MICAH Summer Fellowship
Do Justice
Love Mercy
Walk Humbly
What We Offer
Food
Each student will receive a modest weekly food stipend that they will be encouraged to bring together with their housemates ($40/week).
Housing
Students will live simply together in an apartment unit located at Alameda Point Collaborative (Total Value per student: $1,100 - $1,500).
Transportation
Each student will receive a transportation stipend commensurate to their transportation needs. (Total Value per student: approximately - $175.00).
Fellowship Award
Each student will receive a $5,000 Fellowship Award upon completing program.
Pre-orientation joining sessions & Orientation
All MICAH fellows must be available to participate in one regional pre-orientation before traveling to Imagining America in October (10/19/23-10/22/23). MICAH fellows must also participate in an orientation October 20th-22nd which will take place at the Imagining America conference in Rhode Island. You will build community with your cohort and develop new leadership skills during this orientation and conference. This is an immersion program which will require you to be fully present.
Reading & Community Nights
Fellows will be required to complete readings that advance their understanding and engagement with the program's values including: social justice, community, leadership, simplicity, and spirituality. The entire MICAH Fellow community will gather together on Tuesdays with a SMC or USD staff presence and on Fridays they will work on their action research projects.
SUMMER IMMERSION EXPERIENCE
Fellows will contribute 32 hours/week during a summer internship. Each fellow’s exact schedule will be worked out with their site supervisor. Fellows may not have a place of employment during the Fellowship Program.
Critical reflection papers & creative blogs
Fellows will write critical reflection papers and meet at least once a week with their site-supervisor to reflect and debrief their experiences and readings. SMC/USD staff will review and respond to the critical reflection papers on a weekly basis. The use of social media (blog, if possible) is encouraged .
PARTICIPATRORY ACTION RESEARCH
Through collaboration with the partner organization, fellows will complete an action research project that will benefit the organization. The site supervisor may also propose a research question that would benefit the organization. A fellow’s research including key findings and recommendations, must be completed by Jul 25, 2025. Final projects will be uploaded to the MICAH Fellows Website by August 29, 2025.
Outcomes & Impacts
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Describe and explain key ideas and concepts concerning the social construction of race and ethnicity
Identify historical and current structures of power, privilege, and inequality
Explain how racism acts individually, interpersonally, institutionally, and structurally
Articulate and critically examine personal beliefs and opinions about race, antiracism and anti-blackness and describe the weight these beliefs and opinions carry
Explain how institutions and policies contribute to and enable ongoing inequities
Identify some of the many existing organizations that provide anti-racism programming and opportunities
Learn the underlying social justice issues evident in the work of the community partner organization
Develop concrete skills necessary to engage in positive social change
Understand structural barriers and possible solutions to social justice issues at the community partner organization
Learn and develop a practice of leadership rooted in deep self-exploration
Develop attitudes and skills necessary for living - practicing community (eg: curiosity, dialogue, solidarity, discipline etc.)
COMMUNITY PARTNER BENEFIT
Experienced and qualified student/s to serve 32 hours per week for JUNE 2 - JULY 24.
The students will work directly with clients and/or staff in order to plan and/or implement strategic objectives of the organization.
The student/s will enhance the work that is being done by clients and/or staff.
The student/s will deliver an action research project that will provide community-centered data and recommendations that can be considered for future initiatives and grant writing for their partners.
Community Partners will act as co-educator/co-learner in a unique, innovative co-created “space”. The figurative, energetic, empathetic “space between us” will become a space for us all to step into, explore and work with the emergent.