Debrief and Beyond
After Fellows complete their 9-month field placement, they spend 1 month debriefing at the Acumen Fund offices in New York. The debrief allows the Fellows with the opportunity to reflect on their experience, receive an evaluation feedback from Acumen Fund and their investee, share their learning’s as Acumen Fund ambassadors at public events, and once again connect with established leaders in the private, non-profit, and public sectors. They will be supported with their transition into a new career and welcomed into the Acumen Fund Alumni network.
Where are the Global Fellows now?
The mission of the Global Fellows Program is to create new leaders for the social sector, and the Fellows are doing exactly what we had hoped. 100% of Fellows Alumni are in leadership positions in their current organizations, and 85% are continuing to build careers in social enterprise. They work at organizations like IDEO, Equity Bank, Endeavor, Bamboo Finance, Global Citizen Year, and at Acumen Fund, just to name a few. Acumen Fellows are leading TEDx conferences, they are creating free education programs, they are developing sanitation programs for slum dwellers, they are investing in sustainable agricultural business models, just to name a few… They are leveraging their experiences as Fellows, and continuing to make a social impact.
Alumni Network
The Acumen Fund Global Fellowship is not just a one year program; it is a community of changemakers. Once a year, we hold an Alumni Gathering bringing together Alumni, incoming Fellows, and outgoing Fellows to share insights and undergo professional development training. In addition, we publish an Alumni Newsletter to foster connection across long distances and to share updates. Alumni are very active as representatives of the Fellows Program, participating in phone interviews, presenting at conferences, and speaking to the media. In addition, some of our Alumni are working together on social impact initiatives and research projects.