Overview:
- Each spring, a select number of exceptional first year university students will be chosen as fellowship recipients
- Selected Fellows are each paired with a developing nation social enterprise // related need said social enterprise has and is unable to accomplish on their own
- Fellowship recipients will be paired with expert mentors for action plan development; Mentors and the GS Irvine Hub will facilitate pre-departure orientation and training
- During their summer break, Fellows travel to their respective social enterprise’s work site to carry out their action plan over the course of 6 to 8 weeks, with continued support from both their mentor and the Irvine GS hub
Phase 1: Research and Coordinate
- March – May
- Fellows are paired with host country social enterprise and expert mentor based on expressed interests, geographical preferences, preliminary project proposal, and fit
- Mentors support fellows in crafting an action-oriented project proposal geared towards generating value over the course of the summer and post-immersion
- Weekly Irvine hub workshops will serve as venue for fellows to network and fine-tune their project proposals with the support of successful entrepreneurs and leaders from both for-profit and nonprofit sectors
Phase 2: Obtain resources needed for successful project fulfilment through means of crowdfunding, community resources, family and friends
- April – June
- Fellows will draft a project budget as part of their proposal, with support from both expert mentor and hub-sponsored resources; must receive approval from the Irvine Hub.
- Basic costs including food, housing, and travel expenses to-be covered by the Irvine Hub
- Additional costs, both personal and project-related, will require fellows to proactively pursue fundraising activities
- Potential fundraising venues include crowdfunding, seeking out community grants, and reaching out to family and friends; fundraising also serves as a means of generating publicity for fellows’ individual projects
Phase 3: Execute Action Plan
- July – August
- Fellow travels to project destination to carry out finalized project proposal in collaboration with expert mentor and partnered social enterprise
- Weekly progress updates to-be communicated to the Global Shapers Irvine Hub; should any additional resources be needed, the Irvine hub will serve as the central of contact
- In addition to undertaking project work, the summer immersion period also serves as an opportunity for fellows to become acquainted with the diverse facets of life in a developing economy – bridging the transition from a sheltered college experience to the realities of today’s increasingly globalized world
Phase 4: Debrief and frame the path forward
- September – October
- At the summer’s conclusion, fellows are to submit a written evaluation of their immersion experience and project implementation
- Fellows will be presented with the opportunity to present their project findings to the Irvine Global Shapers Hub, the Irvine City Council, and related academic outlets
- Based on individual outcomes and host organization feedback, a selected number of fellows will also be awarded further grants and opportunities to take their project to the next level through either a semester extension or the during following summer