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Apply for the JRL Scholars & Fellows Program

Accepting applications from September 2, 2025 to November 3, 2025.

Program Description.

The John Robert Lewis Scholars & Fellows Program is designed for undergraduate (Scholars) and graduate students (Fellows), to examine Lewis’s nonviolent philosophy from a historical perspective; define its principles and strategies; and identify their applicability to modern times and movements, current issues, and everyday life. The JRL Scholars & Fellows will become a nationwide network of emerging leaders who will be inspired to create positive societal change from the revolutionary nonviolent perspective that was employed with success in the Civil Rights Movement.

A competitive application process selects twenty students per year who are seeking to be effective changemakers in civic life through their engagement in an applied learning program of nonviolent social impact philosophy that grounded John Lewis.

Eligibility

Must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
Must be 18 years old or older
Must be a current undergraduate or graduate student from an accredited college, university, or seminary, or beginning your vocation (less than 24 months out of school)
Must exhibit exceptional leadership potential
Must demonstrate interest in and passion for the mission and goals of the program
Must be able to participate in all trips, fulfill all the educational requirements and complete the oral history project. The program will run July 2026 – July 2027.

Program Outline

For Cohort 6 (2026 – 2027)

May 2026: Virtual orientation webinar via Zoom
July 14 – 16, 2026: Opening Convocation in Washington DC
6 Virtual Conversations throughout the year
March 3 – 7, 2027: Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage
July 12 – 15, 2027: Closing Convocation in Washington DC
Complete an Oral History Project

The trips to Washington DC and the Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage are all expenses paid. Each Scholar and Fellow will receive a $2,000 stipend for participating in the year long program.

Required Application Materials

Unofficial university or college transcript
One page resume
2 letters of recommendation
Essay: Read the Six Principles of Nonviolence. In a short essay reflect on the principles inspired by the writings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Choose one principle that inspires you and discuss how this principle connects to your life and work. Your essay should be no longer than 500 words.
Personal Statement Video: In your video, please tell us about yourself, what draws you to this work, and what you would like us to know about you. Your video should be no longer than 2 minutes.