CEU Students and Alumni Learn about Atlas Corps Overseas Fellowship Program
“One of the great things about the Atlas Corps program is the network of fellows,” said CEU student Romeo Zelayandia Gonzalez. “It seems that everywhere you go you find someone you know, or you can make a connection through someone you know.” Gonzalez made his remarks during an information session about the Atlas Corps Overseas Fellowship Program (Atlas Corps) that SPP’s Office of Career Services organized on November 30. CEU students and alumni attended the information session in person and online to learn more about the Atlas Corps Fellowship from Program Director Meredith Newmark.
The Atlas Corps Overseas Fellowship Program is an international exchange program that matches fellows with host organizations for 12- to 18-month fellowships. Newmark stressed that the fellowship is intended for people who were interested in “creating social change,” and to returning to their home countries. She urged anyone interested in the fellowship to consult the Atlas Corps website where there is detailed information about the eligibility requirements, application procedure, and timeline.
There are also brief bios of current and former fellows on the website. Newmark said that a well-crafted bio was a critical component of the online application. “The one-paragraph bio needs to be really well written,” she stressed. Newmark also advised anyone who applied to be prepared to provide specific examples both in their written responses to essay questions in Part 2 of the Online Application (the “long form”) and also if they are selected for an interview.
The Atlas Corps Fellowship program is competitive: only one out of 40 applicants is selected. It is also a volunteer experience. Newmark explained that Atlas Corps provides a modest stipend that is expected to cover shared housing, food, and local transportation. Gonzalez said that he was able to live comfortably on the stipend. Syed Ali, another Atlas Corps fellow who spent his fellowship in New York, agreed that the stipend was enough to enable fellows to live a “good, normal student life.” Ali and Gonzalez urged their classmates to apply. Newmark was encouraging as well. “It’s a great opportunity to get hands-on, on-the-job experience,” she said.
“This is the second year that we have organized an information session with Atlas Corps. We are grateful that people like Meredith [Newmark] are so generous with their time. These sessions are invaluable for our students and alumni,” said SPP Director of Career Services Ann Gagliardi.