2025 Summer Community Service Fellowship Program

Program Description

The Harvard Club of Southern Connecticut (HCSC) will offer up to five (5) in-person fellowships of $8,000.00 each for 10 weeks of full-time work to current Harvard undergraduates and graduating seniors in our territorial area in Connecticut whom wish to pursue public service projects during the summer.  Housing and living arrangements are the responsibilities of the recipient, as are any costs incurred over and above the stipend.
 
Public Service

Public Service is defined as work that

•helps people meet their needs for food, shelter, and health;
•improves education and employment opportunities;
•educates people about their legal and/or civil rights;
•protects the environment or wildlife; and/or
•supports social issues affecting the general welfare

The proposed community service organization must be non-profit and non-partisan.

Eligibility
Freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and first-semester seniors returning to Harvard in the Fall and graduating seniors are eligible.  Applicants should demonstrate interest in and commitment to public service.  Students must also be in good academic and disciplinary standing.

Selection Criteria, Priority, and Preference

Applications will be selected in the following order of priority:

1.  Students who reside in our Club's territorial area who will perform their community service within our Club's territorial area;
2. Students who reside in our Club's territorial area who will perform their community service for an organization located anywhere within the State of         Connecticut;
3.  Students who reside in our Club's territorial area who will perform their community service outside the State of Connecticut, including at Harvard or internationally;
4.  Students who reside in the State of Connecticut who will perform their community service within our Club's territorial area; and
5.  Students who reside in the State of Connecticut who will perform their community service within the State of Connecticut.
6.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary above, any application to perform service for the State of Connecticut or for any agency, department, entitiy or employee thereof shall not be awarded unless and until all of the five (5) foregoing priorities have been considered and a fellowship vacancy still remains.
7.  Applications filed on or before the application deadline will be given priority
 

Harvard Club of Southern Connecticut's territorial area includes these cities and towns:

•All of New London County;

•All of New Haven County;

•All of Middlesex County;

•Fairfield County: Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Huntington, New Fairfield, Newtown, Monroe, Sandy Hook, Shelton, Sherman, Stratford, Trumbull;

•Hartford County: Bloomfield, Southington, Marlborough;

•Litchfield County: Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, New Milford, Roxbury, Torrington, Washington, Washington Depot, Watertown, Woodbury;

•Windham County: Moosup, Plainfield.

 

Preference:

1.  Applicants who reside in our Club's territorial area as defined above;
2.  Applicants who do not reside in our Club's territorial area but who were admitted through our Club's Schools and Scholarships Committee;
3.  Applicants who are applying for the HCSC summer community service fellowship for the first time;
4.  Applicants will also be selected by the HCSC on the basis of the quality, clarity, feasibility, and impact of their proposals for summer community service.

Common Ground - Sustainable Farm Apprentice or Farm & Nature Summer Camp Teacher

Want to spend your summer walking goats, making pud pies, hiking, cooking with food from the farm, enjoying campfires, and playing outside in nature with kids?

Join us at Common Ground Camp!  Our farm and nature based camp gets children ages 4-13 outside for a summer full of adventures in nature.  We also offer farm internships for applicants who want to focus on sustainable food and farming.
358 Springside Avenue
New Haven, CT 06515
Contact: Rebecca Holcombe, Director of Community Programs
Phone: 203-389-4333 ext. 1213

Email: rholcombe@commongroundct.org

www.commongroundct.org

LEAP: Leadership Education Athletics in Partnerships, Inc.

LEAP is New Haven's largest youth services organization and employer of young people serving over 1,400 youth annually.  LEAP trains the leaders of tomorrow  by providing free after school and summer enrichment to New Haven kids who otherwise might not be able to afford them.  Their counselors and mentors are young people from the same low-income neighborhoods.  The Fellow will have the option to assist in various departments at LEAP, including Development, Finance, and Programming, depending on the Fellow's interests and organization needs.  In addition, there would be space to tailor the Fellowship to include working directly with the children or teenagers who participate in our summer programs.  In the past, the Fellow worked primarily in the Development Department, designing marketing materials, analyzing data from the donor database, and helping to create LEAP's overarching communications and digitial media plan.  The Fellow supplemented this work with acting as a teaching assistant for LEAP's computer coding class for children.  There is also an opportunity to help with grant research and writing.  The Fellow will work with LEAP staff to design a position that best suites the Fellow's interest and skills.

31 Jefferson Street

New Haven, CT  06511

Contact:  Maithe Ulloa

Phone:  203-773-0770

Email: mulloa@leapforkids.org

www.leapforkids.org

New Haven Reads
New Haven Reads, founded to "share the joy and power of reading", increases the literacy skills of children to empower their academic success by providing individually tailored one-on-one after school tutoring, educational family support, and a community book bank, all at no cost to participants.  In addition to various administrative tasks and creative projects, the Harvard Summer Fellow will develop relationships with our community's students through the provision of literacy tutoring and the implementation of a summer enrichment club.  He or she will also support the growth of the book bank by sorting and shelving incoming book donations as well as preparing outgoing book orders to social service agencies, homeless shelters, teachers, and other community programs.

