The Community Development Fellowship Program—housed in the Schaefer Center for Public Policy—gives dynamic, motivated students who have a strong interest in effecting positive change in urban areas the opportunity to strengthen their leadership skills and gain hands-on development experience. By matching students with organizations that directly support Baltimore neighborhoods, this grant-funded fellowship program aims to improve the city while cultivating the next generation of community development leaders.
Community Development Fellowships provide students with the chance to apply what they learn in class to benefit communities. You can help us make a big impact in our neighborhoods and create a new generation of Baltimore community development leaders with your support. DONATE NOW
Fellows are matched with a community-based organization in the city, such as the Baltimore Main Streets program or a public-private partnership dedicated to economic or community-development work. Specific projects are determined by the host sites based on organizational needs but may include community outreach, special events and other daily work that aligns with fellows’ abilities and goals. Fellows work anywhere from 10 to 20 hours per week and earn $15.00 per hour. Fellowships are awarded on a semester basis and are 15 weeks in length.
Upon approval of their academic program director, fellows may be able to earn course credit for the semester-long internship.
Eligible students:
Community Development Fellowship Program student applications are accepted online.
Students are required to upload the following documents in their application:
Community Development Fellowship Program host site applications are accepted online.
Host sites are required to provide the following information as part of their application:
If you have questions or need additional information, please email the Community Development Fellows Program Coordinator at cdf@ubalt.edu.
“We have incredible students that want to be leaders in their communities and you
all needed capacity, needed workers. So I came up with this idea,” Roger Hartley told
the group. “This is a program that’s specifically focused on Baltimore, that is rooted
to the neighborhoods and is trying to impact those neighborhoods.”
Students have to apply and go through an interview process that helps match the student
with a community-based organization in the city, such as the Baltimore Main Streets
program or a public-private partnership dedicated to economic or community-development
work.
Kaleena Weathers, an MPA student at UBalt, is working with Sisters Saving the City as part of the Community Development Fellowship Program. The group aims to empower youth living in the Baltimore’s Park Heights neighborhood.
Working with the children and staff has been the most fulfilling part of the fellowship for Kaleena.
“I wanted to work with Sisters Saving the City because they work with children and align with the mission of my own of bettering a community and providing resources for the people of that community,” she says.
The fellowship opportunity has also helped Kaleena apply what she’s learning in her classes in a practical way. For example, she’s gone from learning about grant writing to actually writing grants that can make a real impact for the group.
“I’m looking forward to SSTC receiving possible funds from a grant I wrote for them,” she says.
She has continued to apply for grants and has started researching fundraising opportunities and working on building a website for the group while working from home.
Daniel Khoshkepazi learned about the Community Development Fellowship Program from a brochure.
Daniel, an M.A. in Global Affairs and Human Security student, was working the front desk for the Rosenberg Center for Student Involvement as part of his graduate student assistantship, when Tiffany Green, the fellowship coordinator, dropped off the brochures to help with recruitment.
Quotes from a previous fellow, Denisha Hobbs, and Kim Lane, the executive director of Pigtown Main Street that she worked with caught his interest. He wanted to apply, but wasn’t sure if he could find the time between class and his assistantship.
Then the application deadline was extended and Daniel took it as a sign. He applied, expressed interest in working with Pigtown and ultimately got his wish.
“My favorite part so far has been working with my director Kim and my coworker, Frieda [Ulman]. They're amazing. I feel like I have never been able to build this close and a personal relationship with coworkers who are higher up,” Daniel says. “Since the first day, they've done everything they can to include me in every part of the operations that are present in Pigtown Main Street.”
Through the fellowship, Daniel participates in various committee meetings and gets to offer input when decisions are made for upcoming events, such as offering ideas for giveaways.
It doesn’t feel like a typical internship, he says.
“I 100 percent feel like a staff member. I don't feel like an ounce less,” Daniel says.
Currently, as he participates in his fellowship remotely, he is helping with social media outreach and work on Pigtown’s website.
Mohammad Adeel Abbas came to UBalt with an extensive resume. He has almost seven years of experience working in the forensics field in Pakistan. He also has two college degrees, a bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering from Pakistan and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida, and is working toward another, an MBA, now at UBalt.
When Mohammad applied to be part of UBalt’s Community Development Fellowship Program, he was looking to build upon his past experiences in community development. His job in Pakistan gave him a chance to engage with underprivileged populations, ensure their needs were met and justice was served for them.
“The Community Development Fellowship was a perfect opportunity to utilize my prior professional experience to bring a positive change in the Baltimore areas,” he says.
Through the Fellowship, Mohammad is working with Waverly Main Street, a non-profit group dedicated to creating a thriving commercial district in the Baltimore neighborhood of Waverly. He was impressed from the start with Matt Smith, the group’s executive director, and quickly became motivated to do what he could to bring some positive change to the area.
Mohammad has been connecting with state and city officials to advance a streetscaping project on Greenmount Avenue, have trees planted and organize an area trash cleanup. He has also helped with efforts to prepare the community for the Census.
Some of his projects were sidelined because of closures related to Covid-19 pandemic, but he has continued to work with Waverly Main Street from home about 15 hours per week.
Even with the unexpected shift to working remotely, Mohammad has been happy to be part of the fellowship program.
“Coming from a foreign country, Pakistan, this fellowship provided me the opportunity to engage with different communities of Baltimore,” says Mohammad. “It has provided me the confidence and skills of how to approach people in the U.S. and get their problems addressed. Since I am pursuing an MBA degree which requires high management skills, this fellowship will go a long way in providing me the necessary skills in management, pressure-handling and communication which hopefully leads to a successful career.”
Hiba Jamil, B.S. '19
Host Site: Hamilton-Lauraville Healthy Neighborhoods Association
"Working with the Hamilton-Lauraville Healthy Neighborhoods Association has shown me the significance of community and civic engagement. I've been helping to establish block projects, which has taught me how to get the neighbors involved in the community in a positive and effective way."
Jordan Barry, M.P.A. '16
Host Site: Belair-Edison Neighborhoods
"Working alongside individuals committed to the health and wellness of Baltimore's working class has been an invigorating experience. Additionally, I've been able to improve my grant-writing skills, which is an essential skill for prospective public administrators."
