For the first few years of the fellowship’s inception, we designed and facilitated a learning network for emerging rural community leaders and social entrepreneurs in Mississippi called the Teach for America Graduate Fellows Program.
Facilitated multiple 3-day retreats for fellowship participants, which included organized peer learning activities and field trip opportunities to connect with local Mississippi leaders
Facilitated monthly virtual cohort meetings that prioritized peer learning and action planning.
Coordinated and oversaw a nation-wide mentor coaching network for the fellowship participants.
“Spud is incredibly creative, hardworking, and inspiring. His partnership brought more than just the professional skill of building entrepreneurial communities; he fostered a community in Mississippi of changemakers, retaining young talent. It’s a privilege to work alongside him.”
“Spud is incredibly creative, hardworking, and inspiring. His partnership brought more than just the professional skill of building entrepreneurial communities; he fostered a community in Mississippi of changemakers, retaining young talent. It’s a privilege to work alongside him.”
Harrison Wood
Program Coordinator for TFA Graduate Fellows Program
Harrison Wood
Program Coordinator for TFA Graduate Fellows Program
Each year, the fellowship selected TFA alumni who wanted to create community initiatives in the rural areas that they were placed as teachers. The fellowship trained them on community building and social entrepreneurship techniques as it related to a project or organization they were launching.
Once accepted into the fellowship, participants received a full-ride scholarship to pursue their masters degree, along with tailored mentorship, programming, and support to launch their ventures. For more information, visit their website, instagram, or facebook.
We were hired on by the coordinator to design the fellowship experience and provide strategic guidance as the program was developed, including:
Facilitate the learning experiences throughout the fellowship
Design a year-long curriculum
Capture key impact metrics throughout the program to support fundraising efforts
Provide on-going thought leadership and coaching to the fellowship coordinator
Develop and produce branded materials for the program, including Program Journals and End-of-Year Impact Reports
Immersion Kick-off Retreat for Fellows
Ballot & Brunch pitch competition for Fellows
In the first 4 years of the program that we provided strategic support, the program achieved the following impact. For more details about the impact of individual ventures launched through the fellowship, please review the Impact Reports below.
