Fellows Program
Program Overview
The Outer Island Fellows Program is an unpaid volunteer opportunity for a college graduate to spend one academic year teaching at a partner school in Micronesia. While on the program, the Fellow will participate in intercultural enrichment opportunities and help lead programs to advance the mission of the Outer Islands Partnership to empower women and children from the outer islands of Micronesia. The program is modeled after the best practices of the social justice orientation of the Jesuit Volunteers International (JVI), the cultural immersion of the Peace Corps Volunteers (PCV), the grassroots synergy of the Kiva Fellows program, and the global solidarity inspiration of the Xavier Residential Learning Community at Santa Clara University. It is compelled by the need to alleviate poverty for the immigrant outer island communities in Micronesia while giving the Fellow an opportunity to immerse into the rich culture of the outer island people.
Program Objectives
The Fellows Program aspires to…
- expand the goal of global solidarity through a year-long international immersion
- develop mutually beneficial community-based service learning opportunity for volunteers and a local partner institution in Micronesia
- engage the goodwill and talents of the Fellow to advance the mission of the Outer Islands Partnership
- provide an unpaid internship opportunity in a developing country for a college graduate
Benefits
The Outer Islands Fellow Program aspires to provide the Fellow with…
- cultural immersion in the outer island communities through a local host family
- an opportunity to visit an outer island
- mentoring by a local outer island educator
- opportunities to work with local partners to advance social and educational causes for the impoverished outer island community
- opportunity to use skills to help people in a developing country
- on-campus room & board in staff housing
- classroom teaching experience
- a $60 monthly volunteer stipend
Core Responsibilities
The OIP Fellow serves the Outer Islands Partnership, the local partner school, and the outer island community in Micronesia with energy, fresh ideas, technical support, service opportunities, and other expertise based on the volunteers’ abilities and interest. The Outer Islands Fellow should…
- Be able to raise funds for the round trip airfare (approximately $2,000) to and from Micronesia
- Serve alongside the local staff of the partner institution in delivering its mission and educational services to the young people of Micronesia
- Lead a solidarity program with women and children from the outer islands in Micronesia
- Support the mission and services of the Outer Islands Partnership in the local community
- Teach a full load of classes at the partner institution
- Share reflections on experience by maintaining a blog on the OIP website
Ideal Candidates
The Outer Islands Partnership, Inc. seeks individuals with demonstrated leadership, maturity, and willingness to learn through service. Ideal candidate should:
- Be a graduating senior from the Xavier Residential Learning Community at Santa Clara University or similar RLCs
- Be a college graduate or on track to graduate prior to the start of the fellowship
- Be open-minded
- Be willing to engage the needs of the outer islanders with respect and generosity
- Be able to blog regularly about experience
- Be able to teach high school students in a Catholic / Jesuit institution
- Be committed to one academic year as a Fellow
- Be able to raise her/his own funds for the airfare to Micronesia
- Have a clear understanding of the mission of the Outer Islands Partnership and the local partner organizations
- Available to leave for Micronesia in the summer to experience the outer island communities prior to the start of the academic year
Apply Now
Interested applicants are asked to complete the online application form. Finalists will be required to attend a daylong pre-orientation session in May and participate in all in-country staff planning sessions at the placement.