Changemaker Fellowship

Changemaker Fellowship
group of people standing and talking together

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Pre-accepted into two of our distinguished internship programs

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Matched with a peer mentor

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Build your UNH community and professional networks

What is the Changemaker Fellowship?

The UNH Changemaker Fellowship is a program tailored to first-year students who are interested in sustainability and want to start their college careers by connecting with other students who care about sustainability.Not sure exactly what sustainability means, but curious? That’s ok too! At UNH we define sustainability as “the collective commitment to human dignity for all people and ecological integrity in all places.” No matter your major, you can have an impact and be part of this program! You’ll gain valuable leadership skills through community service, build a supportive network of like-minded peers, and get the tools and confidence you need to make your ideas a reality.

Open to ALL first-year students, regardless of major!
First-Year Student Program

Applying to UNH and have questions?
EmailKelsey Farrell with subject line: Changemaker Fellowship

Fall 2025 Application Opens Soon!

FAQs

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As a Fellow, you'll:

  1. Be paired with a Changemaker Coach:Coaches are UNH students with real-world experience in the program, who will provide both individual and group mentorship to help you navigate the college environment and prioritize your involvement.
  2. Connect with the full Changemaker Fellow cohort and make a difference in the community:Each month you'llparticipate in workshops and training sessions to develop essential personal, professional, and leadership skills. As acohort (all Coaches and Fellows), you'll also collectivelyplan and participate in a community service event each semester.
  3. Take action and build connections and skills: Each semester, choose three activities (one educational, one networking, one social) tomeet like-minded peers and a diverse community to expand your network and build skills.
  4. Receive community-based communications: As part of the sustainability community, you'll receive a weekly email, curated by students, for students,with all kinds of opportunities on campus and beyond - from events and volunteering to internships and other skill-building opportunities.
  5. Be pre-acceptedinto two of our distinguished internship programs:
    1. Semester in the City, aBoston-based, full-time internship program where you earn 16 UNH credits, have a dedicated mentor, pay the same cost as a semester on campus (no extra fees!)and receive an approximately $2000 AmeriCorps education award upon completion (plus have access to the broad AmeriCorps network).
    2. Semester for Impact, same great benefits of the Semester in the City program, but stay in your current NHhousing on campus, or off!

You'll be matched with a Changemaker Coach, who will have a small group of 3-5 Fellows that they mentor throughout the year. This group will be your Coach pod and is designed to give you built-in peers with common interests. You'll meet one on one with your Coach twice each semester to talk about opportunities to get involved, set and evaluate your goals, and help you navigate college life. And they're always available between meetings for questions or concerns, too. Then, each month you'll meet with your Coach and the other Fellows in your pod to connect and talk about how things are going, what you're learning, what things you're finding helpful and fun, and more!

Making Connections & Building a Network

"It has opened so many doors for me, and it has let me meet a lot of people. My network has expanded probably four or five times what it would have without being in the Changemaker Fellowship."
- Natalie Young '25, Equine Studies and Sustainability dual major

Leadership & Experiences

"The Fellowship has really supported my leadershipabilities and has really supported thetrajectory of the different experiences I'vehad within my major."
- Amy Overhulser '24, Human Development and Family Studies major

Career Exploration & Resources

"It hashelped me exploredifferent pieces of sustainable work, like renewable energy policy andthat type of work, and figure out wheremy interests and my career goals fit.I think a lot ofpeople don't realize how manyresources there are thatget you involved through theFellowship, which is wonderful."
- Kai Parlett '24, Women’s and Gender Studies major

Broader Understanding of Sustainability

"The Fellowship has done a great job ingiving me a holistic understanding ofthe sustainability field. We've been ableto partake in a wide variety ofactivities centered aroundsustainability which has allowed me toexplore fields I didn't even know I wasinterested in or that I didn't even knowexisted."
- Brett Schultz '25,Business Administration and Sustainability dual major

The Fall 2025 Changemaker Fellowship Application Opens Soon!

Once you've applied and been accepted to UNH, you'll receive an email from UNH Admissions inviting you to apply to the Fellowship; be sure to check your junk folder if you don't see it. We also post the link to it here during its open period.