USD's Kroc School of Peace Studies Offering Full Scholarships to HBCU Students for Master's Program

The Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies (Kroc School) at the University of San Diego has launched a new fellowship program that will offer fully-funded scholarships to students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are committed to creating more peaceful and just societies. The school will select two students from a pool of applicants for its Master of Arts in Social Innovation (MASI) program, and will cover the full costs of tuition and on-campus housing – a value of $60,000 per student. The first Kroc School HBCU Changemaker Fellows will start the year-long master’s program in the Fall of 2024.

"The Kroc School HBCU Changemaker Fellowship aligns with our institution's core values of inclusivity, social justice, and academic excellence,” said USD Senior Vice President and Provost Gail F. Baker, PhD, who’s also serving as interim dean of the Kroc School. “By opening doors to students from HBCUs, we are fostering a more diverse and vibrant community of peacebuilders who will address the complex challenges facing our global society."

The Kroc School is committed to training its students to develop innovative solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges, and uses hands-on learning experiences as a key part of the curriculum. Students will have opportunities for community engagement, mentorship, and entrepreneurship training with local business leaders. The goal is to give students the opportunity to make an impact while they’re on campus, and the tools they need to enact change once they leave, and enter the worlds of business and peacebuilding.

Applications for the Kroc School HBCU Changemaker Fellowship are open through January 19, 2024. The University of San Diego is holding informational webinars on the program October 19 and November 14. You can find more information about the fellowship here.

About the University of San Diego

Strengthened by the Catholic intellectual tradition, we confront humanity’s challenges by fostering peace, working for justice and leading with love. With more than 8,000 students from 75 countries and 44 states, USD is the youngest independent institution on the U.S. News & World Report list of top 100 universities in the United States. USD’s eight academic divisions include the College of Arts and Sciences, the Knauss School of Business, the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering, the School of Law, the School of Leadership and Education Sciences, the Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science, the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies, and the Division of Professional and Continuing Education. In 2021, USD was named a “Laudato Si’ University” by the Vatican with a seven-year commitment to address humanity’s urgent challenges by working together to take care of our common home.