WHAT IS AYLF?
AYLF is built on the Aspen fellowship model but adapted to a 5-year, hyper-local, whole systems approach designed for youth 18 – 22 from low-income and working-class backgrounds. We spend 5 years with each fellow and the full family unit to engage in leadership development, career readiness, and civic impact while providing wrap-around support services (from housing scarcity and legal aid to academic advocacy and parental upskilling) to drive degree completion, job placement, and family well-being (see short video summary).
The program is locally delivered through community stakeholders, and our focus in Chicago is on youth interested in STEM fields. Compositionally, our program is 97% youth of color, 24% of participants report learning differences, and 95% of fellows are from the lowest quartile of the socio-economic ladder. I’m proud to share that we invest about $20k per family and have a 95% 5-year college completion rate and 96% job placement rate. We also see impressive percentile gains in social innovation, leadership development, and career readiness competencies that are durable over time and context.
The Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship identifies, cultivates, and amplifies future generations of talent to engage in the values-based leadership essentials for transforming their lives and society for the better. AYLF is a place-based, multi-site program at The Aspen Institute that nurtures cohorts of diverse youth to: (1) support degree completion; (2) prepare for workforce success; and (3) address the most compelling social, political, and scientific issues facing their communities.
The AYLF Fellowship includes:
- Monthly leadership training seminars
- A paid internship designed to launch a community change initiative
- Sister City Civic Action Trip and National Retreat that bring all cohorts from different locations together
- Access to high-profile leaders locally and nationally
- 4-years of targeted support for Fellows and their families following the 1-year Fellowship program
- Lifetime connection to the Aspen Institute’s network of contacts and opportunities
AYLF Fellows also have access to a powerful support system that provides:
- College and career coaching
- On-demand academic tutoring
- Crisis support to remove barriers to success
- Seed funding for Fellows’ initiatives
The eligibility criteria for AYLF Fellows are:
- At least 18 years old and no more than 22 years old by March 19, 2022
- From the Chicago area, still living in the area or within a few hours’ drive
Please click here to access and complete your application. The submission for applications is Thursday, March 17th by 11:59 pm however we suggest you apply early because the process will close once the cohort is filled. We look forward to receiving your application.
Current Leaders at AYLF
Jennyfer Rodriguez
Stephone Mitchell
Lorne Hubert
Melvin Olive