About the Fellowship
Honoring the Past while Building the Future
The Susan Schechter Leadership Development Fellowship (Fellowship) has been created to honor the rich history of dedication, ingenuity and compassion that are the hallmarks of the movement to end violence against women and children. At the same time, it will strengthen and expand the knowledge base about how best to address violence in families. Ultimately, it will foster new generations of leadership in the movement to stop violence against women and children, providing opportunities for current and emerging leaders to take that movement to a new level.
The Fellowship begins at a mid-point in a social movement that is mature, but has yet to accomplish its ultimate goal, ending violence in the home. Fellows enter at a crucial historical moment that Susan herself best understood. Shortly before she was diagnosed with cancer, she wrote:
“As I work within the movement today, I am still amazed at what has been accomplished, surprised and disappointed by what we fail to foresee, and awed by the passion, pain and renewal in the work of liberating women from tyranny and violence. Luckily for me, revelations continue. May they also continue for those who come next!”
Susan Schechter, April 2003. Published in Violence Against Women: Classic Papers (Allyn & Bacon, 2005)
Extraordinary People, Unique Opportunity
In the spirit of ingenuity and innovation that Susan Schechter brought to the field, the Susan Schechter Leadership Development Fellowship has been tailored to exceptional candidates, and is intended to appeal to a broad range of individuals including those who might not think of themselves as “qualified” for such programs.
Susan Schechter moved easily amongst diverse cultures, communities and experiences, and she understood that the best leaders and most valuable contributions often come from unexpected places and people. In recognition of this wisdom, the Fellowship is especially open to those who might not get a similar opportunity elsewhere. Demonstrated leadership is critical, but that demonstration need not be in traditional or institutional settings. The Fellowship will do targeted outreach to:
- Survivors of violence in the home, including those who witnessed violence in the home as a child,
- People who might not get a similar opportunity elsewhere,
- Those who have some work experience, either professional or volunteer, in the field, and who have demonstrated their leadership and have a commitment to continuing their work on violence against women and children, and
- Those able to conceptualize a project that lends practical value to the work Susan Schechter advanced.
The structure of the Fellowship includes focused projects, mentorship provision, an annual retreat with leaders in violence prevention, and an expectation of results. Susan Schechter excelled at building bridges between systems and across issues. In order to advance these accomplishments, Fellows are sought who create pathways for cross-system work. Projects that improve the response to survivors of violence, both children and adults, or that prevent violence in the first place will be emphasized. Surprising project proposals, in the context of an individual’s unique experience and talent, are welcome.
Fellows are expected to yield a practical contribution to the field as a result of their experience. They will attend and present at an annual Susan Schechter Leadership Development Retreat, which will be a lively focal point for the generation of new ideas, and for the identification of new strategies that address the issues Susan cared about so deeply. Participants include current and emerging activists and leaders engaged in vigorous exchange, committed to breaking new ground in the effort to end violence.
The support Fellows need to meet their objectives is designed into the Fellowship in the form of one-on-one mentorship and a small stipend. Fellows are based at one of the Fellowship-mentoring organizations, with the option of splitting time between two different organizations in different geographic locations, so that they can benefit from the kinds of infrastructure support such organizations can offer.
