Lipman Family Prize Fellows

Lipman Fellows Program

Lipman Fellows support the selection of the Prize honorees and develop their leadership skills while learning about the social sector. Students fellows, recruited from various schools at Penn, review applications, analyze data, prepare materials for the Prize Committee, meet with the leaders of honoree organizations to learn about their work first-hand, and attend the annual awards ceremony.

Commitment

The 16 fellows will participate for a full academic year between late September and May, with two of the fellows serving as peer coordinators for the group. Students will need to work an average of 5 hours per week, plus attend all mandatory trainings. The months of October, November, February and March are typically the busiest. Fellows for the 2019-2020 academic year must be able to attend an orientation retreat scheduled for September 28-29, 2019. 

The Experience

The goal of this engagement is for students to learn about the social sector through the philanthropic process. The Lipman Fellows’ team structure offers students the chance to explore the leadership dimensions of communication, teamwork, group decision-making and emotional intelligence while employing technical skills like data analysis and project management. The multidisciplinary composition of the Lipman Fellow community allows students to collaborate and challenge themselves in a safe learning environment.

A Unique Opportunity for Students

Organizations applying to the Prize are working on universally experienced social challenges in public health, educational equality, economic development and beyond. Each year, students have opportunities to help refine the execution of the Prize and its ability to leverage the many Penn resources to support the work of world-class social sector organizations.

Eligibility

Any current graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania is eligible, including students in one-year programs and second year MBAs. We do not require previous experience with nonprofits, philanthropy or social enterprises. Regardless of past work experience, fellows must demonstrate a current interest in the social sector and in their personal leadership development.

Application Process

Applications for the 2019-2020 Lipman Family Prize Fellows will open on Wednesday, August 14, 2019 and will be due on Wednesday, September 4, 2019. Info sessions are scheduled to take place on Tuesday, August 27th at 12:00pm and Wednesday, August 28th at 6:00pm. All University of Pennsylvania graduate and professional students are welcome to join us. Location will be determined at a later date.