How to Apply

Candidates for the Catherine B. Reynolds Foundation Fellowship must submit a fellowship application to the Committee on General Scholarships at Harvard University. The application requires the following materials:

• A completed and signed Fellowship Application Form.
• Curriculum vitae or resume.
• Statement of Purpose: Successful candidates for a Reynolds Foundation Fellowship should have:
  1. a demonstrated track record of success in creatively mobilizing constituencies to address social problems, and
  2. facility with using at least some of the following management tools in the service of building sustainable and scalable solutions to social problems: strategic planning, business modeling, market segmentation, financial analysis, and human resources management.
  Utilizing the two descriptions of a successful candidate above, please articulate the basis for your interest in the Reynolds Foundation Fellowship and provide concrete examples of how you, through your past experiences, have been able to make a concrete impact on societies you have served. The typed Statement of Purpose should include your name on each page and the your signature at the end of the document. The statement should not exceed 1,000 words.
• Letter of Recommendation: One letter of recommendation is required to support the application. The letter of recommendation should specifically reference the candidate’s potential as a social entrepreneur and provide concrete examples of that potential. The most effective letter will come from a recommender who has had success in this arena.

The signed, original letter should be submitted on letterhead and in a sealed envelope with the recommender’s signature signed across the back flap. The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application if possible. However, it may be mailed directly by the recommender to the Committee on General Scholarships office by the deadline if necessary. It should be addressed to the Reynolds Foundation Fellows Program, c/o Harvard University Committee on General Scholarships, 1430 Massachusetts Avenue, 6th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138. Please do not submit more than one letter of reference. The selection committee will review only one letter.

Application forms are also available at the Harvard Committee on General Scholarships, 1430 Massachusetts Avenue, 6th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138. Applications may be requested by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The fellowship application is separate from the candidate’s application for admission to the Graduate School of Education, the Harvard Kennedy School, or the School of Public Health. Applications for admission must be submitted to the appropriate school according to the deadlines established at that school. There are two exceptions. Applicants applying to the:

• Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) or
• Harvard Kennedy School (HKS)

Interviews

Finalists for the Catherine B. Reynolds Fellowship MAY be required to come to Harvard for an interview with members of the Reynolds Fellowship Selection Committee. In general, international applicants are not interviewed on campus. The interviews would take place in March 2009.

Submitting the Fellowship Application

Fellowship applications may be submitted through the mail or in person to:

Applications will not be accepted by facsimile or email. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The application package, including all supplemental materials, should be mailed together and sent complete in one package. The letter of recommendation should be submitted with the application if possible. However, it may be mailed directly to the Committee on General Scholarships office by the deadline if necessary.

Note: Please do not staple, paper clip, or bind the application materials in any way. Additional materials not requested as part of the application materials (newspaper clippings, photos, portfolios, etc.) will not be reviewed.

You will receive an email confirming receipt of your application once it has been processed, usually within two weeks after the deadline. Inquiries about receipt of application materials should be made by email to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .