Background and Purpose

The Tom Ford Fellowship in Philanthropy was created in 2001 to encourage more young professionals to enter the field of philanthropy by providing three graduating seniors with intensive, 11-month experiences in grantmaking. Each fellow is matched with a senior figure at the host foundation who guides the student's professional development. Placements are made within community, private, corporate, and family foundations.

The Ford Fellowship celebrates the life of Tom Ford, whose contributions to Stanford stretch back to 1955. Over time, Tom Ford touched many corners of campus through his involvement as a Trustee of the Children’s Hospital at Stanford, a member of the Stanford Athletic Board, a ten-year Stanford University Trustee, and an invaluable leader of the Haas Center National Advisory Board. Tom Ford’s endeavors off-campus included his position as Managing Partner of the Ford Land Company and the development of 3000 Sand Hill Road, a well-known venture capital address in Silicon Valley. Modeled on the John Gardner Public Service Fellowship Program and offered in conjunction with Philanthropic Ventures Foundation (PVF) [14], the Tom Ford Fellowship is generously funded by Susan Ford Dorsey.

Program Requirements

Tom Ford Fellows commit to 11 months of fulltime work with a U.S. foundation starting no later than October 1 following graduation. Placements occur during a deliberative spring quarter process after the fellowship is awarded; thus, Ford Fellows must be available prior to graduation to interview with prospective mentors and participate in an orientation session. The Tom Ford Fellowship cannot be combined with any other award or employment.  Other program commitments include the following:

Spring Quarter

• enroll in Philanthropy Directed Reading; POLISCI 236: Theories of Civil Society, Philanthropy, and the Nonprofit Sector (Reich and Sievers); and/or PUBLPOL 183: Philanthropy and Social Innovation (Arrillaga) or equivalent course
• participate actively in placement identification process
• attend a program orientation, site visits, and other preparatory workshops
• design personal learning plan for year

During Fellowship Year

• complete a learning plan
• attend mid-year site visits/meeting for reflection and evaluation purposes
• submit a final report and program evaluation
• correspond with fellowship donor(s) as requested by Haas Center staff

Fellows will also be asked to assist the Tom Ford Fellowship in Philanthropy in future years by recruiting applicants and/or mentors and by participating in information and training sessions.

Eligibility and Selection Process

Eligibility
Applicants must be current graduating seniors or co-terms at Stanford. Applicants are encouraged from any major field of study and from a wide variety of service experiences; they need only exhibit a commitment to public service and an interest in philanthropy.

Selection Process
Applicants will be judged according to criteria including

• record of accomplishment
• interest in and commitment to philanthropy
• leadership qualities and readiness for experience in philanthropy
• quality and content of written statements

Applications are screened, finalists interviewed and fellows selected by a campus selection committee coordinated through the Haas Center with the intention to notify fellowship recipients before spring break. Awardees must commit to the fellowship by the first Tuesday of Spring Quarter.

Please note that you need not and should not have a specific placement or mentor in mind to apply.

Application Information

A complete application consists of:

1. Online Tom Ford Fellowship in Philanthropy Student Application [16]
   [17]Please note: This form cannot be saved and edited; we strongly recommend that you create your application in a separate document and then cut/paste your answers into the application form.
2. Online Tom Ford Fellowship in Philanthropy [18] Recommendation [18]
   [19]Email the recommendation form URL to your recommenders (one of whom must be a Stanford faculty member), and ask them to submit their recommendation no later than noon on February 3, 2011.
3. Download and submit an unofficial transcript to [email protected] [20].    Please note: If you are applying for more than one Haas Center Postgraduate Fellowship, you need only submit one transcript.

If you need ADA accommodations, please contact the Office of Accessible Education [21].

A complete Ford application will include the following components:

• Applicant information
  Basic contact information, cumulative GPA, and major. Please download an unofficial transcript online (through Axess) and email as an attachment to [email protected] [20]. Please note: If you are applying for more than one Haas Center Postgraduate Fellowship, you need only submit one transcript. 
• Essay questions
  In 500 words or less for each prompt, answer the following three questions. The fellowship selection committee pays particular attention to these personal statements. 
  • Why are you passionate about philanthropy? How would the Ford Fellowship build on your Stanford experience?.
  • Given your answer above, discuss your ideal placement. What type of foundation would you pursue and what characteristics would you hope to find in a mentor?
  • How might the Ford Fellowship and an in-depth philanthropic sector experience contribute to your leadership and career interests?
• Resume with the following categories
  IMPORTANT FORMATTING INSTRUCTIONS: If you are copying and pasting information from an existing resume, please remove all formatting and use a dash (-) or asterisk (*) to separate items in the list.
  
  • Education (include all post-secondary education, relevant coursework, and research experience)
  • Work Experience (include all relevant paid and unpaid jobs and internships; begin with the most recent or current job/internship and include dates of employment, organization, location, your title, and a description of your responsibilities)
  • Activities and Leadership (include co-curricular activities and self-initiated projects (e.g. with nonprofits, community groups, government, electoral campaigns, etc.)
  • Awards and Honors (include titles, descriptions and dates)
  • Other Skills: include computer, language, or other specialized proficiencies)
• Recommendations
  Contact information for two individuals who will submit electronic recommendations in support of your application. One of your recommenders must be a Stanford faculty member familiar with your academic work.  Send your recommenders this link: https://www.stanford.edu/dept/haas/outside/fordreference.fb [18] and ask them to submit your recommendation electronically by noon on Thursday, February 3, 2011. Applications with late recommendations will be considered incomplete.

For more information, please contact Megan Swezey Fogarty [13].

