John H. Logie Fellow Program

Administered by the Center for Undergraduate Scholar Engagement (CUSE), the John H. Logie Fellows Program, named for the long-standing former mayor of Grand Rapids, offers students at Grand Valley State University an exceptional opportunity to experience and contribute to the operations of the City of Grand Rapids.

The complex arena of city government offers an opportunity for students to explore, understand, and engage in the work of local government.  The primary points of contact for Logie Fellows are the Senior Executive Staff of the City of Grand Rapids, including the City Manager, the Deputy and Assistant Managers, and their staff. 

Logie Fellows work in individual consultation with representatives from the City of Grand Rapids to tailor the fellowship experience to their skills and areas of interest. Key topic areas for the City in 2024-25 include housing and homelessness, sustainability and climate change mitigation, community master planning, community engagement, public safety, and infrastructure project planning. The selected Logie Fellow may choose to focus on one or more of these areas during their fellowship, or on other areas in consultation with City representatives.

Useful websites as you develop your application include the City of Grand Rapids' Strategic Plan (grandrapidsmi.gov), especially the Strategic Priorities section.

The award provides students with a paid fellowship of $2,500 and up to 3 credits of internship, practicum, independent study, or independent research tuition-free.  Additional courses related to the fellow’s program may be approved upon special request. Fellows are expected to commit a minimum of 150 hours over the period of the semester. The fellows’ experience will culminate in a final product or project as determined by the Senior Executive Staff of the City of Grand Rapids.

Eligibility

The fellowship is available to undergraduate students at GVSU who have not completed the requirements for graduation. Successful applicants generally have a 3.0 GPA or higher in their major and have a demonstrated interest in the role, function, and impact of local municipalities.

This fellowship is designed for undergraduate students of junior or senior status who would benefit from an in-depth understanding of specific aspects of city governance. All majors are encouraged to apply. The Fellows will receive tuition-free course credit related to the experience for up to three hours, as appropriate student's academic program.

Proposal Review
Proposals will be reviewed by a faculty committee using a rubric. We encourage you to review the rubric carefully as you develop your proposal. (Remember - text box answers should be thoughtful answers in essay form, with developed paragraphs containing detailed information, illustrations, anecdotes - content that helps your reviewers understand your interests in the fellowship and in municipal government, your preparation through courses, internships, service experiences, and undergraduate research, your career plans and the learning outcomes you anticipate as a result of involvement in this fellowship.)

Preference will be given to students who demonstrate an interest in applying intersectional disciplinary lenses to explore systemic inequities in the local community and aspire to discover collaborative, innovative solutions that can be realized at the local level.

Avery Koan '24 (Geography & Environmental and Sustainability Studies). Avery was the recipient of the John H. Logie Fellowship in the Winter 2024 semester. This award allowed her to pursue her passion for urban planning within the City of Grand Rapids Planning Department. She gained real-world experience in the Planning Department by helping them with a variety of projects including making Geographic Information System (GIS) maps, attending weekly meetings, creating a dashboard for the 2024 Master Plan that will be accessible for the public, and assisting in a Steering Committee meeting at City Hall. 

Each year, the John H. Logie Fellowship seeks out a high-potential undergraduate student of junior or senior year status or any graduate student from any discipline who would benefit from an in-depth understanding of specific aspects of city governance. A student awarded the John Logie Fellowship will work individually with representatives from the City of Grand Rapids to tailor the fellowship experience to his or her specific talents and areas of interest. The Fellow will receive tuition-free course credit related to the experience for up to six hours, as appropriate to the student’s academic program, and a stipend of $2,500.