News

Lehigh’s Fellowship Advising services, which helps students identify and pursue nationally and internationally competitive scholarships and fellowships, will become part of the Lee Iacocca Institute for Global Leadership effective Sept. 1.

The integration brings together two areas of the university with complementary missions focused on helping students pursue transformative opportunities and develop as leaders.

“This transition will not change fellowship advising at Lehigh or its commitment to supporting Lehigh students,” said Leah Mason, Executive Director of the Lee Iacocca Institute. “Students will continue to receive the same individualized advising and have access to the same fellowship opportunities and resources.”

Elena Reiss, Associate Director of Fellowship Advising and Jennifer Marangos, Assistant Director of Fellowship Advising will continue working with students, and existing advising relationships, fellowship opportunities, application processes and internal nomination procedures will remain in place. Fellowship advising resources and intake materials will also remain accessible throughout the transition.

“Fellowships can be transformative experiences in a student’s development as a scholar and a leader, making Fellowship Advising a natural fit within the Lee Iacocca Institute for Global Leadership,” said Cheryl Matherly, Vice President and Vice Provost for International Affairs.

“Bringing these areas together will help us create stronger connections between the experiences students have at Lehigh and the opportunities they pursue next,” Matherly said.

The integration reflects a natural alignment between OFA and the Lee Iacocca Institute’s work in leadership development, experiential learning and global engagement. The institute prepares current and future leaders to take on complex, multi-system, global challenges through applied research, dialogues with subject-matter experts, and experiential learning programs.

“Competitive fellowships are more than recognition of students’ past accomplishments,” Mason said. “They can provide opportunities to deepen their knowledge, expand their perspectives, serve communities and pursue meaningful academic, professional and public-service goals.”

OFA will also remain a university-wide resource serving students across all colleges, disciplines and areas of interest. Students do not need to participate in a Lee Iacocca Institute for Global Leadership program or pursue an internationally focused fellowship to receive advising.

Mason said the integration also creates opportunities to connect students more intentionally with fellowships as they progress through their Lehigh experience.

Academic study, research, international experiences, service and experiential learning can help students develop interests and aspirations that lead to future opportunities. Greater coordination can help identify those connections earlier and support students as they learn to articulate and build upon their experiences in competitive fellowship applications.

The integration represents another step in the continued evolution of the Lee Iacocca Institute for Global Leadership as a university-wide platform connecting leadership education, experiential learning and opportunities for continued student development.

Throughout the transition, students, faculty and staff will continue to have access to Fellowship Advising resources and information through the Global Lehigh website.

A total of $2.5 million have been awarded through OFA’s efforts since 2016, and 250 Lehigh students, faculty, and alumni have won nationally-competitive scholarships since spring 2017.

Bill Hunter, whose leadership guided the success of Fellowship Advising at Lehigh during this time, will step into Lehigh University’s newly established Director, Lehigh University/United Nations (LU/UN) Partnership role.