[KROC] IPJ WPM Fellowship Application 2025-2026

Key Information

Applications will be accepted 10 - 30 March 2025.

For twenty years, the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice (Kroc IPJ) at the University of San Diego’s Kroc School of Peace Studies has hosted the Women PeaceMakers Fellowship program. The Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for peacebuilders who focus on gender, peace and conflict to engage in a cycle of learning, practice, research and participation that strengthens peacebuilding partnerships. The Women PeaceMakers Fellowship facilitates impactful collaborations between peacebuilders from conflict-affected communities and international partner organizations. The Fellows also co-create research intended to shape the peacebuilding field and highlight good practices for peacebuilding design and implementation.

Anyone who considers themselves a peacebuilder working to reduce cycles of violence through a focus on gender, peace, and conflict is welcome to apply. People of all genders, including transgender and non-binary or gender-fluid people, are welcome to apply and are eligible for a fellowship. The Women PeaceMakers Fellowship program does not consider sex, gender, or any other protected status as part of the application and selection process. Applicants must have at least five years of peacebuilding or violence reduction experience and must speak sufficient English to participate fully in Fellowship activities.

Throughout the Fellowship with the Kroc IPJ, selected Fellows will:

Learn from and with other Fellows and the Kroc School team;
- Learn about the Fellowship and past Fellows
Gain new skills, perspectives, and innovative approaches to peacebuilding
Expand their professional peacebuilding networks
Drive forward vital peacebuilding research that focuses on shaping practice and policy
- Read past research from the Fellowship

Fellowship Dates: September 2025 - July 2026.

Date of Residency at the University of San Diego in the United States: November 8-22, 2025.

The health and safety of our partners and community is our top priority, and the dates and format of the Fellowship are subject to change as COVID-19 or other illnesses affect group gatherings around the world. The selection of Fellows and the structure of the in-person residency may be impacted based on the Kroc IPJ’s best assessment of Fellows’ ability to receive visas and to visit the US safely given the current political context. The intention is to welcome Fellows to San Diego as part of this Fellowship, but it is possible that the Fellowship will be conducted entirely online or that the location of the in-person residency will need to change if it is not possible to travel and gather safely. We will communicate with the selected Fellows to assess health and safety risks.

Fellows will receive a stipend of USD $15,000, which will cover their time spent in the fellowship as well as any costs for conducting fellowship-related research. The Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice will cover costs for the residency period at the University of San Diego.

2025-2026 Theme

Borders, Gender and Violence Reduction

For the 2025-2026 fellowship year, the Kroc IPJ will select three Fellows who are working to make border policy and the implementation of that policy less violent, using a gendered lens in their work or analysis. We are looking for Fellows focused on border policies rather than operational questions related to service provision or humanitarian relief, though the impacts of policies and the need for services and support are linked. The Kroc IPJ hopes to show how peacebuilders are working to reduce and mitigate the violent and gendered impacts of harsh border policies and to build less violent policies and practices. This work could take the form of advocacy, organizing, policy-focused research or other actions. Fellows may be working in any sector, including government, civil society, academia or the private sector. Fellows must integrate a focus on gender in their work or research.

Example topics might include policies that guide the management of border walls, family separation, detention, or deportation. This is not an exhaustive list, and other topics are welcome.

The Kroc IPJ particularly encourages peacebuilders from the San Diego-Tijuana area to apply.

Strong candidates will have the following experience:

- Working or have worked as a researcher, with a substantial track record of academic and/or practitioner-based experience.

- Research experience that is based on engagement with violence-affected communities and/or with peacebuilding organizations or social movements.

- Experience of at least five years working in peacebuilding, policy advocacy, organizing or related work.

- Experience implementing gender-responsive approaches in peacebuilding, policy or social movement work or substantial academic experience related to gender, peace and conflict.

- Ability to participate in all activities during the year-long Fellowship and collaborate within a multicultural fellowship cohort.

- Sufficient English language proficiency to relate personal experiences and engage in discussions with a multi-country cohort.

1) Residency

Dates: Fellows will be based at the University of San Diego November 8-22, 2025. However, the health and safety of our partners is our top priority, and the dates for the in-person components of the Fellowship are subject to change as the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic, other contagious diseases, and the ability for Fellows to receive a visa and travel safety to the US may change.

