Summer Fellowships in Housing & Community Development (for HKS Students)
The Center offers summer fellowships in Housing and Community Development to returning Kennedy School students. The fellowship, which will pay up to $8,000 for a 10-week, full-time position, gives students the opportunity to bring their skills to – and to learn from people at – non-profit and public entities in the United States that are working on issues related to housing and community development.
Students currently enrolled in a Harvard Kennedy School program who will be returning to school in the fall are eligible to apply for funding that will help support their work as a fellow, intern, or volunteer with organizations and entities. Students are responsible for arranging a 10-week full time internship, for proposing that placement in their application, and providing documentation indicating the entity is prepared to host the student. Our staff are available to meet before you apply to discuss possible placements and projects. The internship could be in such entities as:
- A city, state, or federal agency or office
- The office of a mayor or another elected official
- A legislative committee
- A municipal or regional planning agency
- A municipal or regional housing or redevelopment authority
- A local community development corporation or other local non-profit
- A national or regional advocacy organization
- A national or regional non-profit financial intermediary
For more information about the fellowship or to discuss possible placements and projects in greater detail, please contact David Luberoff, the Center's Director of Fellowships and Events, at [email protected].
What Former Fellows Have to Say
- During the fellowship, I did everything from delivering keys to a contractor to writing an article for Vice Impact. I watched and participated in discussions on a huge range of topics: financial literacy, renter displacement, public-private partnerships, and the Wonder Woman movie. While the summer may not have been predictable, I learned a lot, worked hard, and truly enjoyed my time in Detroit.
-Kyle Ofori (MPP/MUP), 2017 Fellow at Century Forward - This fellowship gave me the opportunity to explore affordable housing and community development from the investor’s perspective, ultimately providing a more well-rounded understanding of the development process.
-Erick Diaz (MPP), 2018 Fellow at the Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation -
No day was like the other! I had a great experience with NYCEDC. I wrote my graduate school applications about my interests in public-private partnerships (‘PPPs’), and I’m appreciative of the experience I had facilitating PPPs on behalf of my home city.
-Chichi Anyoku (MPP/MBA), 2019 Fellow at the New York City Economic Development Corporation
How to Apply
Students can apply via the HKS Common Application for Fellowships, which is managed by HKS's Office of Career Advancement.
The application should include:
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A short personal statement summarizing your interest in housing and community development and how the placement relates to your studies
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Your resume
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Where you expect to work for the summer and what you expect to work on
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The name and contact information of the person (or people) who will supervise you
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A specific funding request indicating whether you are seeking full or partial funding from the fellowship
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The names and contact information for two references
The deadline for applications has passed.