Engaged Athlete Fellowship

In partnership with the Bridge Alliance Education Fund

MEET THE 2023-2024 FELLOWSHIP CLASS

The Engaged Athlete Fellowship empowers a diverse class of 28 motivated student athletes to strengthen nonpartisan civic participation on their teams, their campuses, and their broader communities. From August 2023- June 2024, this selected cohort of Engaged Student Athletes Fellows works closely with esteemed mentors, established coaches, professional athletes, and The Team to execute a year-long community service project of their own creation.  Through the program and projects, these athletes will harness the power of athletics to build great teammates, engaged citizens, and committed community members.


The Engaged Athlete Fellowship

focuses on the following three elements:


  • Leadership and professional development curriculum developed by esteemed professors, coaches, professional athletes, and civic leaders.
  • A $4,000 annual stipend, along with a $2,000 stipend for a personalized civic engagement or service project on campus or in their community
  • Multi-day sponsored experience in Washington, DC to meet other fellows, participate in workshops, network with sports/business/civic leaders, and present their project work from the year.

Fellows are expected to:

  • Create and execute a year-long project connecting civic engagement and athletics working closely with their assigned Fellowship Advisor
  • Join three virtual meetings per semester with the entire fellowship cohort, including a professional development series
  • Participate in an All Vote No Play Day event on their respective campus
  • Attend a year-end multi-day sponsored experience in Washington, DC to meet other fellows, participate in workshops, network with sports/business/civic leaders, and present their project work from the year

The first cohort will operate from August 2023- June 2024

  • Each athlete will receive a $4,000 stipend for the academic year to participate in the fellowship program
  • Fellows will apply for a 2,000 project stipend to execute their own year-long civic project
  • Fellows will attend a year-end multi-day sponsored experience in Washington, DC with other student athletes in the program

The application has closed for the 2023-2024 Fellowship Cohort.

Please reach out to us at info@theteam.org with any questions.

As part of the program, Fellows will be expected to complete a year-long project connecting civic engagement and sports. We encourage our athletes to dream big!


Examples of past student athlete led civic projects include:


  • Sam Beskind, a basketball player from the Colorado School of Mines, planned and executed a student athlete-led zoom call with nearly 2,000 participants where he invited speakers Stephen Curry and Condoleezza Rice.

  • Athletes from St. Francis University organized a civic team conversation and watch party surrounding our Fall Webinar, and followed it up with multiple voter registration drives on the quad with their team mascot.

  • Stanford University has an annual “Democracy Day” where athletes, coaches, and administrators gather on Election Day to celebrate with food, music, service work, and hearing from inspiring civic speakers.

  • You must be a student athlete (college student or graduate student) with play eligibility for the entire academic year. (Please reach out to ask about exceptions)
  • You must commit to stay strictly nonpartisan in all communication in relation to The Team.

This position is ideal for someone who is excited about civic engagement and how athletic involvement in civic work is important for the future of our democracy.


We welcome applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experience levels. We’re looking for someone who is:


  • Interested in the intersection between civic education and athletics. This interest could be demonstrated through academic coursework, work or internship experience, volunteer work, or other lived experiences.
  • Eager to take on leadership roles on their team, their campus, and their community.
  • Passionate about the mission and vision of The Team.
  • Looking to build community across schools, sports, and conferences.
  • Excited to build new leadership skills through an applied, integrated program that builds on the positive attributes of being a student athlete.

Applications have closed for the 2023-2024 Fellowship Cohort. Please fill out the interest form below to be notified when applications open for the 2024-2025 cohort.


If you have any questions, please email info@theteam.org. Learn more about our story at theteam.org/our-story


