Fellowship Projects

Industry-Based Learning Experiences for Educators

The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership at NC State, and its partners, provide industry-based learning experiences for K-12 public and charter school teachers in North Carolina.

Kenan Fellows spend three weeks during the summer with a mentor in an applied research or industry setting. Partner organizations define the criteria for each fellowship project and set the parameters for the internship based on their industry, organizational values, and what they hope teachers will gain from the experience to share with students.

The application period for the 2024-25 fellowship year is closed. The projects listed below are confirmed for the 2024-25 fellowship year. Projects for the 2025-26 fellowship year will posted later this spring.

How to search for fellowship projects

• Fellowship projects are open to K-12 educators across all disciplines.
• Fellowship projects are searchable by district/county, location, or subject area.
• Learn about the fellowship experience. 

General Application

• If you do not see a fellowship in your county, you have the option to submit a general application. If an opportunity in your district arises during this application cycle, your application will be considered for the fellowship in your district or county.
• If no opportunities arise during this application cycle, we will retain your completed application for two years. This will allow us to consider it for any future opportunities that may become available in your district.

Search Fellowships

Biogen Foundation: Addressing Health Equity Through Food Security

THREE FELLOWSHIPS AVAILABLE

The Biogen Foundation has a history of prioritizing investments in health equity in underserved communities. In the 2024-25 fellowship year, they are sponsoring three fellowships centered on health equity to bring further focus to this issue in North Carolina communities. The selected teachers will address health equity, along with Kenan Fellows Program partners, the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiatives, and North Carolina Coastal Federation, in their corresponding regions. They will learn about local food access and how food security impacts health outcomes in their communities.  They will create a product centered around supporting their communities and students by incorporating these statewide perspectives from their experiences.

Burroughs Wellcome Fund: Providing Perspectives for Pre-Service Teachers

THREE FELLOWSHIPS AVAILABLE
Thanks to support from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership is partnering with N.C. Teaching Fellows programs to develop workshops for pre-service STEM and Special Education teachers. The elected Kenan Fellows will use their expertise to create professional development with a focus on highly effective teaching strategies, classroom culture, and inclusion and belonging strategies. N.C. A&T University, Fayetteville State University, and N.C. State University’s Teaching Fellows programs will be hosting the selected Fellows locally, and one of the three weeks of the summer internship will include an immersion with our partners at the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and the Dudley Flood Center.  Graduates of any N.C. Teaching Fellows program who live and work in the communities surrounding those universities are encouraged to apply.   

Creating a Culture of Creativity and Problem Solving with NC State’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program

ONE FELLOWSHIP AVAILABLE

NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship aims to foster a culture of creativity and problem-solving among its students, faculty, and community. Partnering with K12 educators through the Kenan Fellows Program can extend this vision by providing mentorship, resources, and real-world experiences, empowering educators to impart these skills early on, while preparing their students for future success in innovation-driven fields. Collaborating with the Kenan Fellows Program enables NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship to bridge the university’s resources and K12 education, nurturing a pipeline of forward-thinking minds and fostering a robust ecosystem of innovation.

Genetics and Genomics Academy: A New Approach to Genetics Education

TWO FELLOWSHIPS AVAILABLE

The Genetics and Genomics Academy (GGA) at N.C. State University leverages collaborations across life science research and training to enhance our understanding of genetic and genomics underpinnings of life on earth, sustain biodiversity, and enhance social equity. The academy is committed to enabling North Carolina residents of all ages to become more informed about these topics. GGA is sponsoring two fellowships centered on its research to address the teaching of genetics and genomics that decrease racial and gender bias among students. Educators of color with a science background and interest in genetics are strongly encouraged to apply.

Sowing the Seeds of Sustainability with Kidzu Museum

ONE FELLOWSHIP AVAILABLE

Kidzu Children’s Museum in Chapel Hill, NC is an educational interactive museum dedicated to inspiring young children and adults in their lives to learn through creative, purposeful play. The selected Fellow will work with Kidzu to the museum update and revise its learning framework to guide expansion efforts and/or assist with programming around serving underserved populations, including immigrant and refugee families.The museum is currently in the planning stages to grow its scope and footprint, expanding its reach to be accessible to children and families across the state as it develops (and conserves, with funding from the NC Land and Water Fund) a new 45-acre early learning campus.

STEPs4GROWTH: Central NC

TWO FELLOWSHIPS AVAILABLE
The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership is partnering with N.C. A&T State University’s STEPs4GROWTH clean energy workforce initiative to develop curriculum and experiences for K-12 students. Two educators from central NC will be selected for fellowships hosted by the N.C. Business Committee for Education (NCBCE) or the N.C. Taskforce for Offshore Wind Economic Resource Strategies (NC Towers).

UNC Department of Biology: Cells and More Cells

ONE FELLOWSHIP AVAILABLE
Partner with Dr. Amy Maddox and her team of researchers at the UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Biology to understand how cells undergo the step-by-step process of division. You will be introduced to high-resolution microscopy and various analysis techniques as you observe cell division in a laboratory model animal (the tiny nematode C. elegans) and measure aspects of the process including size, speed, packing and the shape and texture of cellular features. Use this experience to inform your instruction as you make the every day, critical and rarely thought about process of cell division relevant, understandable and accessible for students.

UNC Department of Cell Biology and Physiology: Memories and Fruit Flies

ONE FELLOWSHIP AVAILABLE

Join Dr. Toshihide Hige and his team at UNC-Chapel Hill to see how the fruit fly brain responds to external sensory stimuli and how the response changes as new memories are formed.  Learn how they manipulate neuronal activity using light, and how they record electrical activity and calcium signals with these tiny brains.