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.
(Photos on the right: 2020 Lipman Fellows)
Commitment
The 12 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.
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 2020-2021 Lipman Family Prize Fellows will open for all University graduate students on Monday, August 10th. Application deadline is Wednesday, September 2nd. Virtual info sessions will take place on the following dates: August 13th, August 26th and August 27th. Further details will be shared on this page at a later date.
Lipman Fellows Experience Series
Get to know some of our Lipman Fellows in the videos below!
2019 Lipman Fellows Experience
Jenny Kim, 2019 Lipman Fellow
Adamseged Abebe, 2018 Lipman Fellow
Cynthia Degros, 2019 Lipman Fellow
View the rest of the Lipman Fellows Experience Series HERE!