Foundation Seeks Applicants for Fellowship
Mitch Daniels foundation looking for Hoosiers interested in solving problems
By Fredrick McKissack
Of Fort Wayne Ink Spot
To find “new leaders, unconstrained by the status quo,” the Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation is looking for innovators and thought leaders statewide for its next class of fellows. The Indianapolis-based program is accepting applications for its two-year fellowship program through March 15.
Launched in 2016, program fellows “identify, promote, and apply critical thinking and action to opportunities that will make Indiana a better place to work and live.” They’re given access to influential people, organizations and resources to “accelerate the state’s progress on key growth initiatives.”
While the program is named for the former Republican governor and current president of Purdue University, its worldview is nonpartisan, said MDLF Executive Director Mike Young.
Other than being from Indiana, there is no prerequisite for in-coming fellows, who have their expenses paid. There are no age restrictions. Fellows meet once a month on a Friday in Indianapolis. There are background readings and meetings with state leaders in and outside of government. Fellows should expect to spend 10 hours a month on the program.
The program’s legacy aligns with what Young said was the Daniel administration’s drive to solve problems through innovative thinking and pragmatic implementation.
“We don’t initially select for anything,” said Young. “We want people who are interested in learning about the state. People come in with different viewpoints, but we come at it with serious and mature discussion. People often find out that they agree on many things.”
Fellows spend the first year of the curriculum being educated on Indiana’s future and its challenges in healthcare, education, economic development and civic participation. Fellows will also study various models and processes used to implement solutions.
Second-year fellows submit proposals to the MDLF board. The time commitment is anywhere from 10 to 20 hrs a month.
“Each proposal is a tactical investigation of a challenge or opportunity in Indiana, formulated over the prior year and informed by research and interviews conducted by each fellow,” according to the program’s website. Fellows take top proposals from presentations to real, functioning initiatives that measurably improve life in Indiana.
“This is a win-win for the state,” said Young.
For more information and to apply, go to www.mdlfindiana.org