Arrupe Fellowships

(To see photos of Arrupe Fellows during their Summer Field Work Assignments visit: Summer '03, Summer '02.)

Arrupe Fellowships are designed to attract into the IPED Program highly qualified applicants who have a strong interest in pursuing a career with a non-profit international relief and development organization. To be considered for an Arrupe Fellowship an applicant must have:

At least one and preferably two years of work experience in a developing country. Preferential consideration is given to applicants who have work experience in a developing country as a volunteer with the Jesuit Volunteers International, Jesuit Relief Services, the US Peace Corps, or other similar organizations.
Professional proficiency in French, Spanish, or Portuguese or the ability to obtain professional proficiency given a summer language immersion experience. French is preferred.
Indicate in their statement of purpose their willingness to apply and, if selected, accept up to a one year post-graduate International Development Fellowship with Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

Arrupe Fellowships are awarded solely on the basis of merit without regard to citizenship or religious affiliation. These fellowships include a full tuition scholarship combined with a generous stipend. Arrupe Fellows are expected to specialize in international development studies with a focus on project management while studying for the MA in IPED at Fordham. In addition to this academic training, Arrupe Fellows also receive practical training. During the academic year Fellows normally work a limited number of hours at the United Nations Development Programme. And during the summer after their first year of studies, Fellows receive an additional stipend to cover the cost of an overseas summer field placement in either Latin America or Africa. Normally summer field assignments are done in coordination with the United Nations Development Programme and are used to document the best practices of community based initiatives in sustainable development.

Those Arrupe Fellows who are accepted by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) into their post-graduate International Development Fellows Program will gain up to an additional year of practical international experience as a program assistant in one of 99 developing countries. Building on their broader analytical training in the IPED Program, International Development Fellows will be exposed to various practical aspects of project management including proposal writing, budgeting, working with donors, working with counterparts, and monitoring and evaluation. Some Fellows with sufficient background in finance and accounting may be asked to assist in auditing several CRS projects in various parts of the world. The combination of IPED's broader analytical training with CRS' practical training should well equip a student for employment in the non-profit sector. For example, many of the International Development Fellows go on to full-time employment with Catholic Relief Services at the conclusion of their post-graduate fellowship.

Visit Catholic Relief Services' web site for additional information about their International Development Fellows Program.

To be considered for an Arrupe Fellowship, you must submit a formal application including three letters of recommendation, general aptitude scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and transcripts of previous undergraduate and graduate course work. Foreign students must also take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). For Arrupe Fellowship applicants, one of the letters of recommendation must document your language ability in either Spanish, French, or Portuguese as well as your cross-cultural skills. If you are a Peace Corps Volunteer, this letter of recommendation should come from your country director. If you are a Jesuit Volunteer International (JVI) this letter of recommendation should come from the director of JVI or your country director. Finally your statement of purpose must state your willingness to pursue a post-graduate International Development Fellowship with Catholic Relief Services. Applicants for Arrupe Fellowships can not be considered for Public Service Assistantships.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the IPED office at:

International Political Economy and Development Program
Fordham University
Bronx, New York 10458
USA
(718) 817-4064
iped@fordham.edu.

(To see photos of Arrupe Fellows during their Summer Field Work Assignments visit: Summer '03, Summer '02.)

The Arrupe Fellowship honors the memory of the Very Reverend Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Father Arrupe was a Spanish Jesuit who lived through the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. He also led the Jesuit Order during the difficult years of adjustment and renewal following the Second Vatican Council. Father Arrupe had a deep love and concern for those suffering from injustice in the world. He was particularly concerned about the plight of refugees.

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