Global Impact Student Fellowship
Join our first cohort of an exciting new undergraduate fellowship program! Global Impact Fellows is an innovative work-based learning laboratory for sophomore and juniors that gives JMU students real-world, global, high-impact experience through the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR). We are excited to welcome you to our team as we work to build a better world together!
Application deadline
August 1, 2026
Fellowship Dates
September 14, 2026 – April 12, 2027
Program Description
The Global Impact Fellows program provides a window into global humanitarianism and how to engage in careers addressing some of the most challenging issues of our time: human rights, peacebuilding, weapons proliferation, environmental justice, international relations, and sustainable and regenerative development.
The program will provide:
- Projects with global partners that make a real-world impact
- Exposure and pathways to international organizations, internships, and careers
- Skills in cultural awareness, ethical reasoning, and global civic engagement
- Leadership and project management skills development through designing and organizing a JMU-wide event that features global humanitarianism
Format
Fellows will meet every week for 90 minutes, complete two hours of project work each week, and participate in several fieldtrips. The weekly meetings will include skill building in cultural understanding, global engagement, and ethical reasoning, as well as meetings with humanitarian professionals around the world. Our weekly meeting time will be determined around the schedules of the selected fellows.
Criteria
The program will be open to those who are sophomores or juniors in the fall of 2026. We are looking for fellows who:
- Are committed to making a difference with their lives.
- Bring questions and curiosity about how global systems work and pathways for working in careers with a global focus.
- Are willing to see themselves as leaders and grow their leadership potential.
- Have a commitment to showing up regularly with a learning orientation and bringing their whole selves into inquiry and exploration.
Click here to apply!
Questions
Please direct any questions to Amy Czajkowski, CISR Senior Manager of Programs, at czajkoac@jmu.edu.
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Journal Conventional Weapons Destruction. The Journal is an international publication providing a forum for humanitarian mine action and stockpile management community. The Journal strives to bring current and valuable information to its readers. The print magazine has a circulation of 1,700 and the online version is viewed in over 150 countries.
Undergraduate and Graduate Research Assistantships
CISR conducts international programs in humanitarian mine action and capacity development. Assist program managers with research and logistics while learning about global humanitarian programs.
The Frazure-Kruzel-Drew Memorial Fellowship
The FKD Fellowship is a paid 2-year fellowship at the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement. The fellowship provides experience in resource and program management providing assistance to activities that enhance U.S. national security, protect civilian populations from the dangers posed by conventional arms, assist victims of conflict, and facilitate economic development.
If you’re a student who is interested in working internationally or working domestically with a global focus, make sure you get connected with these JMU resources to help you.
The Center for Global Engagement can help you get connected to many different opportunities around the world. CGE offers study abroad programs, internship programs, exchange programs, research opportunities, Peace Corps Prep and more.
Office of Student Awards, Initiatives, and Research
The Office of Fellowships and Awards in STAIR can help you identify, prepare for, and apply for external fellowships and awards. Fellowships are competitive awards that provide financial support for activities such as graduate study, study abroad, activism and public service work, language acquisition, internships, self-designed projects, teaching English abroad, and so much more.
You can meet with a University Career Center advisor and discuss careers, jobs, internships, resumes, cover letters, interviewing, graduate school, and any career-related topics.
You can make an appointment with the University Career Center staff to review your resume and cover letter to help you stand out as a competitive applicant for international internships or other opportunities. The University Writing Center on campus can also help review cover letters or personal statements.
Check out GoinGlobal, a tool provided by the University Career Center. GoinGlobal is an online resource with a wealth of information about working in specific cities in the U.S. and Canada, including job search databases, job fairs, cost of living, job prospects and industry trends, and even cultural advice. It also provides information for those interested in working overseas, and those with special H1B visa considerations who are seeking employment in the U.S.
Undergraduate students of all majors can participate in the Washington Semester which enables students to explore the wealth of political and cultural opportunities in the Washington, D.C. area.
Over the semester students take 2 3-credit courses and complete a 6-credit internship. Students secure and pursue their own internships in politics, policy, the non-profit sector, political media, and related fields.
CISR posts opportunities with an international focus that you can explore:
The Frazure-Kruzel-Drew Memorial Fellowship
The FKD Fellowship is a paid 2-year fellowship at the U.S. Department of State in the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement. The fellowship provides experience in resource and program management providing assistance to activities that enhance U.S. national security, protect civilian populations from the dangers posed by conventional arms, assist victims of conflict, and facilitate economic development.
Foreign Affairs Information Technology Fellowship
“A two-year Fellowship program is a path to a career in the Foreign Service by providing academic funding for an IT-related degree, internships, professional development and mentorship – culminating in an appointment in the Foreign Service as a Diplomatic Technology Officer (DTO).”
Testimonials from former CISR student employees
“CISR offered a great opportunity to delve into humanitarian work, the lasting impacts of conflict, and post-conflict recovery. I really felt like my work contributed to a mission that matters and made measurable changes in the lives of others. My favorite experience was interacting with Kurdish students and discovering our shared values. The skills and perspectives I gained from working at CISR will stay with me and enhance my work as I transition into the intelligence community.”
~ Dylan Martie, former CISR student employee
“CISR was the best way to start my career. The women and men in the office fostered a welcoming and friendly environment, making it so I wasn’t afraid to ask for help or clarification on any task I was assigned or responsible for. I learned how to work in a small office and for an organization with a mission on the international stage. I honed my research, editing, and grant writing skills, but also advanced my skills in logistics and project management. This experience was rewarding and will stay with me throughout my career!”
~ Victoria Shemo, Student Research Assistant, Assistant Project Manager
“The Center's work prepared me for what I currently do because it gave me real world experience in the non-profit field which is essential if you ever want to be successful in the industry. I gained experience through my tasks and responsibilities at the Center, but more, I realized that if you find something you feel strongly and passionately about, then work doesn't seem like work at all.”
~ Lauren Hill, former CISR student employee
“CISR provided the building blocks for me to be successful… CISR is truly a hidden gem at JMU and a great way to start figuring out what JMU's motto ‘Be the Change’ really means.”
~ Kate McFarland, former CISR student employee and Frasure-Kruzel-Drew Memorial Fellow
“I gained so much of my professional foundation from my time at CISR, and I really owe that to the fantastic staff…On top of everything, the personal satisfaction that I was able to draw from contributing, if only a little, to a field of such great humanitarian importance is something that I'll keep with me for the duration of my life. I can't say enough about what CISR means to me, and I couldn't recommend a better place to spend time in between classes at JMU.”
~ Tony Morin, former CISR student employee and Frasure-Kruzel-Drew Memorial Fellow Former CISR student employees Geary Cox, Emma Smith Atkinson and Tony Morin do some sight-seeing while attending a CISR-led conference in Bogotá, Colombia.
“Overall, my time spent working at CISR was extremely positive and provided me with valuable experience that I know will serve me well with any job in the future.”
~ Alex Tsurdinis, former CISR student employee
“Working for CISR was phenomenal! You have the opportunity to be a part of something that matters, something fun, and work with a group of great people who have so much to teach you. You are in great hands and have everything to gain.”
~ Jessica Jacklin, former CISR student employee
“Along with a rewarding experience, the greatest thing I took away from my work at CISR was having pride in the work I did. Whenever people asked what I did at my job, I couldn’t help but to get excited and tell them the work that I did and the experts I worked with… The traits I learned at CISR – the writing, editing, communicating, work ethic, pride, and responsibility – have carried over, and I have enjoyed a successful start to my new job.”
~ Cory Kuklick, former CISR student employee
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
