Junior Fellow Responsibilities
Please read the following to learn more about eligibility requirements, benefits, and responsibilities of the Nova Forum Junior Fellowship program.
Eligibility
Applicants are eligible if they are (1) currently enrolled as undergraduate or graduate students during the fellowship year in question; and either (2a) students at the University of Southern California or Pepperdine University, or (2b) students at another college or university in the greater Los Angeles area whose application has been approved by Nova Forum. While the program will focus on Catholic Christianity, we warmly welcome the participation of all students regardless of personal religious affiliation. If you do not meet these eligibility requirements but still wish to apply, please go ahead and contact us here.
Benefits
The chief benefit of participation in the Junior Fellowship program is membership in a community of scholars who wish to explore the Catholic intellectual tradition and consider it as living resource in the contemporary world. This community is composed not only of approximately 20 Junior Fellows each year, but also a group of Senior Fellows who are Catholic faculty members around Southern California interested to mentor undergraduate and graduate students. Senior Fellows organize the monthly Nova Forum Seminar and invite Junior Fellows to participate. The Seminar is the heart of the program. We hope that this intellectual community will also lead to friendships and mentoring relationships, and will provide students a place to explore their own evolving faith commitments and ask any question they would like along the way.
In addition to having access to the Senior Fellows, Junior Fellows will be introduced to other visiting scholars, leading thinkers in their disciplines who will join our monthly Seminars from across the region and around the world. Junior Fellows may receive free books as part of their participation in the Seminar. There may also be optional social and cultural outings over the course of the year specifically for Junior Fellows. Past Junior Fellows will be invited to join a network of alumni and alumna of the program and to attend occasional events for that group.
Participating Junior Fellows will each receive a stipend of $1,000 for their participation, paid in two disbursements of $500 upon the successful completion of Fall and Spring terms. Students who miss one or more of the six seminars will have their stipends adjusted on a prorated basis.
Responsibilities
(1) Junior Fellows are required to attend and actively participate in all six meetings of the Nova Forum Seminar. The Seminar meets once per month during the academic year. We meet on Saturday mornings starting with an optional Mass at 9:00am, followed by coffee and pastries at 9:30am. The Seminar itself begins at 10:00am and ends at 1:30pm, including a free catered luncheon between our morning and afternoon sessions. The Seminar dates for the 2024-2025 program are as follows (all Saturdays): September 21, October 19, November 9, February 1, March 1, and April 5.
(2) Junior Fellows are expected to complete all of the short reading selections assigned prior to each Seminar meeting. These readings are selected by the Senior Fellows or visiting scholars. Readings will be distributed two weeks before each meeting and total approximately 40 pages, depending on our theme. By completing these readings, Junior Fellows will be able to actively participate in the discussions of the seminar with the Senior Fellows and visiting scholars.
(3) Junior Fellows are strongly encouraged to participate in other Nova Forum events and opportunities during the tenure of their Fellowship. These might include dinner conversations with Senior Fellows, film screenings, arts outings, reading groups, or writing for The Coastlander.