Fifty-Two U.S. Students Awarded “NextGen Service Fellowship”

Powered by IIE with support from The Rockefeller Foundation and Outrider Foundation, the Fellowship Supports the Next Generation of Public Service Leaders

NEW YORK | June 27, 2025 — The Institute of International Education (IIE), with support from The Rockefeller Foundation and Outrider Foundation, announced the launch of a new fellowship to equip the next generation of public service leaders with professional experience in international development careers. The “NextGen Service Fellowship” will offer fifty-two American undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to support communities overseas, where they will work with organizations focused on fields including education, public health, agriculture, the environment, and economic development.

“We are honored to have the support of The Rockefeller Foundation and Outrider Foundation on this program. IIE has found, time and again, that international learning and internship opportunities build the skills, knowledge and empathy needed in our world today. We hope that this fellowship will inspire a cadre of talented Americans to pursue careers in international development,” said Jonah Kokodyniak, Executive Vice President of Program Development and Partner Services at IIE.

The NextGen Service Fellowship — for which IIE will manage and select participants — will fully fund students’ travel, living expenses, and placement costs at nonprofit and community-based organizations throughout Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean this summer. The selection of fellows and oversight of their participation is fully managed by IIE. Upon returning from their international placements, each Fellow will share a reflective report outlining how the experience shaped their professional development and contributed to the communities they served. To further support their professional aspirations, IIE will host virtual career exploration opportunities to further support their professional aspirations, connecting Fellows with organizations focused on global development and public service.

“The next generation of leaders will enter a world facing changes and disruption,” said Derek Kilmer, Senior Vice President at The Rockefeller Foundation. “As we have for 112 years, we are proud to support the changemakers that will help promote humanity’s well-being into the future. This fellowship will support students’ professional growth today, which will better prepare them as leaders tomorrow.”

“We’re thrilled to support the next generation of climate leaders,” said David Vitse, Outrider’s Chief Climate Officer. “By funding two University of Wisconsin-Madison students in this program, we’re creating a powerful win-win: young innovators gain real-world experience while directly serving communities on the climate frontlines.”

In response to growing needs around the world, IIE rapidly mobilized a network of university partners committed to supporting international learning opportunities for their students as a critical cornerstone of a university education. The cohort of NextGen Service Fellows will represent universities across the United States, including:

• Arizona State University
• Boise State University
• Clemson University
• Columbia University
• Harvard University
• Johns Hopkins University
• The University of Texas at Austin
• University of Kentucky
• University of Wisconsin–Madison

Other statements of support:

• Boise State University – Kate Huebschmann, Assistant Director & Fellowships Advisor, Honors College: “Boise State is honored to have taken part in the launch of the NextGen Service Fellowship. We’re grateful to The Rockefeller Foundation and IIE for stepping in with meaningful support. This fellowship gives our students the chance to engage directly in international development work — gaining skills, perspective, and a deeper understanding of the impact they can have. We are so excited to see how their experiences this summer help shape their paths as future service leaders.”
• Clemson University – Robert H. Jones, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost: “This is an exciting opportunity for our Clemson students, and we are proud to be among the universities selected for the inaugural NextGen Service Fellowship. We are grateful to The Rockefeller Foundation, the Outrider Foundation and the Institute of International Education for supporting a program that helps students grow as leaders while experiencing the profound impact global engagement has on communities and individuals.”
• Johns Hopkins University – Kathleen Barry, Associate Director, National Fellowships Program, Student Affairs: “We are delighted that the creation of The Rockefeller Foundation-funded NextGen Service Fellowship offers students unique new experiential learning opportunities in international development, in a summer program that is supported by IIE. It’s an ideal way for students from varied educational pathways to build their capacity to help meet community needs from education to economic development, while expanding their own horizons as future leaders.”
• University of Wisconsin – Sarah Linkert, Assistant Director for Fellowships and Awards, Institute for Regional and International Studies: “We at the University of Wisconsin are so excited for our students to have the opportunity to participate in the NextGen Service Fellowship and benefit from The Rockefeller Foundation and Outrider Foundation’s support. This is an invaluable chance for our students to develop skills and gain hands-on overseas experience while focusing on critical environmental issues. We are so grateful to IIE for facilitating this support!”

About the Institute of International Education (IIE)

The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in designing and implementing international education strategies and program services. We work with governments, policymakers, educators, and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. With support from donors, we also create initiatives that assist students, scholars, and artists whose lives and work are threatened; expand teaching and learning across cultures; and provide life-changing opportunities. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,600 higher education partners. Visit iie.org.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the wellbeing of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. The opinions and work of each fellow is their own, and does not reflect the opinion of or an endorsement by The Rockefeller Foundation. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn and LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation.

About Outrider Foundation

Outrider Foundation supports multimedia storytelling about nuclear threats and climate change. We partner with creators, thought leaders, and news organizations to explain how smart policy can sustain a safe and livable planet. Learn more at Outrider.org.