Applications for Cohort 2 of the Fellowship for Leaders in HEP now open!

Rockwood Leadership Institute, in partnership with Ascendium, is excited to announce that applications for the second cohort of the Fellowship for Leaders in Higher Education in Prison are now open! Full tuition and accommodations will be covered by Rockwood and fellows will receive a $5,000 stipend for completing the fellowship, along with $4,000 in training-related expense reimbursements.

For all the details, including the Fellowship programming and timeline, purpose, goals, and more, see our Applicant Program Information & FAQ.

Who can apply? 
This Fellowship is for formerly incarcerated leaders working in the Higher Ed in Prison field. Leaders at non-profit organizations, Universities and colleges, government agencies, foundations, state coalitions, etc. are all welcome to apply.

This training is limited to 24 participants who:

• Are formerly incarcerated leaders or decision makers in the Higher Education in Prison field, preferably those with Higher Education programming experience while incarcerated;
• Demonstrate personal/professional readiness to step out of their comfort zone and learn new leadership skills;
• Contribute to creating a cohort that is diverse in terms of demographics (such as race, gender identity, and sexual orientation), geography, lived experiences, and organizational strategy;
• Commit to full participation in the year-long fellowship, including three in-person retreats, completing any required pre-session work and post-session evaluations.

When are the in-person sessions? 

• Session 1: September 22-26, 2025, Wisconsin
• Session 2: December 1-5, 2025, California
• Session 3: March 16-20, 2026, New York
  Fellows must be able to attend all three in-person sessions in order to participate.

Additional Program Offerings

• Virtual orientation prior to Session 1.
• Two virtual Community Calls will support participants’ relationship building and learning outside of the structured training session time.
• Two virtual Webinars will support participants in learning concrete skills.
• Individual professional coaching. Each participant will have access to up to four free coaching sessions ​​with a Rockwood trainer during the program.

Applications will close May 16 and select applicants will be invited to interview in May and June.  

Questions? Email Andrea at andrea@rockwoodleadership.org