A bachelor's degree is required, postgraduate or work experience is preferable and most candidates have been active in campus or community activities. Many universities offer credit toward graduate degrees for participants in the program. Applications are due by February. Founded in 1996 and fully funded by actor and activist Patrick Stewart and the Joseph Drown Foundation, the Patrick Stewart Human Rights scholarship provides a unique opportunity for student activists to do applied human rights fieldwork. Recipients plan their own summer internship with a local or global human rights organization or develop a summer project lasting six weeks to four months to promote human rights awareness.
Most projects combine development of activist skills with training and research.
Scholarships are open to high school, college or graduate students. Past recipients have used the scholarship to build their skills and knowledge to strengthen their capacity to be life-long human rights activists. They have worked on projects to monitor human rights violations, accompany human rights defenders, develop new strategies to hold the perpetrators accountable, and to build the global movement for human rights education. Gate House Road, Falls Church, VA 22042. Nominations are made by chapters.