The Activist Lab Practicum offers a challenging graduate-level professional experience in a setting centered specifically on advocating for programs and policies with demonstrated effectiveness for addressing social and structural factors that will improve the public’s health. Activist Practicum offers students who are interested in public health advocacy and activism a community to support each other through their projects, professional development opportunities in the Activist Lab, as well as financial support. 

Activist Practicum Requirements

About the Program

Each academic year, the cohort of Activist Practica will consist of  approximately five students who will receive a stipend of up to $5,500 to complete a project with an organization focused on advocacy and activism. Students will have ongoing activism-focused professional development training and community support with their other cohort members through the Activist Lab. To be eligible, a student must meet the following criteria:

  • Have a practicum already lined up, or have an interest in a specific area of advocacy and activism and be willing to work with the Activist Lab to identify a match. 
  • Prepared to start work on the practicum within the 2023-2024 academic year or summer of 2023
  • Student must be currently receiving less than $5,500 ($22 per hour) for their practicum. Funding can either completely cover an otherwise unpaid opportunity, or partial funding can be provided to get the student up to $5,500. For example, if a student receives a $3,000 stipend, they can apply to receive an additional $2,500 of funding. 
  • Practicum must be focused on an area of public health advocacy or activism. While advocacy can look like many different things, some criteria include: 
    • Focused on changing a system, norm, law, activity, etc. that impacts the health of a community
    • Must be working towards long-term, upstream change 

Students who have recently begun a practicum or have one lined up are encouraged to apply for this funding. Students who are actively searching for a practicum may also apply, noting their areas of interest and potential practicum they are applying to in the application. The Activist Lab will work with selected students to identify practicum opportunities if they do not already have one. 

To Apply

Applications for the cohort are open now and are reviewed on a rolling basis. To apply, please send send a resume and a 300-500 word cover letter stating your practicum project (or your interests and potential practicum opportunities) to Emily Welden at ewelden@bu.edu.