Up to 10 individuals are awarded a Baltimore Community Fellowship to implement innovative projects that seek to improve the circumstances and capacity of an underserved community in Baltimore City. Applicants may apply for a fellowship to work under the auspices of a nonprofit organization in Baltimore City, or to work independently.

Applicants may come from any field, including—but not limited to—business management, the arts, law, medicine, education, architecture, and engineering. Individuals from underserved communities and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. The Open Society Institute-Baltimore is also interested in individuals with new ideas and best practices for addressing disparities in access to healthcare—particularly for Baltimore residents struggling with drug addiction.

Fellowship awards are in the amount of $60,000 for a term of 18 months.

The conference will feature concurrent workshops led by faculty, staff, students, and/or community organization representatives.  The SLCE planning committee is now accepting workshop proposals as well as poster session proposals in the following topics:   

1. CONNECT: Community Partnerships-What are the best practices in "connection" for community-campus partnerships, and what are we learning? Examples in this area include the process of initiating and sustaining community-campus partnerships, setting short and long-term goals, the outcomes and impacts of these efforts, and innovative initiatives with community organizations. Presentations should include partner voice.

2. CREATE: Social Change Leadership-How do our campus communities "create" active citizens and promote social change? Examples include campus advocacy efforts, awareness campaigns, student led service initiatives, postgraduate social justice work and careers, innovative ways to discuss diversity topics such as race, oppression, privilege, and social identity.

3. REFLECT: Academic Service-Learning-How is the community and its main issues integrated into the classroom? How do faculty, students, partners, and staff critically “reflect” upon these issues, partnerships, and impacts? Examples include service-learning course design and best practices, faculty development, reflective practice, student success stories, next steps after a service-learning course, community-based research initiatives, living-learning communities, service-learning course assessment and impact.

Proposals due by Friday, January 23, 2015 by 11:55 pm.

Proposal submission questions may be directed to Corinne DeRoberts, Towson University, at 410-704-5764 or cderoberts@towson.edu.