Hess Fellows Advocacy Internships

2012 Hess Fellows
The 2012 Class of Hess Fellows

“Serving as a Hess Fellow completely altered the course of my life.” – Sarah McCune (BSC ’12), 2010 Hess Fellow, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

Launched in 2006, Hess Fellow Advocacy Internships introduce students to the nonprofit advocacy sector and the process of campaigning for systemic social change. The program provides a context for students to begin to form answers to such questions as:

Why are social ills so pervasive and persistent?
What is “advocacy” and how is it connected to my coursework and service experiences?
How can I contribute as an individual citizen to improving people’s lives?
How do nonprofit advocacy organizations shape public policy?
How can I integrate advocacy into my career plans?

Fellows intern for eight weeks during the summer at a leading nonprofit advocacy organization. A pre-internship workshop prepares Fellows prepare for their internships by introducing them to key trends in the advocacy sector. Following the internships, Fellows contribute to the BSC community by coordinating advocacy initiatives on campus.

The dedication and generosity of the following donors makes the Hess Fellows program possible: the Joseph S. Bruno Charitable Foundation, the Dixon Foundation, Ralph and Susan Doughton, Ronne and Donald Hess, the Independent Presbyterian Church Foundation, and Gayle and Pat Pelham.