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The Levitt Center supports students, faculty, and staff who aspire to understand and address pressing local, national, and international challenges.

These persistent and complicated challenges require a deep understanding of the issues, specialized and interdisciplinary knowledge, wide-ranging skill sets, and sophisticated leadership capacities. The Levitt Center’s programs recognize this complexity and encourage students to deepen their knowledge and hone their skills to better understand and tackle these difficult challenges. The programs listed below are open to students from every department and class year. 

Please note, that the Center has significantly changed many programs due to COVID-19. More information can be found on each program page below. 

Public Scholarship Programs

The Levitt Research Fellows Program is open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors who wish to spend the summer researching a public affairs question of their own choosing. Summer Research Fellows collaborate closely with a faculty advisor, work on a full-time basis for 10 weeks, submit a 25-page paper or equivalent faculty-approved project, and publicly present their work at the end of July. Outstanding research may be nominated by faculty for the Levitt Summer Research Showcase during Parents Weekend in the Fall. Learn More ...

The Levitt Center Speaker Series and Lunch Discussions features many speakers with substantial academic and policy experience, and is an invaluable asset in helping students makes the connection between the classroom and policies enacted in the real world.

Formally started in 2020-21, The Justice Lab Program seeks to pair the theoretical study of the legal system with the practical application of these concepts to dynamic, real world issues. Learn More

Transformational Leadership Programs

The LLI is a one to two-week intensive leadership training program promoting transformational leadership practices and social action. LLI’s mission is to help students recognize, develop and practice the kinds of leadership skills that are essential for creating personal and societal change. Applications for LLI are open in the fall. Learn More ...

Engaged Citizenship Programs

Hamilton College is a member of the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty affording Hamilton students the opportunity to apply for high quality summer internships around the country in anti-poverty organizations. Housing, travel and food expenses are covered. Eligible participants may also apply for an $1250 educational award. Applications are available during the fall term.

The Levitt Center also supports Electoral Politics Interns who work on local or national election campaigns while registered for specific Government Department courses. 

The Levitt Center Community Impact Summer Fellowship Program is an 8 week, 35 hour per week paid commitment taking place in the summer during the months of June and July. Fellows take the lead on project-based assignments in collaboration with community-based organizations, Hamilton faculty members, faculty from other institutions, and/or Levitt Center staff to address complex social and public policy questions taking place locally (Utica and surrounding area). Fellows also participate in a reading, reflection, and discussion group connecting the theory and practice of change, and the role of higher education in community engagement. Fellows are housed on campus at Hamilton and work onsite in the community and on campus, depending on the project. Fellows are paid positions open to all rising Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.

Social Innovation Programs

The Social Innovation Fellows Program prepares and supports students who aim to use innovative approaches to address persistent social problems. The program begins with a multipart workshop during the spring semester facilitated by Anke Wessels and modeled after an award-winning course she teaches at Cornell University. Students who complete the workshop series become eligible to apply for microgrants for field studies and submit proposals for additional funding and mentoring support.

The Center also organizes social innovation workshops and periodically provides support for social innovation conferences, and brings in social innovators and entrepreneurs to help students develop ideas and projects that seek to address a long-standing social problem in innovative and creative ways.

Fellowships, Internships & Funding

Make a selection above to view the results.

Internship and Research Funding

  • Kirkland Summer Associates

    The Kirkland Endowment sponsors up to four students in its program of Summer Associates to do ten weeks of full-time work on a research or creative project of their own design

  • Levitt Summer Research Fellows

    The Levitt Research Fellows Program is open to Hamilton students who wish to spend the summer researching a public affairs question of their own choosing

  • Emerson Grant Foundation

    Emerson Foundation Grant program is designed to provide students with significant opportunities to work collaboratively with faculty members, researching an area of interest

  • Diversity and Social Justice Project Program

    Three grants are available to support Hamilton students with demonstrated financial need who wish to engage in unpaid, socially useful work

  • Levitt Summer Research Group Grants

    Levitt Research Group Grants support groups of students completing summer research projects under the supervision of at least one faculty adviser. The grants are intended to encourage faculty and student publications.

  • Career Center Summer Internship Funding

    Funding is available to cover cost-of-living expenses for students who obtain unpaid or minimally paid summer internships

  • Levitt Public Service Internship Funding

    Levitt Public Service Internship Awards provide funding for students who have secured an unpaid or minimally paid summer internship that focuses on some aspect of public service.

  • The Class of 1979 Student Travel Award

    Email tlsteven@hamilton.edu for more information.

Contact

Office / Department Name

Levitt Center

Contact Name

Levitt Center

Office Location
Kirner-Johnson 251

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