The Rawlings Undergraduate Leadership Fellows Program honors the legacy of Howard Peters “Pete” Rawlings, who was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates representing the 40th district for more than two decades. A tireless advocate for those often unheard and underrepresented, the Rawlings Program provides you the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Delegate Rawlings and develop as a champion for those marginalized in leadership and decision-making processes.
Working with faculty, alumni and local leaders, Rawlings Fellows will develop skills and resources needed to take on leadership roles during the program and beyond in fellows’ future careers. Fellows will also grow to understand the importance of cultural pluralism and advocacy for voices too often unheard or underrepresented. The program offers opportunities for mentorship, professional development events, potential engagements with local and state leaders and hands-on experiences working in the community. These program components help Rawlings Fellows realize their commitment to public service and further develop critical leadership skills.
The Rawlings Fellows Program is a year-long experience where students develop their entrepreneurial spirit by designing a model of their own nonprofit, called the Community Action Project (CAP). In the fall semester, students take a leadership development seminar (PLCY 388N) titled “Advancing Justice through Leadership and Social Change.” During the spring semester, Rawlings Fellows, in groups of 2-4 students, then implement and execute the CAP project they designed during the fall semester.
If you have a least two semesters remaining at the University and a commitment to public leadership, apply now for the Rawlings Program.
