Grants for Harvard Students

Summer 2008 Greeley International Internship

The Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR) and Harvard Divinity School (HDS) are pleased to announce the inauguration of the Dana McLean Greeley International Internship for an HDS student interested in furthering interreligious understanding. The Greeley International Internship honors the Rev. Dana McLean Greeley, AB '31, STB '33, who believed that people of all backgrounds and faiths are deeply connected to one another and should work together for positive social change. Applications for the summer 2008 internship are no longer being accepted. The internship will be offered again next year to an HDS student who wishes to intern with an organization outside of the United States dedicated to the promotion of interreligious understanding, peace, and social justice.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for the Greeley internship, a student must:

  • have completed his or her first year at HDS by June; and
  • be continuing studies at HDS in the next academic year in either the MDiv or MTS program.

Preference will be given to students who have exhibited financial need (indicated by receipt of institutional aid at HDS). 

Selection and Award

The selection committee intends to award one stipend of approximately $3,150 for all costs associated with a summer internship during July and August 2008, including airfare, meals, and living expenses. Any costs beyond that amount are the student's responsibility. Funding will not be available until July 1, 2008.

Applications will be judged on the basis of: 

  • the student's interest in interreligious understanding, peace, and social justice;
  • the strength of the internship proposal; 
  • the student's financial need (judged as whether they are receiving institutional aid at HDS); and
  • the student's academic performance.

The CSWR will perform the initial review of applications. A short list will be assessed by the selection committee, which will be composed of the director of admissions and financial aid, the director of the Center for the Study of World Religions, and one student member to be agreed upon by both directors, along with any appropriate supporting staff. Finalists will be expected to sign an Acknowledgment of Risk and General Release Form (Adobe Reader required).

After selection and before funding, the selected candidate will need to document the host organization's approval of his or her project and learning objectives, as well as the staff member who will supervise the student's work. At the end of the grant period, the grant recipient will be required to submit a written report to the CSWR describing his or her experience and achievements over the summer. During the following academic year, the grant recipient should plan to attend the Greeley Lecture at the CSWR and meet members of the Greeley family and former officers of the Greeley Foundation.

Application Requirements and Deadlines

All applicants must submit:

  • A completed CSWR/HDS Greeley International Internship application form  (Adobe Reader required);
  • A one-paragraph letter or email message from the applicant's academic adviser or other Harvard faculty member in support of his/her proposed plans for the summer (to be sent directly to the CSWR by the faculty member); 
  • A copy of the applicant's most recent Harvard grade report;
  • A letter from the host organization documenting approval/support of the applicant as an intern; 
  • A one- to three-page statement of purpose written by the applicant, describing the proposed internship (the proposed plan of work [objectives, activities, location, dates]; how it relates to interreligious understanding, peace, and justice; how your experience has prepared you for this internship; how the internship relates to your vocational/professional goals; and how the project will contribute to your learning as a part of your academic program at HDS).

Students may design their own internships in cooperation with any host organization, as long as the internship contributes to interreligious understanding. The CSWR has begun to compile a list of organizations appropriate to the goals of the Greeley International Internship and which have indicated willingness to accept an intern. These organizations are: 

Additional organizations may be added, so please check this page again. Students interested in any of the above organizations should contact Susan Lloyd McGarry for information on how to reach the appropriate person at the organization. They should then communicate with him or her directly to work out plans for the proposed internship. 

If a student wishes to intern with an organization not on the above list, he or she should also provide:

  • Background information about the host organization adequate to evaluate its appropriateness;
  • An explanation of how the organization's work and the proposed internship relate to the goals of the Greeley internship.

The Pluralism Project's International Resources for Religious Pluralism provides information about several international interfaith organizations, as well as some helpful background. The Human Rights Resources page of Harvard's Committee on Human Rights has listings of organizations working in human rights internationally and links to several websites that may be of interest.  The Religions for Peace affiliates page lists many interfaith organizations outside the United States.

Applications are no longer being accepted for summer 2008; check back here for announcement of the selected intern and for updates to the selection process for 2009. Email applications with PDF attachments are preferred. Faculty recommendations should be sent to Susan Lloyd McGarry directly. She is also available to answer questions and provide contact information for listed organizations.

Applications should be submitted by email (the preferred method), or by mail or fax to:

Susan Lloyd McGarry, Manager of Planning and Special Projects
Attention: Greeley Internship
Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Avenue, Cambridge 02138
Tel. 617.496.1608; Fax. 617.496.1973

Susan Lloyd McGarry is also available to answer questions and provide contact information for listed organizations.