Quotation Mark

“Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.” —Albert Schweitzer

Application

  • Before completing this application form, please be sure to carefully read each of the sections on the Become a Fellow page, including the FAQs at the bottom of the page.
  • This is one version of the application for applying alone for the Fellowship. If you want to apply with a partner, please reach out to the Program Director.
  • Be sure to look over the application carefully and familiarize yourself with the information we are requesting. You may wish to draft your response using the downloadable template for single applicants before submitting your application.
  • If you have any questions about this application, please contact the Program Director.

The deadline for the 2025-2026 Fellowship year has passed.

Applications for the 2026-2027 Fellowship year will become available Winter 2026. Email the Schweitzer Fellowship Program Director for information regarding the application process.

Applicant Contact & School

Please provide a permanent Email address (such as Gmail), if different from Preferred Email.
Will you be enrolled in a degree granting program through April 2026?
In what year of your degree program will you be during the 2025-26 academic year?
Fellows are expected to participate in Fellowship throughout the year (April 2025 - April 2026). Will you have significant academic/clinical responsibility during the Fellowship year that may interfere with your ability to participate in the Fellowship? If yes, please explain.

Project Information

Please describe the target population you wish to impact with your proposed community service project, including demographic information and the community need(s) your project would address (suggested word count 150).
Please describe your proposed community service project, including the following: project goals, and possible activities to meet these goals; intended outcomes you hope to see for the participants; if you are proposing to continue an existing program, please briefly describe how you might expand or build upon it (suggested word count 400).
Proposed community agency (or agencies) project site (if a community agency has not yet been identified, please enter TBD).
If you are accepted as a Fellow, once your project is in process you will be expected to evaluate your project’s impact. Knowing that your evaluation strategies may change as the project develops, please indicate what methods you have thought about using throughout the year to evaluate your project’s effectiveness and determine how well your goals were met. Please give some specific outcomes that you hope to achieve from the project. Please consult the Program Director for additional information (suggested word count 200).
Bearing in mind that the majority of your service hours should be spent in direct, face-to-face community service, how would you apportion your time throughout the Fellowship year? Please include a proposed start and end date (suggested word count 150).
Describe the avenues you will explore to sustain the project beyond your time as a Fellow (suggested word count 200).

Applicant Personal & Professional Information as it Relates to Fellowship Activities

Considering that there are many different types of community service projects a Fellow could design, what inspired you to develop your particular project idea (suggested word count: 200)?
Please include anything about your personal and professional background, as well as your motivation for applying to the Schweitzer Fellowship that you would like to share with the selection committee (suggested word count: 800).
This reference should be your proposed faculty mentor. Provide name, title, email.
This reference can be personal, professional or academic. Provide name, connection to individual (ex., friend, former teacher, etc.), email.
This reference can be personal, professional or academic. Provide name, connection to individual (ex., friend, former teacher, etc.), email.
Please list someone at your proposed site who could serve as a Site Mentor or who has been your site contact. Include telephone number and email address. If a possible Site Mentor or contact has not yet been identified, please enter TBD.
Click or drag a file to this area to upload.
Please upload your resume (not your curriculum vitae) in PDF format. No more than 2 pages.

Commitment to the Fellowship

As a U.S. Schweitzer Fellow I will be expected to fulfill the following responsibilities:

1. Develop and implement a community service project with a community-based organization. The project is separate from any school course requirement and should be completed by June 1, 2026, if possible.

2. Perform about 200 hours of community service that seeks to address the unmet health needs of underserved individuals and communities. At least half of these hours should be direct face-to-face service with the targeted population.

3. Submit a completed project description form by June 15, 2025, that includes a detailed description of your project, the evaluation and sustainability plan and is signed by all faculty and community mentors.

4. Attend the Orientation retreat April date TBD.

5. Attend and actively participate in ALL monthly meetings of the Fellows.

6. Submit a report by the first of each month to the Program Director and your Academic and Site Mentors that lists and reflects upon the previous month’s activities. If project activities were not conducted, you must still submit a report and indicate as such.

7. Write an op-ed piece on a topic of your choice and submit it for publication by January 30, 2026. (Instruction and advice on how to write an op-ed will be provided in one of the monthly meetings of the Fellows.)

8. Actively participate in the planning and implementation of the group outreach project.

9. Attend an individual progress meeting with the Program Director mid-way through the Fellowship year.

10. Attend and participate in at least one recruiting presentation informing students and faculty at Bay Area academic institutions about the Schweitzer Fellowship Program.

11. Attend the Celebration of Service event in May 2025(date TBD) to honor the outgoing class of 2024-2025 Fellows. In May 2026 (date TBD) attend the Celebration of Service to honor the class of 2025-26 and welcome the class of 2026-2027. At that time you will be required to give a brief presentation about your project.

12. Submit a final report by June 15, 2026.

13. Complete a pre- and post Fellowship survey and ensure your site mentor also completes a survey.