Southern Education Leadership Initiative (SELI)

Program Type: Summer fellowship for young leaders

SELI is a summer fellowship program for college and graduate students committed to advancing education equity and social justice in the Southern United States.

Eligibility Requirements

• Age: Must be between 20 and 35 years old
• Education: Must be currently enrolled in a four-year college or graduate program
• Academic Standing: Must have completed 60 credit hours (equivalent to junior status or above in undergraduate program) or be currently enrolled in a master's, doctoral, or professional program
• GPA: No minimum GPA required
• Major: All majors accepted, but must have demonstrated interest in education equity and/or social justice
• Skills: Must have excellent interpersonal, writing, and critical thinking skills; flexibility to respond well to diverse people, settings, and tasks

Key Requirements

• Must only work on assigned projects from placement site and SEF during fellowship
• Must be willing to relocate for the summer
• Must refrain from coursework, test preparation, or other jobs/internships during summer
• Must attend Orientation and Closing Meeting
• Must be physically present at placement site for office hours and duration of program

Geographic Scope

• Southern United States focus

Contact Information

• Email: seli@southerneducation.org
• Contact for Extension Requests: Dr. Amber C. Davis, adavis@southerneducation.org

Summer Timeline

• Application process and specific dates available on website

Note: Applications for 2026 cohort are now closed as of document date (2026-04-03)

Application Process

1. Complete Online Application
- Submit through online application portal
- Include the following materials:

2. Required Materials
- Resume: Include education, employment/internships, community service, honors, awards & achievements
- Transcript: All college or university transcripts (unofficial or official copies accepted). Cannot access web-based portals; must be electronically attached
- Short Essay Response: Written response of no more than 3 pages (single-spaced) addressing:
- What is special, unique, or nuanced about education in the South?
- Define equity/inequity and identify a particular disparity within Southern education that needs solving
- What education policy or practice would you propose to mitigate the identified disparity?
- What are your career goals and how will SELI participation help you achieve them? (Roughly 150 words each)
- Recommendation Forms: 1-2 recommendation forms from professional references (past supervisor, professor, mentor, advisor)

3. Submission Instructions
- Submit all application materials through online application portal
- Share recommendation form link directly with recommenders
- All recommendations must be submitted before deadline to complete application
- SEF staff will email confirmation when application is complete

4. Next Steps
- Successful applicants receive instructions to schedule phone interview
- Selection based on education advocacy-related campus involvement, community service, and quality of application materials

Deadline Extensions

• May be granted on case-by-case basis
• Contact Dr. Amber C. Davis at adavis@southerneducation.org to request

Questions

• Email seli@southerneducation.org (note: submitting questions will not impact acceptance)