County accepting applications for fellowship program
EL CENTRO – Imperial County announced Friday it is now accepting applications for its new fellowship program.
Selected applicants will be awarded a $20,000 scholarship and limited term, full-time employment contract with the County of Imperial for a total fellowship award valued at $95,000.
Students have until May 14 to apply through the Imperial County Free Library website at www.library.imperialcounty. org. The initial 2021 cohort is scheduled to begin this summer and will consist of five fellows, preferably one from each supervisorial district, the county said.
Fellows are expected to be announced at the June 22 Board of Supervisors meeting.
The board approved the program on March 23 for the purpose of preparing college students for work in the various sectors of county local government by providing them opportunities for mentorship, service projects, scholarship funds, and employment.
The $1 million allocated for the program will come from the county’s Public Benefit Program funds.
To be eligible, applicants:
• Must be entering third year of college or undergraduate coursework.
• Must be high school graduate of Imperial County
• Must be between the ages of 18 and 24 at time of application
• Must have and maintain a 3.5 GPA throughout program
• Must complete one service project
• Must complete
“Work Academy” series
• Must maintain communication with assigned mentor
• Must commit to 18-month, full-time, limited-term position with county following graduation
• Cannot be related to any county elected official or county administrator.
There are no restrictions on majors, nor location of the college or university being attended. Students with a GED are eligible as long as all other criteria are met. Students in a master’s or doctoral program are not eligible.
“The fellowship program is the first of its kind to be offered by the County and it is a very generous award,” said County Librarian Crystal Duran. “I applaud the Board of Supervisors for their vision to provide this opportunity to college students. I am confident we will have strong applicants who have demonstrated leadership and are eager to learn from and alongside county leaders through this program.”
Chairman Mike Kelley, District 3 Supervisor, applauded Duran and her staff for their work in putting the program together. “The Board is thankful for the work done by our county librarian and her staff as this program will help identify and, most importantly, help those young individuals who will continue to lead our county toward a better and brighter future,” he said.
For more information on the fellowship program and the application process, contact Duran at crystalduran@co.imperial.ca.us