out if I was selected to participate in the program?

A. Final selections will be made by 8/11/23.

Q. What do I need to commit to if I am selected?

A. We will ask that the Fellows selected commit to the full two years of programming and client work as well as attendance at the 12 monthly intensives during the first six months of the fellowship. The fellow will be expected to meet with their mentor monthly and also participate in client projects both through IG and placement partners.

Q. How long will the program last?

A. The Fellowship will last for a total of two years starting in September 2023.

Q. What is expected from me during the fellowship?

A. Fellows must attend the in-person orientation from 9/8-9/10 (location TBD) as well as monthly hour-long mentorship meetings, and twice-monthly virtual intensives. We also ask that the Fellows be flexible and understanding of the process as this is the first year we are conducting the program. Having an open mind & a willingness to collaborate both with IG and the other Fellows is critical. To ensure we are meeting your needs and addressing emergent realities as they arise, we will have periodic checkpoints to monitor progression through the program. Please note that admission into the program does not guarantee participation in all components. It is by IG's sole discretion to determine if a Fellow is prepared to join a client project and/or placement partner.

Q. What will be expected from me after the fellowship has ended?

A. Our hope is to continue the program annually. You may be asked to share your experience with the next set of Fellows selected in forthcoming years and/or contribute to an ongoing community of practice both amongst other Fellowship alums and the broader IDEAS Generation network.

Q. Will participation in this program provide me access to a job at IDEAS Generation or a placement partner organization?

A. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee you a position at IDEAS Generation or a placement partner in the future. However, we hope for this to be an ongoing relationship as part of a multi-year commitment. Fellows will have the opportunity to work directly with placement partners so it will be up to those partners to offer additional employment outside of the fellowship program.

Questions?

Email us at info@ideasgeneration.org

Our Sponsors

Our Mentors

We believe in mutual mentorship - that we are both learner and teacher in a mentorship relationship. Fellowship mentors are not only IDEAS experts who bring relevant knowledge and experience specifically tailored for each of our fellows, but are also lifelong learners committed to investing in and growing alongside the next generation of IDEAS leaders.

Jakob Wolf-Barnett

Sage Drennon

Maria Morukian

Shilpa Alimchandani

Paige Robnett

Our Specialists

Fellowship specialists are accessible to all Fellows throughout the program. With literally hundreds of years of experience between them, specialists bring invaluable lived and learned expertise to our Fellows. They are committed to IDEAS work and elevating the next generation of IDEAS leaders.