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
Every January, the Albright Institute hosts an intensive immersive on-campus Wintersession experience that bridges the gap between academic theory and global practice. Fellows work closely with leading practitioners and policymakers through skills-based workshops, expert panels, and sustained interdisciplinary collaboration. A cornerstone of the program is the group project, in which diverse teams tackle complex global challenges, culminating in a high-level presentation to the Institute’s Distinguished Visiting Professor.
Distinguished Visiting Professor
A role originated by Secretary Albright herself, the Mary Jane Durnford Lewis ’59 Distinguished Visiting Professor spends two days with the fellows at the end of the Wintersession program. Past DVPs have included ministers of foreign affairs, ambassadors, and other prominent international officials and global policy leaders. The DVP provides feedback to the fellows’ group project presentations, delivers a public keynote address, and hosts informal teas – hallmark gatherings inspired by Madeleine Albright’s tradition of candid conversation and mentorship.
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.