Vision of Mercy Fellowship

• Must be an undergraduate student, in good academic standing, enrolled for the current academic year, who will be returning to Salve for the following academic year. Students studying abroad for one semester during the academic year are eligible to apply.
• Must demonstrate a commitment to the materially poor, to peace and justice, and to working with advocacy groups in keeping with the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy: Immigration, earth, racism, nonviolence and women.
• Must submit an application highlighting your commitment to individuals and/or populations impacted by one of the critical concerns, identifying the partner organization with whom you would be working and reflecting on how this fellowship might inform your future vocational or professional interests.

Vision of Mercy Summer Fellowship applications consist of the following materials:

• A 1-2 page, single-spaced fellowship proposal that includes clear ideas for the applicant's summer project, including area of interest, possible community organizations, likely location, type of project, target population and how the work will intersect with academic pursuits.
• Contact information for two Salve references (one must be a faculty member who can speak to the applicant's academic abilities and skills).
• An updated resume.

Describe your vision of mercy and justice in the world and in your local community. Explain how you have developed this understanding and commitment and what your vocational and professional hopes are beyond Salve. Describe your past experiences working with the materially poor, working to advance peace and justice, and/or advocacy and action related to the critical concerns of the Sisters of Mercy. Include details such as names of agencies or advocacy groups, dates and locations of your service. Reflect on how these experiences and your studies at Salve have shaped your larger vocational and professional aspirations related to our mercy mission.

Describe your specific proposal for the fellowship in detail, including the local, domestic or international community-based organization you will partner with and your proposed project within the fellowship. Include contact information for your fellowship site, proposed dates of service and proposed activities as part of the fellowship, as well as your budget proposal (up to $3,000). Also describe your vision for addressing the particular critical concern that is the focus of your fellowship, reflecting on the larger structural realities that inform this critical concern, and consider how your fellowship engages with these larger realities locally or globally.

Finalists will be invited to participate in an interview process with the director of community engagement and service, the vice president for mission integration and members of the fellowship committee.

Community-based organization engaging the critical concerns: Applicants are responsible for contacting the nonprofit organization to arrange for their fellowship commitment. By the time of application, you should be in contact with your desired placement to discuss plans for the fellowship experience. Kelly Powers, director of the Center for Community Engagement and Service, is available to support prospective fellows in determining an appropriate community-based organization.

Location restrictions: Due to safety and other risk management concerns, fellows are unable to work in countries where a level 3 or 4 travel advisory has been issued by the U.S. Department of State.

Time commitment: Fellows are expected to work approximately 30 hours per week with a nonprofit, community-based organization locally, domestically or abroad for five weeks or longer during the summer. Fellows are unable to receive monetary compensation from the organization for their work without special approval from the director of community engagement and service.

Use of funds: Fellows receive a maximum grant of $3,000. This grant may be used to cover transportation, lodging and program costs, and may also be used as a stipend for students who engage in unpaid work at their community partner during their fellowship. The grant may not be used toward formal study abroad programs. A full budget designating use of funds is required with the application.

Formation and reflection: Fellows are required to participate in two preparation meetings (1.5 hours/meeting) during the spring semester. Fellows are also required to maintain a reflection blog during the fellowship period and submit a reflection report following the fellowship experience. During the fall semester following their fellowship, fellows are also required to participate in a daylong retreat to discuss and reflect upon their summer fellowship. Fellows that study abroad in the fall semester will participate in the retreat during the spring semester. Fellows may also be asked to participate in selection and preparation for the following year’s fellowship recipients.

• Complete the project proposal and submit to the director of the Center for Community Engagement and Service before the start of the fellowship.
• Attend group meetings via Zoom with the fellowship recipients in June and August.
• Attend one-on-one meetings with the director of the Center for Community Engagement and Service during the fellowship and at the completion.
• Complete 2-3 slides to be used at a roundtable discussion in September with members of the Salve community.
• Promote the Vision of Mercy Summer Fellowship to the next class of fellows.
• Write and submit three blog posts with photos.
• Create and complete a pre- and post-survey with your mentor.

Checks in the amount of $1,500 will be distributed in May and September. Students will need to provide a W9 on IRS.gov upon acceptance. Please reference the tax reporting of fellowship income policy, which is available upon request.

Recipients are selected by the Vision of Mercy scholarship/fellowship committee, a self-perpetuating group of approximately 5-7 individuals, the majority of whom are Sisters of Mercy, mercy associates or Salve Regina alumnae.

Potential recipients are chosen by the committee’s consensus agreement based on the required criteria, with special emphasis placed on the content and quality of the applicant’s proposal, the fellowship interview and the strength of the letters of support. The ideal recipient will approach the materially poor and the underserved in the tradition of Catherine McAuley, founder of the Sisters of Mercy. The recipient will be devoted to advancing the human condition of individuals and communities, especially those who are impoverished, disadvantaged or downtrodden. In short, he/she will be committed to advocate for the core values of the Sisters of Mercy.