Program Overview

Introduction to the Engaged Summer Program

The Engaged Summer Program is a 10-week program designed for undergraduate and graduate students at George Mason University. The program aims to provide students with an opportunity to engage in community service and civic learning while earning a stipend.

Eligibility and Requirements

• Undergraduates and graduate students are eligible to apply for the program.
• Graduating seniors are also eligible to participate.
• Students do not need to be eligible for federal work-study to apply.
• Engaged Summer participants must commit to working with their partner site for the duration of the 10 weeks and must serve up to 30 hours per week at their placement site.
• Fellows are required to complete any trainings required by their community partner site.
• Fellows will also be required to participate in orientation training and bi-weekly cohort meetings led by the Office of Community Engagement and Civic Learning (CECiL).

Application Process

• Students interested in applying to the Engaged Summer Program should first read through each of the partner sites' descriptions.
• After reading through the descriptions, complete the application and select three organizations that you are interested in working at during the summer.
• If your application is selected, you will be invited to the interview day and will be able to select times to meet representatives of the three organizations you selected.
• After the interviews, each partner will select the student who they would like to be matched with for the program.

Program Details

• All applicants will be notified of their acceptance to the program and their community placements by May 1st.
• Engaged Summer Fellows are required to serve up to 30 hours at their community placement sites per week during the 10-week program and attend bi-weekly cohort meetings.
• Participants will also participate in a day-long orientation workshop before their placement.
• Students will start working at their placement during the week of June 3rd and will complete their placements during the week of August 9th.
• Students accepted into the program must also participate in the Student Orientation on May 22nd.

Compensation and Payment

• Engaged Summer Fellows will receive a stipend of $5,000 paid over 4 installments during the program.
• Engaged Summer Fellows will be paid on a bi-weekly basis through GMU's payroll system and will receive a direct deposit to their bank account.

Continuation and Reapplication

• Engaged Summer Fellows may apply to continue their participation in the program throughout their time at Mason.
• Returning Fellows can select the same partner site to work with or select a different project and partner site.
• Returning Engaged Summer Fellows can also apply to the Civic Fellows academic year program.

Academic Standing and GPA Requirements

• While there are no GPA requirements, students must be in good academic standing at George Mason to be an Engaged Summer Program Fellow.

Community Partner Sites and Project Commitment

• The summer commitment allows Summer Fellows an opportunity to develop a deep understanding of their partner site, the project, and the community that they will be working with.
• Summer Fellows and their partner sites will be evaluated during the summer to identify any issues or ways that we can improve the experiences of students and community partners.

Schedule and Time Commitment

• Summer Fellows will work directly with their community partner sites to coordinate their hours during the summer and should communicate directly with their site supervisor if those hours change or need to be changed.
• At the beginning of the summer, students will receive a schedule of the bi-weekly cohort meetings.
• If students cannot attend one of the meetings, students should contact the Associate Director for Student Programs.
• All hours will be recorded by the student and signed off by the community partner supervisor.