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply to more than one Haas Center postgraduate fellowship?
You may apply to all five fellowship programs if you are genuinely interested in each opportunity, and able to articulate a compelling and distinct reason why each program meets your goals. The applications must be customized accordingly, i.e. do not submit essentially identical applications for different opportunities. You may be a finalist for multiple fellowships but must be prepared to choose one.

Do I have to be a United States citizen to apply?
Ford fellows must be legally approved to work in the United States during the fellowship year.

Do I have to know what I want to do in order to apply for the Ford Fellowship?
The deliberative process of identifying a placement and mentor happens during spring quarter after the awards are granted. Successful Ford candidates present their strong interest in a particular issue area and type of foundation, but do not apply with a particular organization or mentor predetermined.

Can I use the Gardner or Ford to start an organization?
The Ford Fellowship is designed to provide fellows with a unique mentored experience in an established grantmaking organization. This program design allows fellows to benefit from exposure to leadership at the highest levels within a foundation that is a major player in the fellows’ chosen field. The Ford Fellowship cannot fund or support start-up organizations or be combined with other awards or employment.

Does it matter who writes my references?
A successful application presents a complete and convincing picture of you. The purpose of requiring two references is to provide the selection committees with multiple perspectives on your candidacy; therefore, you should choose references whose perspective on you is complementary, not duplicative. Also, remember that names and titles are not as important as substance, i.e. if you are deciding between a “big name” who doesn’t know you well and a lesser-known person who can speak about your unique qualities, choose the latter.

Why do you recommend meeting with my references before I apply?
To help ensure that you will have stellar references, take the time to meet with your recommenders to discuss your interests in the fellowship and the reasons you are applying. You should also consider providing your recommenders with a copy of your personal statement/essays, resume, or other related materials that will help her/him give you a relevant and compelling reference.

How will I know if I get an interview?
When you submit your online application, you will receive information about the interview notification process. Interviews for the Ford Fellowship are held on campus approximately one month after the submission date.

What is the interview process like?
During the 30-minute interview you will be asked questions pertaining to your interest in and readiness for the fellowship program. The Ford Fellowship selection committee is comprised of faculty, staff, and alumni.

Can I accept multiple fellowships? The Ford Fellowship is a full-time 11-month commitment. Additional fellowships may not be used concurrently.  The Ford Fellowship may not be deferred.

For more information, please contact Megan Swezey Fogarty [13].

Meet the Fellows

2010-2011 Ford Fellows

Angie McPhaul '10 (Urban Studies)

• fellowship placement: The Annie E. Casey Foundation [22], Baltimore
• fellowship mentors: Donna Stark, Vice President, Talent Management/Leadership Development; Mike Laracy, Director of Policy Reform and Advocacy
• hometown: Redwood City, CA
• service Interests: urban inequality, education, anti-genocide
• Stanford experience: coordinator, Stanford STAND: A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition [23]; recipient of the Urban Studies Summer Fellowship working at Peninsula Bridge Program; participant in ASB [24] “Changemakers” and “New Orleans”; Public Service Leadership Fellow [25]; Camp Kesem [26] counselor; participant in Bing Overseas Studies Program in Santiago, Chile
• other service experience: volunteer with Nuestra Casa
• fellowship goal: learn how to identify and support effective change mechanisms; understand philanthropy’s involvement in urban issues; gain a better understanding of what skills and knowledge can help one more effectively work on social justice issues
• post-fellowship plan: teach elementary school with Teach for America in Washington, DC

"I am committed to strengthening our cities. I recognize that education, creating sustainable environments, and community and economic development are just some of many pieces of the puzzles that need to be addressed in our urban centers"

Taylor Ray '10 (Psychology)

• fellowship placement: Acumen Fund [27], New York
• fellowship mentors: Brian Trelstad, Chief Investment Officer; Sasha Dichter, Director of Business Development
• hometown: Los Angeles
• service interests: global health, HIV/AIDS, microfinance, poverty alleviation, social innovation and entrepreneurship
• Stanford experience: honors research on charitable giving (supported by the Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society), Haas Center undergraduate fellowships participant and program assistant, Camp Kesem [26] counselor, Sigma Nu community service chair
• other service experience: involved with Support for International Change, working to alleviate the effects of HIV/AIDS in rural Tanzania
• fellowship goal: to gain critical insight into the intersection of global health and microfinance or related models
• post fellowship plans: to pursue work in global development both domestically and abroad, and complete a graduate degree in business, law and/or public administration

"Philanthropy embodies the intersection of two things that have always been crucial to my life: public service and innovation. I have found that philanthropy does not have the barriers and bureaucracy inherent in policy, and therefore it can be unstinted and pioneering in the use of resources to bring together solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. Philanthropy is a sector that needs passionate individuals who do not need to be given roadmaps to solutions, but rather those who are excited to immerse themselves and find comprehensive and creative ways to create positive change. I am ready for this challenge.”

Joy Zhang '10 (Human Biology)

• fellowship placement: Skoll Foundation [9], Palo Alto
• fellowship mentor: Ben Binswanger, Vice President, Program and Impact
• hometown: Augusta, GA
• service interests: strategic philanthropy and social entrepreneurship, poverty, education, health
• Stanford experience: co-president of Project Dosti [28], president and founding member of Team HBV, Stanford in Government [29] Fellow with the Office of Liz Kniss, participant in Bing Overseas Studies Program in Beijing
• other service experience: volunteer at Aarti Home orphanage in India, outreach intern at Asian Liver Center, partnerships director for SEE College Prep, Clinton Global Initiative University conference, San Francisco Hep B Free Speakers Bureau
• fellowship goal: to better understand effective social change and impact measurement strategies in philanthropy.
• Post Fellowship plans: pursue graduate studies