MEET THE FELLOWS

ANNA ECONOMON

University of Houston

Women's Golf

Class of 2024

View Anna's project

BROOKE HUDSON

Florida A&M University

Women's Volleyball

Class of 2024

View Brooke's project

CALEB KENNEY

College of the Holy Cross

Men's Basketball

Class of 2025

View Caleb's project

CHARLEE ARTHUR

Engaged Athlete

Women's Basketball

Class of 2026

View Charlee's project

ELISE BYUN

UC Berkeley

Women's Gymnastics

Class of 2024

View Elise's project

DESTINY NDAM-SIMPSON

Creighton University

Women's Volleyball

Class of 2027

View Destiny's project

EMILY GAVEN

Vanderbilt University

Women's Lacrosse

Class of 2024

View Emily's project

EVAN NELSON

Harvard University

Men's Basketball

Class of 2025

View Evan's project

GRIFFIN WALBRIDGE

Brandeis University

Men's Basketball

Class of 2025

View Griffin's project

INEZ JOHNSON

Bates College

Track & Field

Class of 2025

View Inez's project

JOSUE GIL-SILVA

Stanford University

Men's Basketball

Class of 2023

View Josue's project

ISAIAH TAYLOR

Clark University

Men's Basketball

Class of 2025

View Isaiah's project

KANSAS ROBINSON

Northwestern University

Women's Softball

Class of 2026

View Kansas's project

KAIRA BROWN

Georgetown University

Track & Field

Class of 2025

View Kaira's project

KATELYN PARHAM

Vanderbilt University

Sport & Society Intern

Class of 2024

View Katey's project

KAYLIE SIPPEL

University of St. Francis (IL)

Women's Volleyball

Class of 2024

View Kaylie's project

KELLY GRACE RICHARDSON

Georgetown University

Men's Rowing Coxswain

Class of 2025

View Kelly Grace's project

LILY O'DONOGHUE MCDONALD

Harvard University

Track & Field, Cross Country

Class of 2026

View Lily's project

MIAH REYES

Salem State University

Women's Tennis

Class of 2024

View Miah's project

MIKAYLA PAQUETTE

Tufts University

Women's Basketball

Class of 2025

View Mikayla's project

SAMI OSMANI

Creighton University

Men's Basketball

Class of 2025

View Sami's project

SCOTTY MCKENZIE

Lipscomb University

Track & Field

Class of 2024

View Scotty's project

SPENCER BAIRD

University of St. Francis (IL)
Men's Basketball

Class of 2026

View Spencer's project

TAJI JOHNSON

University at Buffalo

Football

Class of 2023

View Taji's project

TY BERRY

Northwestern University

Men's Basketball

Class of 2024

View Ty's project

Are you a student athlete that is interested in becoming a fellow? Fill out this form and we will send you a notification when our application becomes live. 

Interest Form


FELLOW PROJECTS


Elise planned and moderated an event featuring the CEO of RISE, Diahann Billings-Burford who is most known for her advancements in race relationships in collegiate sports.  The event was attended by over 75 Cal student athletes who were provided food and drink for their participation.

ELISE BYUN

CAL BEREKLEY

At Creighton, Sami has planned a series of civic engagement table talks that are underway!  Sami’s events focus on registering students to vote and helping them understand the importance of exercising your right to vote.

sami osmani

Creighton

In an effort to fight local youth food insecurity in Worcester, MA, Caleb is administering a several month long food drive at Holy Cross sporting events and on campus more broadly.  Caleb will drop off meals and bags of food weekly to local elementary schools.

caleb kenney

holy cross

Emily has started a community service competition across Vanderbilt athletics.  Her initiative is being run through the Helper Helper app on which Vanderbilt athletes can log their volunteer hours.  The most engaged athletes will be recognized at a spring awards ceremony!

EMily GAven

Vanderbilt

Josue moderated and planned a student-athlete civic engagement panel at Stanford’s annual Democracy Day event.  As event goers enjoyed food and drink provided by The Team, keynote speaker Andrew Luck delivered words on his experience being an engaged athlete at the highest level.

Josue Gil-Silva

Stanford

Katey’s project, “athlete day on the hill,” gives athletes the opportunity to visit local lawmakers and advocate for a cause about which they are passionate.  Leading up to athlete day on the hill are a series of educational meetings which are underway to prepare the athletes for their conversations.

katey parham

vanderbilt

"The most powerful thing we can do is lead by example. When I spoke at City Hall and got introduced as the Penn Volleyball Captain, I could see how excited the young girls in the front row were. To have the opportunity to speak about why I care about civic engagement, which is for them, and to see their faces in the audience having that positive of a reaction, was really powerful."

Elizabeth Ford

Penn Volleyball Captain,

Fellowship Coordinator, The Team

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