45 Bristol Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Contact: Hayley Herrington, Education Director 
Phone: 203-752-1923

Email: hayley@newhavenreads.org

www.newhavenreads.org
St. Vincent’s Medical Center - Parish Nurse and Community Impact ProgramSt. Vincent's is part of Hartford Healthcare (HHC), and is the only Catholic Hospital in Fairfield County.  The Mission Services and Community Health Department, which includes the Parish Nurse Program, are firmly based in the hospital's historic mission of serving those in need.  We are currently seeking a summer intern to assist and lead projects that ultimately serve our patients and community members who are in need.  The internship will be full time (36-40 hours per week) and will take place over 10 weeks.  We are flexible, offering a hybrid environment so candidates can work remotely and onsite as needed.  The ideal intern will be interested in public/community health or other healthcare professions; possess strong computer, communication, and interpersonal skills; and thrive in an ever-changing work environment.  Taking part in the compassionate care of the whole person through many interactions with community members and patients will make this internship a truly meaningful and unforgettable experience.  We also tailor the internship around mutual goals to further ensure a successful partnership. 

Our intern will be fully immersed with our team and leaders - assisting with projects that strengthen existing programs designed to improve the health of our community, which may include:

• The St. Vincent's Parish Nurse Program started in 1992 and assists 75 churches and 200 volunteer nurses throughout Fairfield County to deliver health screenings in their parishes.
• The Health Improvement Alliance (HIA) is a coalition led by St. Vincent's and Bridgeport Hospital that leads the Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) process and creates and implements Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIP).  Priority areas are:  Access to Care, Behavioral Health, Child Wellbeing and Healthy Lifestyles.
• Community Health Worker Pilot Program launced in January 2022.  We currently have two Community Health workers who work with patients and community members to identify and address social determinants of health.  They connect community members to important resources that help empower them to improve their quality of life.
• Hartford Healthcare Community Health and Engagement offers an opportunity to collaborate with community health departments across the HHC system.
• Swim Across the Sound Memorial Service is an annual community event coordinated by our team.  
• Medical Mission at Home is an annual event (every November) that brings primary care and other important health services directly to the community at a local school in Bridgeport.  Full staffed by our colleagues and volunteers, the Medical Mission at Home is planned throught the year.
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Projects are internally focused to help build a culture where everyone can contribute.
• Health Equity Projects focus on the changes and improvements we can make to ensure that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.
• Community Benefit Projects focus on capturing the work that is being done for the community as part of our responsibility as a non-profit hospital.
• Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Standards Projects focus on how well we follow the established guidelines and how we can continue to improve.

Other ongoing programs that our intern will be exposed to are:

• Health Fairs and other community-based health events
• Universal Nurse Home Visiting/CHW Pilot Program, now called "Family Bridge"
• Bi-weekly Food Distribution
• Weekly Farm Stand
• Donation Drives

Training will include:

• Blood Pressure and A1C administration, as well as other screenings
• Engagement in other training to help grow skills

2800 Main Street

Bridgeport, CT 06606

Contact: Marilyn Faber, Parish Nurse Coordinator    

Phone: 203-576-5130

Email: mfaber@stvincents.org

 

Valley Community Foundation (VCF)

Overview:  The Valley Community Foundation (VCF), located in Derby, Connecticut, is a trusted nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the five-town region of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton.  Founded in 2004, VCF supports local non profits through grantmaking, promotes philanthropy, and manages more than 260 charitable funds and scholarships established by Valley individuals and organizations.  With more than $39.1 million in assets, VCF strives to build a stronger, more resilient Valley community by addressing critical needs, fostering collaboration, and investing in community-driven solutions  

Proposed Internship Role:  The Harvard Summer Fellow will focus on enhancing VCF social media outreach and digital engagement.  The intern will play a key role in developing and implementing a strategic social media plan to increase awareness about VCF's mission, initiatives, and impact on the community.  This project will provide the intern with hands-on experience in nonprofit communications, digital strategy, and community outreach.

Intern Responsibilities:

1.  Assess VCF's current social media presence and identify areas for improvement.

2.  Develop a comprehensive  social media strategy to increase engagement and outreach, including platform selection, content creation, and scheduling.

3.  Create and manage VCF's digital content, such as posts, fundholder stories, and videos, highlighting the foundation's grant recipients, community events, and ongoing campaigns like the Valley Gives Back planned giving iniative.

4.  Monitor analytics and metrics to assess the effectiveness of social media campaigns and adjust strategies as needed.

5.  Propose and manage any new digitial platforms or initiatives to expand VCF's online presence.

6.  Collaborate with VCF staff and partners to gather content and ensure alignment with the foundation's mission and messaging.

