THE FRANK WOLF-TONY HALL FELLOWS PROGRAM

2022-2023 FELLOWS COHORT

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Rana Amet
University of California, Santa Barbara
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Kareem Rifai

University of Michigan

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Leo Hojnowski

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

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Gabriel Toto

Catholic University of America

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lvanka Cheung

Stony Brook University

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Kristen Shell

Baylor University

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Krista Mcswain

University of Memphis

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Tsering Yangchen

Harvard University

THE FRANK WOLF-TONY HALL FELLOWS PROGRAM

Named for retired members of Congress Frank R. Wolf (R-VA) and Tony P. Hall (D-OH), whose willingness to work across the aisle to advance human rights while in office embodied Athenai’s commitment to bipartisanship, the Frank Wolf-Tony Hall Fellows Program brings together civically engaged undergraduate leaders from around the country to serve as the vanguard of Athenai’s nationwide campaign to educate students, policymakers, and the public about the benefits of university financial disentanglement from the CCP and its genocidal policies. The program equips students with the skills and expertise they will need to become lifelong leaders.

As part of the program, fellows work directly with Athenai’s national leadership to educate their fellow students about how universities can and must eliminate their entanglements with the Chinese Communist Party and its proxies, including investments held through their endowments, contracts with businesses, and research partnerships.

Fellows participate in biweekly seminars hosted by subject matter experts in key aspects of Athenai’s mission as part of our Agora Program. Through the Agora Program, fellows learn more about everything from human rights abuses in the People’s Republic of China to US-PRC relations, the history and culture of Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, how the CCP uses its financial influence to exert leverage over universities, and how divestment of university endowments can deprive the CCP of access to the capital that fuels its crimes against humanity.

After completing the program, fellows will become part of Athenai’s alumni network, providing regular opportunities for young leaders who share our commitment to human rights, free inquiry, and the independence of our academic institutions to network through Athenai and partner organizations as they begin their professional careers.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A FELLOW

While responsibilities and workload vary from week to week, fellows should anticipate an average of 10-20 hours of work per week. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  1. Drafting, advocating for, and passing divestment-related measures on their campuses, including student government resolutions, op-eds in student newspapers, petitions to university governing boards and advisory committees on investor responsibility (ACIRs), and student referenda.
  2. Overseeing, in conjunction with Athenai’s national leadership, the development of statewide chapters in each fellow’s region.
  3. Educating their fellow students about our values and recruiting students in their region to campaign for divestment on their own campuses.
  4. Meeting with university administrators and other key stakeholders to educate them about the importance of financial disentanglement from the CCP.
  5. Working with Athenai’s national leadership to conduct research about the nature of CCP influence on campus, and to develop individual expertise in key aspects of Athenai’s mission and related subjects.

No travel is required for this program. Fellows will receive a stipend of $5,000, paid out biweekly over the course of the program.

APPLY TO THE FELLOWSHIP

The 2022-23 Program will run from September 6, 2022, through April 28, 2023. We are accepting applications between July 26 and August 29. To submit your application, please email your resume and a cover letter to [email protected] with the subject line “Wolf-Hall Fellowship 2022-23.” Please be sure to note your state of residence and your college or university in your email. Applicants will be contacted for an interview after submitting their application. The inaugural class of Fellows will be announced during the third week of August.

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