National Afterschool Matters Fellowship Launches a New Cohort

December 2, 2020

The fourth cohort of National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellowship kicked off a year-long journey of inquiry-based research and study this past October with funding from the Robert Bowne Foundation . The Fellowship, hosted by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at Wellesley College offers mid-career out-of-school time (OST) and youth development professionals the opportunity to become part of a professional learning community where they reflect on, study, and assess their work to improve its quality and impact.

Georgia Hall, NIOST director and senior research scientist, said, "We are excited to welcome a new group of fellows for 2020-2021 and look forward to sharing our reflections and ideas on how to continuously work towards and build high quality and equitable out-of-school time learning experiences for children and youth in this country."

This is the fourth cohort of a national group of  fellows. For 20 years prior, fellowships were facilitated in small regional groups around the country. Not only has the experience deepened fellows’ personal skills, but it has also impacted the youth they serve in their communities. One 2017 fellow noted, “I was instrumental in starting a new music program for elementary students as a result of the research I conducted through the NASM Fellowship.”

Another 2017 fellow observed, “The NASM Fellowship connected me with colleagues across the country who are asking important questions about how to deepen and improve the afterschool field. The mentors and guidance around research and writing provided a unique and empowering professional development experience.”

The NASM Fellowship Program is part of the larger Afterschool Matters initiative at NIOST, which also includes publication of Afterschool Matters, a peer-reviewed journal that is produced semi-annually and highlights the work of OST researchers, NASM Fellows, OST practitioners, and other related professionals. 

Visit the Afterschool Matters site to learn more.