UCW Fellowship

Apply to be a UCW fellow by FRIDAY AUGUST 7, 2026

What is the UCW fellowship?

For the fourth year in a row, UCW-CWA is offering a fellowship program for advanced member leaders. We have seen attacks from the right affect our campuses and communities. It is a critical time to fight back. How do we do that? By deepening our bench of trained member organizers. We need leaders on campus who have the knowledge and skills to inspire others to fight for higher education and our jobs.
In the fellowship program, you will learn how to be an effective organizer and how to take ownership over the union work with your fellow coworkers. The goal is to foster member-led organizing on campus.
You will have the opportunity to connect with and receive training alongside members across the 8 states of UCWSE: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Who should apply?

You can apply if you are a dues paying member of UCWSE and have been an active participant in your organizing committee or chapter within the past year. We are looking for candidates who have attended our organizing basics training, taken on tasks in their organizing committee or chapter, and brought other workers into UCW.
You should consider applying if you want to develop the following skills alongside members of your organizing committee:
- Growing union membership and density on campus
- Identifying and develop member leaders on campus
- Helping run campaigns on issues that matter
UCW is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, and LGBTQ individuals are encouraged to apply. We hope the pool of applicants reflects the diversity of race, gender, and job class on our campuses.

What is the program commitment?

2 Semesters, beginning September 1, 2026 and concluding April 30, 2027.
1 Saturday group training call each month from 12:30 to 2:30 ET, plus additional training opportunities, totaling up to 5 hours.
10-15 hours/month of scheduled recruitment activities. This could include canvassing on campus with other members, phone calls, lead generation, etc.
Up to 5 hours/month of additional scheduled "task time.” For example, meeting with mentor, prep work, etc.

What else should I know?

Fellows receive $25/hour for up to 25 hours of work monthly in following the above commitments.
If you complete the program, you will have done 20 hours of training and 80 hours of canvassing. This is a significant contribution for any member to make to their union and excellent experience for continuing work in organizing!
You may have the opportunity to travel to other campuses to learn from other organizing drives happening throughout UCWSE.

What are the next steps?

Applications are open for the 2026-2027 class for members in UCWSE (Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and South Carolina).
You will need a statement of interest. You will also need 2 references from current members of your state, with one reference from an elected officer.
The deadline is Friday August 7, 2026

I still have questions. Who should I talk to?

Please reach out to UCWSE Organizing Coordinator, Allison Becha at [email protected]!

What Previous UCW Fellowship Participants Have Said About the Program

"This sounds cliché, but the solidarity and sense of camaraderie with both the other fellows and with UCW as a whole has really empowered me. The people beside have given me the confidence to step forward with so much more courage than I ever had in the past to stand up for workers, recruit, and share our work on campus."

"The fellowship has been an amazing experience. I've learned useful organizing skills, but I also learned a lot personally. Such as self motivation, time management, and communication skills. I hope it continues for many years!"

"This fellowship program has been the guided experience that I need to go from an active member interested in being more involved to an organizer committed to workers on campus."