Graduating college seniors from across the United States
FoundationJoin the list Fellowship
Start with work that matters.
The Arden Clark Fellowship is being designed as a paid year for graduating college seniors to do consequential work inside a community organization—with experienced people in their corner.
Join the candidate list ↗Fellowship overview
A paid, full-time role plus one defined capacity-building project
Mission-driven host organizations across the country
A planned 12-month first cohort beginning in 2027
To launch a leader and leave a community organization stronger
The experience
A real job. A real project. A year built to count.
Fellows will contribute to the daily work of a mission-driven organization and own one strategic project designed to increase its capacity—such as launching a program, improving measurement, building a partnership system, or strengthening operations.
The host provides the work and close supervision. The Foundation provides the cohort, learning, and program support. Experienced Arden Clark operators and volunteer mentors help fellows build judgment while the work is happening.
What fellows get
Everything should make the work more useful.
Paid work
A full-time salary and benefits package published with each placement before applications open.
Real responsibility
A day-to-day role and a clearly scoped project that matters to the host organization.
Four layers of support
A host supervisor, Foundation program lead, senior operator mentor, and close peer cohort.
Practical learning
Monthly labs on strategy, communication, finance, project delivery, and working with communities.
A national network
Relationships with fellows, alumni, community leaders, and experienced operators across sectors.
A strong next step
Career coaching, a public body of work where appropriate, and an intentional handoff into what comes next.
Compensation, benefits, location, work model, employer of record, and relocation expectations will be stated on every role before anyone applies. We will not ask candidates to guess.
Who can apply
Open nationally. Selected for potential.
The founding cohort will be open to graduating seniors from accredited four-year colleges and universities across the country. No school nomination, preferred major, or prior connection to Arden Clark is planned.
- 1
Complete a bachelor’s degree before the fellowship begins
- 2
Be authorized to work full-time in the United States for the full program year
- 3
Be available for a 12-month, full-time placement beginning in summer 2027
- 4
Be willing to relocate if the selected host role requires it
- 5
Show a record of service, initiative, follow-through, or leadership
- 6
Bring humility, sound judgment, strong communication, and a readiness to learn
How selection works
Clear before clever.
We plan to look for evidence of five things:
- Purpose grounded in service, not prestige
- Follow-through when the path is unclear
- Curiosity and respect for people closest to the work
- Strong thinking, writing, and communication
- Readiness to own a real result and learn in public
A preview of every application question and the scoring criteria will be published before the application opens.
Planned first-cohort timing
One calendar. One source of truth.
Now
Join the candidate list
Get the final role, pay, placement, and application details first.
Fall 2026
Applications
A central application is planned to open in September and close in November.
Winter 2026–27
Selection
Structured interviews and a practical group exercise.
Spring 2027
Matching
Mutual interviews with specific host organizations and written offers.
Summer 2027
Cohort begins
Orientation, host onboarding, and the first year of service.
These are planning windows, not application deadlines. Final dates will be posted here at least 60 days before applications open.
Candidate interest list
Be first to know.
Join now and we'll share confirmed roles, compensation, dates, and application materials as soon as they are ready.
Straight answers
What is decided—and what is still being built.
Is the application open?
No. The first cohort is in development. The interest list is open now.
Is the fellowship paid?
That is the design. Exact salary and benefits will be published with each host role before applications open.
Can any graduating senior apply?
The plan is a national application open across majors and colleges, subject to the work-authorization and start-date requirements above.
Will roles be remote?
Some may be. Each role will state its city, work model, relocation expectation, supervisor, and project.
Can graduate students apply?
The founding cohort is being designed for graduating undergraduates. Future cohorts may expand.
What if I am not sure I fit?
Join the list. The final eligibility check and application preview will make that decision simple.