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The Reducetarian Fellowship

 

Washington DC

 
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FEATURES

Program

The Reducetarian Fellowship is a unique opportunity for students to begin building the knowledge and skills needed to make a tangible impact on our global food system. Through the program, Fellows will get:

  • Direct access to movement leaders working on cutting-edge ideas and initiatives

  • Exposure to a wide range of approaches to improving the food system and guidance in critically examining different strategies

  • Workshops and trainings in networking, writing, public speaking, entrepreneurship, and other skills

  • Individualized support and guidance through one-on-one mentorship

  • The chance to gain further exposure and training through a 10-week summer residency at an impactful partner organization

Funding

Stipend

Each Fellow will be offered a stipend of $7,500. Receipt of the stipend is contingent upon full and meaningful participation in all components of the Fellowship program.

Professional development

Each Fellow will also be offered additional funding for professional development resources or experiences. This may include—but is not limited to—books, conference fees or travel, an online course, or time with an external advisor or coach.


Cohort and Alumni Network

We anticipate that each cohort will be a tight-knit group of diverse students. In addition to supporting and learning from one another during their Fellowship year, they will be encouraged to stay connected through the Fellowship’s Alumni Network. Benefits for alumni will include:

  • Ongoing access to and support from Fellowship staff

  • Opportunity to give back by serving as a mentor to future Fellows

  • Free or reduced-cost tickets to the annual Reducetarian Summit

  • Invitations to the annual Reducetarian Fellowship alumni networking event

  • Access to updates and information about relevant job openings, local events, etc.

 

“Through the fellowship I’ve gained the confidence to bring the topics of animal welfare and industrial animal agriculture into conversations about the environment.”

- Reducetarian Fellow, 2022-2023 NYC Cohort

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SCHEDULE

February–April

Applications open on February 1 and close on April 15 each year.

September–May

Fellows will attend an orientation in early September. In October they will attend the annual Reducetarian Summit, where they will be invited to participate in the full range of enriching conference activities and networking opportunities.

During the fall and spring semesters, Fellows will participate in thought-provoking seminars, practical workshops, and eye-opening site visits, and receive individualized guidance and support through one-on-one mentorship with the Fellowship Coordinator.

June–August

During the summer, Fellows will continue their training through an immersive 10-week residency at a partner organization. Throughout the residency, Fellows will continue to share ideas and encouragement with their cohort through twice-monthly group calls. They’ll also receive ongoing support and guidance through twice-monthly calls with the Fellowship Coordinator.

The year will conclude with a ceremony celebrating the Fellows’ hard work and accomplishments. Each Fellow will give a short presentation about their experience to Fellowship staff, residency supervisors, and the incoming cohort, as well as any friends or family they wish to include.

 

 “It was a really great experience learning from everybody. This fellowship has made me a more competent human, and talking with everybody helped me expand my own worldview.”

 - Reducetarian Fellow, 2022-2023 NYC Cohort

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ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

All applicants must:

  • Have a social security number

  • Be an undergraduate or master’s student at the time of application

  • Be able to physically attend weekly meetings in Washington DC

The Reducetarian Fellowship is a hands-on clinical training experience designed to provide students with job readiness training similar to what would be given in an educational environment. As such, we do not require prior experience with or specific knowledge about topics relevant to the program.


SELECTION CRITERIA

We are looking for students who are self-motivated and eager to make an impact using the skills and experience they would gain from this program. Qualities sought include (but are not limited to):

  • Robust interest in creating a more sustainable, healthy, and humane food system

  • Interest in the Reducetarian philosophy and/or effective altruism

  • Ability to receive constructive feedback and implement changes in response

  • Growth mindset (the belief that new skills can be developed through hard work, good strategies, and high-quality input from others)

  • Ambition, openness, humility, and integrity

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications open February 1 and close April 15. Once the application review begins, students are notified of their status after each stage of the process. Final selections are made on or before June 15.

The application stages are as follows:

Stage 1: Short application form

Stage 2: Brief essay or video, or other small creative project (applicant’s choice)

Stage 3: Initial interview (with Fellowship Coordinator)

Stage 4: Final interview (with Fellowship Coordinator and Fellowship Director)

Applications are now closed for the 2024-2025 cohort. Please check back next year!

GET IN TOUCH

If you are unsure whether the Fellowship would be a good match for your career goals, we strongly encourage you to reach out to our Fellowship Coordinator June Ok by email at june@reducetarian.org. June will be more than happy to answer questions, share further details, and help you decide whether to submit an application. (Conversations of this nature will not affect your chances of acceptance to the program in either direction.)

We are committed to ensuring that our application process is as accessible as possible. If you believe you may require accommodations of any kind in order to apply for the Fellowship, please reach out to the Fellowship Director, Sofia Davis-Fogel at sofia@reducetarian.org.

 

 “Being in this fellowship has genuinely exceeded my expectations about what I thought I could learn about reforming the food system, but also how I could feel about it and want to express that through change both on a professional and personal level.”

- Reducetarian Fellow, 2022-2023 NYC Cohort

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Academic year programming (seminars, workshops, and mentorship meetings) are expected to be held in person. Fellows will be made aware of any changes if they arise.

    Summer internships at partner organizations will be done remotely, unless:

    (1) The organization has a physical office in the Washington DC area, and both they and the Fellow are happy for the Fellow to complete their internship at that office

    (2) The organization has a physical office elsewhere in the U.S., and both they are the Fellow are happy for the Fellow to travel to that location and complete their internship at that office

    Hybrid internships may also be also an option.

  • During the academic year, we expect Fellows to spend an average of about 5 hours per week on Fellowship activities, with time off for winter break. The summer internship is intended to occupy 32–40 hours per week for 10 weeks, depending on the preference and needs of the host organization.

  • Yes, students currently in undergraduate or graduate school at the time of application are eligible to apply to the Fellowship.

  • The Fellowship Coordinator will use their understanding of each Fellow’s and each Partner Organization’s needs and interests to produce a list of suggested matches. Fellows will interview at the recommended organizations and a match will be determined based on a combination of Fellow and Partner preferences.

  • The stipend will be disbursed at the beginning of the summer, to support the Fellows while they complete their internships.

  • Certainly! You are welcome to apply again the following year, so long as you’ll still meet the eligibility requirements at that time. Repeat applicants will not be evaluated any differently from first-time applicants.

  • Acceptances are only made for the current Fellowship year. If you are unable to participate in the year you have been accepted for, you are welcome to apply again the following year (so long as you’ll still meet the eligibility requirements at that time). Repeat applicants will not be evaluated any differently from first-time applicants.

  • The Fellowship is designed to prepare Fellows for success in a career aimed at transforming the food system. The program is for training purposes only, however; participation in the Fellowship does not constitute an offer or guarantee of employment.

  • The Fellowship is designed to equip students to pursue a career focused on combating industrial animal agriculture. This might mean starting a new non-profit or company, working at an existing organization, pursuing an advanced degree in a relevant field, or a number of other paths. Fellowship staff are committed to supporting Fellows as they progress through their careers.

  • Pick whatever you’ll enjoy the most! There is no right or wrong choice. This stage of the process is designed to allow applicants to show off their individual personality and strengths in whatever way is most exciting or natural to them, so submit something that helps us understand who you are, what you care about, and what you excel at. (And don’t worry—there will be more specific instructions when you get there!)

  • The summer internship experience is intended to be a full-time (or near full-time) commitment. We discourage Fellows from taking on additional obligations during this period.