Grounded in the liberal arts and the service philosophies of Wellesley College, the Albright Fellowship links education and practice for aspiring global leaders, and exemplifies the value of multidisciplinary perspectives for addressing global challenges.
Each year, approximately 40 Wellesley students are chosen from across the majors and disciplines to participate in the fellowship, which consists of a three-week intensive training over Wintersession, mentoring from a distinguished visiting professor, and a global internship in the summer.
Programming
Wintersession
In the fall, fellows will join a team-building event, a Wintersession orientation, and an internship orientation. Over Wintersession, fellows participate in lectures and work in multidisciplinary groups on global issues, making presentations at the end to the the Distinguished Visiting Professor. Each year, programming is centered around a theme. For 2026, our theme will be the future of leadership in a fragmented world.
Distinguished Visiting Professor
A role originated by Secretary Albright, the Mary Jane Durnford Lewis ’59 Distinguished Visiting Professor (DVP) spends two days with the fellows at the end of Wintersession. Past DVPs include former ambassadors, ministers of foreign affairs and other senior government leaders. In addition to providing feedback on the fellows’ presentations at Wintersession, the DVP gives a keynote address, hosts an informal tea, and participates in a public dialogue with the wider Wellesley community.
Global summer internship
Experiential learning is at the heart of the Albright Institute’s mission. Post-Wintersession, fellows apply their skills in a real-world setting through an internship of their choosing. Albright Fellows are given a stipend of $5,500 to participate in internships where they can apply what they have learned in the classroom in a real-world setting. Some of these internships are self-identified, while others are reserved annually for Albright Fellows.
Other fellowship commitments and opportunities
Throughout the year, fellows have the opportunity to join Albright Faculty Affiliates for informal lunches and to attend other Albright Institute-sponsored events. On-campus fellows are also strongly encouraged to attend the Albright Institute’s annual Kenner Lecture.
Albright Fellows who are on campus the fall after their summer internship deliver presentations at the Tanner Conference about their internship experience.