Illinois State University Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development

Illinois State University’s Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development welcomes AmeriCorps alumni to the Applied Community and Economic Development (ACED) Fellows Program.

Through coursework and an 11-month paid internship, students earn a master’s degree in anthropology, applied economics, kinesiology and recreation, political science, or sociology. Within each degree program, the ACED sequence covers a range of topics, such as project design and management, grant writing, and other subjects in administration and planning. Additionally, each student drives an individual research agenda in areas like sustainable development, food systems, microfinance, and housing.

Total financial support for Fellows is worth at least $49,849 and up to $70,591. The Stevenson Center matches the AmeriCorps Education Award for ALL admitted Fellows through:

• Graduate assistantship (starting at $1,300/month) during fall and spring semester of first year
• Stipend (currently $2,162/month) during second-year 11-month professional practice internship
• 100% tuition waiver worth up to $35,109 over two-year program
• Other benefits, please see Financial Support

See Stevenson Center for important information regarding eligibility and program requirements.

The Fellows Program is interdisciplinary, relevant, and challenging, with a powerful combination of benefits:

• A truly interdisciplinary classroom: Our students benefit from their peers’ and faculty’s wide-ranging backgrounds.
• Service opportunities: Applied projects are woven into courses during the year on campus.  Fellows then apply their knowledge through an 11-month paid internship with organizations and in communities across the U.S.—a great platform for the next career move. Host organizations are as varied as the Fellows are  (See Professional Practice).
• Individual attention:  Illinois State University has the resources of a large university with the feel of a small school. The Stevenson Center is also small by design, with seminar-sized classes and strong faculty and staff support.

The skills applied and level of responsibility during the internship allow alumni to pursue diverse kinds of development work. Affiliated faculty and staff have expertise in a range of topics to support Fellows' projects.