Staff Notes about the Bush Fellowship

The application period for the Bush Fellowship is opening soon! We encourage leaders from all spaces and places to consider whether this is the right time to apply for a Fellowship because we need leadership from all fields to make our region better for everyone.

We are excited to begin accepting Bush Fellowship applications! Have you thought about how you would grow your leadership with a Fellowship? 

Bush Fellows are bold in their belief that our world can be a better place. They pursue visions for large-scale, equitable changes that are critical to make our region work better for everyone.

We need leaders working creatively to solve problems while addressing equity and justice. The inequities exposed by COVID-19, the reckoning around racial justice sparked by the murder of George Floyd and threats to Native sovereignty all underscore this fact.

The question of timing when you apply for the Bush Fellowship falls into three main areas: space for your growth, knowledge and connections, and a deep understanding of what you need to grow as a leader.

If you have looked at the Bush Fellowship application questions, chances are you have seen the words large-scale change. But what do those words mean in terms of the Bush Fellowship?

How much do I share? How do I match my application with what the selection committee is looking for?
These are two common questions we hear from Bush Fellowship applicants. If you’re looking for a cut-and-dry answer to tell you what to do, there isn’t one. While of course the Fellowship selection committees are guided by the selection criteria (track record, potential and plan) as they review applications, applying for a Bush Fellowship is a truly reflective and transformative inquiry process.

In my role leading the Bush Fellowship applicant experience, I am often asked: What is a strong track record? When it comes to track record, many applicants talk about their record of success in terms of the positions, titles or awards they have earned. Yet, a strong track record is not just a list of degrees and accolades. 

One of the hard things about applying for a Bush Fellowship is that you are writing your application for folks who don’t know you. Your written application is your opportunity to help us understand how the significant moments in your life set the course for who you are today. 

We are often asked what makes it clear that someone is a Bush Fellow — why was this group of 24 selected out of all of the applicants? The answer lies in the power of applicants' perspectives and reflections.