The Hotchkiss International Fellowship

The Hotchkiss International Fellowship was created in honor of a Hotchkiss alumnus through the generosity of an anonymous donor. The alumnus spent his career traveling around the globe. A year teaching in the Philippines 60 years ago after university, including the return to the U.S. through Asia, the Middle East and Europe, was a life-changing experience for the alumnus. It led to a career practicing law in Japan, a stint in international banking ,and 45 years of real estate investment and development in the Middle East, the U.S. and Southeast Asia with Saudi, Japanese and Chinese partners. It also led to extensive work over the last 30 years as a board member or trustee with numerous charitable organizations involved in health, education, and conservation work in Tibet, India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Central America.

The donor himself was initially raised in Tokyo and then spent a year traveling by VW Camper Van from Afghanistan to Amsterdam. He went on to spend ten years after university studying and working in China and across Southeast Asia with The Wall Street Journal and International Herald Tribune, a Paris-based newspaper owned by The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Fellowship Goals

Each year, The Hotchkiss International Fellowship will offer three Hotchkiss graduates (graduating seniors and recent alumni who are current undergraduates) a grant to fund 100 percent of an international gap year opportunity. Fellows will spend a year outside of their home country engaged in a project that includes, but is not limited to, service, learning, internships, cultural immersion, and adventure. 

The Hotchkiss International Fellowship is designed to support ongoing growth and education by instilling competence in goal-setting; developing independence and confidence; enhancing problem-solving skills; supporting greater cultural competency; and helping Fellows gain a deeper and more nuanced understanding of what and how they want to learn in their post-secondary studies.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be Hotchkiss graduates by the time of departure for the Fellowship year.
• Applicants must be Hotchkiss seniors on pace to graduate and in good academic standing (not on ARC); or alumni who have not completed their bachelor’s degree (within 5 years of graduation), are in good academic and disciplinary standing at their colleges or universities, and currently enrolled.
• Applicants must by 18 years old by the time they depart for their fellowship and unmarried.
• Must complete the application process and meet all deadlines in a timely fashion without exception.

Proposals

Applicants must present a plan for their year-long international fellowship. The canvas is wide open as long as there is a unifying theme for the year. Proposals may include living and working in one country for a year or traversing the globe to spend time in multiple countries. Examples of unifying themes: spending time in France, India, and Laos studying how national health care systems address the needs of indigent patients; studying the history of religious art in Jerusalem, Istanbul, and Toledo, Spain; or analyzing government policies relating to renewable energy in Australia and New Zealand.