The Foundation awards annual public interest fellowships to recognize individuals for their dedication and commitment to public interest work benefiting the South Asian community in Northern California. The primary purpose of the fellowship is to fund a law student's internship with a public interest organization.  For example, in 2009, the Foundation awarded fellowships to law students working with the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Program, the API legal outreach center, the Public Defender's office, Communities for a Better Environment, and Narika.   

To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must: (1) Be enrolled in an ABA accredited law school at least part-time (as defined by their own schools); and (2) Demonstrate interest in and commitment to working on behalf of the South Asian community.  Strong preference will be afforded to applicants who are enrolled in a Northern California law school and employed at a Northern California organization doing work that directly impacts the South Asian community.

 

The fellowship shall be awarded based on the following selection criteria: participation in co-curricular activities; participation in extra-curricular and community activities; professional training, i.e., internships, externships, summer clerkships and prior work experience; academic merit; and financial need.

 

Fellowship recipients must have a demonstrated interest in working on behalf of the community or public interest by virtue of his/her professional and/or community involvement.  Recipients also should have a demonstrated interest in promoting awareness of particular causes or issues which affect the South Asian community or the Northern California community generally, whether they be, among others, inequities in the legal system, social or economic justice, cultural promotion, or educational ideals.

 

Candidates must submit their applications to Monali Sheth, SABA Foundation Vice President at mssheth@gmail.com  by 5 p.m. on Friday, March 26, 2010.  The Foundation will award fellowships by mid-April 2010.  The Foundation considers all of the materials submitted by the applicant, with particular weight given to the applicant’s essay.  

 

Please contact SABA-NC Foundation President Kavya Mohankumar at kavyajfk@gmail.com with any questions or if you would like to help support these fellowships with a tax-free donation to the SABA Foundation.