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John Gardner Public Service Fellowship

Deadline: 
Thursday, January 7, 2016

Gardner Fellowships provide opportunities for graduating seniors to invest their talent, energy and training in public service. Six fellows, three from Stanford and three from UC Berkeley, are selected each spring. Each is provided with a $30,000 award plus health insurance reimbursement for ten months full-time work with a government or nonprofit agency in the continental United States beginning no later than October 1 after graduation. Placements are made through a facilitated process during spring quarter. Each fellow is matched with a mentor who is a distinguished leader at the placement organization, and agrees to guide the fellow's professional growth and development, and provide opportunities and exposure that exceed what is normally available to a recent graduate.  To get a real sense of the Gardner Fellowship, check out the 2013 Gardner Fellows' blog and  watch this short video.

Please note that Haas Center staff do not necessarily have direct experience with, nor do we professionally endorse, partner organizations.

NEW!  Link to the 2016 Gardner Fellowship Application Form:  https://solo.stanford.edu/node/9

NEW!  Link to the Recommender Form:  http://web.stanford.edu/dept/haas/outside/GardnerRec16.fb

Requirements

Gardner Fellows commit to 10 months of full time work starting no later than October 1 after graduation. The Gardner Fellowship cannot be combined with other awards or employment or be used to start an organization. Placements and mentors are determined through a deliberative spring quarter process. Gardner Fellows must agree to fulfill the following requirements:

  • Interview with prospective mentors prior to or shortly after graduation.
  • Participate in orientation sessions held in spring and late summer on one of the two campuses.
  • Design a personal learning plan.
  • Participate in a mid-year meeting, and a closing meeting at the end of the fellowship year.
  • Write year-end report and stewardship letters.

Fellows are also asked to assist the program in future years by recruiting applicants and/or mentors, and by participating in information and training sessions.

Eligibility and Selection Process

Eligibility

To be eligible for a Gardner Fellowship, you must be a current graduating senior or co-term at Stanford University or University of California, Berkeley. Applicants are encouraged from any academic major and from a wide variety of service experiences.

Selection Process

Applicants are judged according to the following criteria:

  • record of academic accomplishment
  • demonstrated civic competencies and commitment to public service leadership
  • leadership qualities and readiness for fellowship experience
  • quality and content of written statements

Note: You should not and need not have a specific placement or mentor in mind to apply.

Interested students should submit an application online. Applicants must also solicit two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a faculty member who is familiar with their college level work (see application information).

The selection committee reviews applications and develops a list of finalists to be interviewed. Awardees must commit by Friday, February 12, 2016. Following commitment, program staff assists fellows in selecting an appropriate mentor and organization. Fellowships traditionally begin in September; placements must be located within the continental United States.

Application  

Application deadline: 11:59 pm on Thurs., January 7, 2016.

A complete Gardner application includes the following three components:

1) Application Form

Link to 2016 Form:  https://solo.stanford.edu/node/9

Please note: We strongly recommend that you create your application in a separate document and then type your answers into the application form.

Applicant Information

Basic contact information, cumulative GPA, and major.

Essay questions

In 500 words or less per prompt, answer each of the following three questions to explain why the Gardner Fellowship Program should invest in you as a future public service leader. The selection committee pays particular attention to these personal statements.

  1. What issue do you care most deeply about and what are examples of your ideal nonprofit or government fellowship placement? What would you like to learn from a mentor who is an outstanding leader in your field of choice?
  2. How does a Gardner Fellowship build on your Stanford experience and inform your future career?
  3. John Gardner spoke of public service leaders as individuals who are optimistic, curious, open, and positive. How would you describe your leadership qualities to a potential placement or mentor?  In answering this question, please consider discussing your civic leadership competencies.

Civic Leadership Comptencies

Knowledge of

  • the principles of ethical and effective service: reciprocity through partnership, humility, respect for diversity, commitment, ongoing communication and clear expectations, preparation, context, participatory pedagogy, and safety
  • the impact of power and privilege in the context of social justice work
  • the range of public service pathways by which one can contribute to the common good
  • the groups, networks, and systems that address or affect social issues
  • the root causes, history, and interconnectedness of various social issues affecting local, regional, and global communities

Skills

  • critical, integrative, and reflective thinking
  • effective communication through active listening and constructive dialogue
  • developing creative, interdisciplinary, and collaborative solutions regarding social issues

Values and Self-Awareness

  • awareness and evaluation of one’s own values, assumptions, and motivations
  • recognition of one’s identity as socially and historically situated
  • sense of responsibility and practice of reflection about one’s actions

Community and Cultural Awareness

  • understanding of the local, regional, and global contexts in which social issues are embedded
  • respect and appreciation for diverse communities and cultures, their interconnectedness, and their accumulated wisdom
  • going beyond one’s comfort zone and the boundaries that traditionally separate communities

Public Action

  • participation in one or more public service pathways in ways that embody ethical and effective service principles
  • sustained commitment to at least one social issue
  • creation of knowledge and practices that positively impact society
Résumé with the following content

Upload a resume as a .doc or .pdf

  • Education (include all post-secondary education, relevant coursework, and research experience)
  • Work Experience (begin with the most recent or current job and include dates of employment, the employer and/or business and/or supervisor's name, location, your title, and a description of your responsibilities)
  • Activities and Leadership (include co-curricular activities, internships and self-initiated projects, e.g., with nonprofits, community groups, government, or electoral campaigns).
  • Awards and Honors (include titles, descriptions and dates)
  • Skills (include computer, language or other specialized proficiencies)

2) Recommendations   

Send your recommender this link:  http://web.stanford.edu/dept/haas/outside/GardnerRec16.fb

Provide Stanford faculty/staff/other recommenders with detailed information about the fellowship(s) for which you are applying.

Include contact information for two individuals who will submit electronic recommendations in support of your application. One of your recommenders must be a Stanford faculty member or lecturer familiar with your academic work. The other recommendation may come from another person who knows you well and can speak to relevant experience and skills (internship supervisor, Resident Fellow for RAs, another Faculty member, etc.).  Ask them to submit their recommendation no later than 11:59 pm on Thursday, January 7, 2016. Applications with late recommendations will be considered incomplete.

3) Transcript

Upload an unofficial transcript.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact Leslie Saul Garvin at the Haas Center.