December 4th, 2013: Opportunity for Irish Student Leader to Spend Summer in US

The Fulbright Commission in Ireland opened the competition for the Summer Institute on Social Entrepreneurship, sponsored by the US Department of State.  The Summer Institute is a five-week, all expenses paid program in the US for a current undergraduate student to study the history, development, and challenges of US social enterprise at Indiana University and in Washington, D.C.

All applications must be received by 12:00 p.m. (noon) on Tuesday, January 28^th, 2014 in hard copy and by email.

Irish citizens and European citizens who have lived in Ireland for the past three or more years are eligible to apply if they have at least one year of university remaining. The successful applicant for the grant will receive:

–       Airfare, tuition and fees, lodging and meals at the host university, and a daily allowance.

–       Visa sponsorship and accident and sickness coverage.

–       A range of academic and cultural programming.

This award will provide the successful applicant with in-depth knowledge, understanding, and experience in the areas of business ethics, negotiations, microfinance, corporate social responsibility, innovation, and many other areas of study.

Speaking at the launch of the Summer Institute on Social Entrepreneurship, Ms. Pippa Halley, Irish Program Manager at the Fulbright Commission said, “the Student Leaders program is an excellent opportunity for a young Irish student to rub shoulders with their European peers in a US college setting. Not only will the winner gain a deep understanding of the American entrepreneurial spirit, he or she will also build strategic partnerships that they can continue to grow as they develop their career in social entrepreneurship in Ireland.”

The 2013 Summer Institute Awardee, Mr. Arthur McKey, reflected on his time in the US as part of the Social Entrepreneurship Program last summer, stating, “It opened up new avenues of thought I never knew I possessed, created several important business contacts, and, most importantly, gave me a new group of friends that I will keep with me for the rest of my life.”

The Summer Institute will provide the successful applicant with a taste of what it is like to study at a US college. The program will begin in Summer 2014 for a period of five weeks and applicants must be able to attend the program in full. The US Summer Institute on Social Entrepreneurship is a unique opportunity to spend time at a US university and to work closely with community leaders in the area of social entrepreneurship.

Please note this is not a Fulbright Award, but a grant from the US Department of State.