Learning Opportunities

The selected intern will gain practical experience in the following:

• Community Foundations and nonprofit communications.
• Strategic planning and project implementation in a community-focuses setting.
• Engaging with diverse community stakeholders and enhancing digital storytelling skills.
• Understanding the role of a community foundation in fostering local philanthropy and addressing social neeeds.
• This fellowship will be a valuable opportunity for a Harvard student to apply their skills in digital media and public service while making a tangible impact on the Valley community.  The role is designed to align with the intern's interests and strengths, providing an experirence that contributes to VCF's mission of Building Community and uplifting the Valley now and for generations to come.

Valley Community Foundation

253-A Elizabeth Street

Derby, CT  06418

Contact:  David Rivera, Communications & Marketing Manager

Phone:  203-751-9162

Email: drivera@valleyfoundation.org

www.valleyfoundation.org

Ely Center of Contemporary Art ("ECOCA")

The Ely Center is New Haven's oldest contemporary arts venue, located in a historic house on Trumbull Street, the gateway to the Yale campus and to downtown New Haven.  We have been focusing our attention to arts in the role of healing.  This ranges from environmental healing (ex: how arts can challenge/bring awareness to climate change) to personal stories and how art can be a place of comfort, safety and wellbeing..  This summer ECOCA will be exhibiting "Body's First Architecture,"  a group curated by Leeza Meksin and Tamar Ettun.  This exhibition explores the various ways in which fabric and clothing are being employed by contemporary artists in a wide range of applications and aesthetics that foreground the body's needs for healing and care.  What is the body's first dwelling, first home?  Simultaneously, ECOCA will be running its second annual Summer Apprenticeship Program (SAP) for New Haven Public High School students.  This program brings in an established artist to work with 10-15 local teens to create a collaborative work of art.  The participating students get an honorarium for their time and work.   Our Summer Fellow will help with the running of SAP, contacting parents and students, helping to plan field trips and oversee the students by assisting the mentoring artist as well as planning the public reception to celebrate the work created during sAP.  Parents, NHPS Teachers and Staff, and City Officials are invited to this event.  Depending on their interests, the Fellow may also set up a series of public programs around the summer exhibitions, which include "Body's First Architecture" and works by the Spring '25 Keyhold Workspace Residency artists (TBD.)  We prefer the Fellow to work in person work; however, we can be accommodating for a blend of in person and remote work.

51 Trumbull Street

New Haven, CTD  06510

Contact:  Aimee Burg, Gallery Director

Email: aburg@elycenter.org

http://www.elycenter.org

Please take a virtual tour of our space:  http://www.elycenter.org/witchy-virtual-tour
 

The Connecticut Hospice

There are many possibilities for this internship based on the student's interests.  The Center for Medicare Services has become overbearing about the amount of documentation they require for payment of services.  Our electronic medical record is not user-friendly, and many of our nurses and adies are having trouble getting their charting done.  A good intern could learn the system (it's clunky but not difficult), and help train and retrain both home care and inpatient staff, plus be on call during the day if they had questions.  A student thinking about high tech or medicine would also learn a lot.  We would welcome the shadowing of our Medical Director or other potential ideas.  

100 Double Beach Road

Branford, CT 06405

Contact:  Barbara L. Pearce

Phone: 260-640-7067

Email: bpearce@hospice.com

www.hospice.com

 

Yale Center for Environmental Law & Policy
The Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy seeks interns for Summer 2025. The internship will follow a hybrid format, with the majority of your work being done remotely. The Center has a diverse workload, with projects focusing in sustainable finance, international sustainability, trade and the environment, sustainability metrics, and connecting the latest environmental research with policymakers around the world. While the Center’s summer research needs cannot yet be ascertained, past summer interns have been fully integrated onto existing research assistant teams and have participated in high-level policy research efforts; the writing, organizing, and editing of articles and books; and outreach efforts to news outlets and policymakers directly.

Candidates with a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences are welcome to apply. Particularly successful interns and research assistants have had strong writing and editing skills; experience in campaigns, government, or NGOs and think tanks; and a background in policymaking, even if not directly in the energy, environment, and sustainability arena.

195 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Contact: Lillie Steinhauser, Administrative Director

Phone: 203-436-5182

Email: lillie.steinhauser@yale.edu

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICANTS
HARVARD CLUB OF SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT

SUMMER COMMUNITY SERVICE FELLOWSHIPS

Check out the link to the student application page.  All instructions for applying are there.  Completed applications are to be submitted solely through the CARAT system.  Once you click on the student application page link, you will see more information.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

MARCH 31, 2025

 

Any questions, contact Dan Beebe or Samantha Levin:

Dan Beebe AB ’04, Chairman, HCSC Summer Community Service Fellowship Committee at danbeebe@post.harvard.edu or 860-608-4812

Samantha Levin at the Center for Public Interest Careers (CPIC) at Phillips Brooks House at samantha_levin@fas.harvard.edu