Location: Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego in San Diego, CA, USA

Who: Three selected Fellows and Kroc IPJ research team

Focus: During this residency, the Fellows, the University of San Diego community, and the broader San Diego community will learn from and with each other. Together this group will share ideas, strategies, and knowledge on how to end cycles of violence locally and globally.

2) Learning Lab

Dates: During the Residency (exact dates to be determined) and a virtual Learning Lab in spring 2026

Location: Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, San Diego, CA, USA

Who: Three Selected Fellows, International Partners, and the Kroc IPJ team

Focus: Selected Fellows will work with the Kroc IPJ team to identify International Partners with whom they would like to work collaboratively over the course of the Fellowship. Once three International Partners are selected, they will join the Kroc IPJ team and Fellows for two Learning Labs to collectively build out, inform and drive forward research on this year's areas of focus. This group will also gather to strengthen partnerships between the International Partners and Fellows.

3) Conducting Research

Dates: After the Learning Lab through July 2026

Location: Fellow’s country of residence, connecting with the cohort virtually

Who: Fellows, International Partners, and Kroc IPJ research team
Focus: Strengthening partnerships between International Partners and Fellows; gathering additional data/evidence on this year's research focus, and developing and driving forward the applied research outputs. Fellows will be provided funds to conduct research in their own contexts, which will inform the final research report.

4) Participating in Public Events

Dates: Throughout the Fellowship

Location: At the University of San Diego and virtually

Who: Fellows, International Partners, Kroc IPJ research team, and University of San Diego students

Focus: Fellows will be invited to speak at a range of events (these are subject to change based on health and safety conditions), including:

Annual Women PeaceMakers event
A student-focused event at the University of San Diego
Events to engage with faculty, staff, students and donors of the University of San Diego
Presentation to classes of graduate students as appropriate
Launch events to disseminate the final research
Other events as appropriate.

Public events at the Kroc IPJ featuring the Women PeaceMakers will be recorded and shared on social media. Please let Kroc IPJ staff know if you have any safety or security concerns around publicity or public broadcasting before the Residency. We understand that security conditions can change quickly, so please keep Kroc IPJ staff informed about any security concerns you have during the Fellowship as well.

5) Requirements and Expectations of Fellows

Complete fellowship activities and outputs: Fellows are expected to engage in all of the Fellowship's activities and drive forward the research process. These activities include the public events described in the “Participating in Public Events” section.
Identify and collaborate with International Partners: One of the most important goals of the Fellowship is to work with International Partners to exchange ideas and identify strategies to build more effective local/global collaborations to drive forward impact. Fellows will work with the Kroc IPJ staff to identify an International Partner and bring them into this program. Together, the International Partners and Fellows will collaborate during a virtual Learning Lab, work virtually and co-implement data collection and report dissemination.
Conduct original research: Throughout the Fellowship, the Kroc IPJ will capture critical insights into how to reduce violence at borders in a gender-responsive way. This process involves conducting data collection through interviews, focus groups, surveys, or other tools in the Fellow’s country of origin or residence. This research will inform the final research report and will also serve as the foundation of a case study specific to the Fellow’s country of residence or work.
Travel for the residency: Applicants should expect to be involved with full-time program activities throughout the two-week residency and should not schedule any conflicting engagements elsewhere in the US or overseas. An unscheduled absence from the Residency may result in the Fellow losing their Fellowship. The Kroc IPJ will work with Fellows to identify solutions if challenges arise related to receiving a visa to enter the US or the ability of the Fellow to visit the US safely. Accommodation will be provided at a guesthouse on the University of San Diego campus, and Fellows will be provided with a per diem to cover essentials.
Become a member of the Kroc IPJ Women Waging Peace network: Upon completing the Fellowship, Fellows will become part of the 1,000+ member Women Waging Peace network. The Kroc IPJ-based network provides a range of benefits to members.
Connect with the USD community: Fellows are expected to engage with members of the University of San Diego community, treating all community members with respect and professionalism. The University of San Diego includes “Human Dignity” as one of its core values: "We believe that a diversity of people, ideas, beliefs, languages, approaches to learning, and other forms of difference, are essential for education. We affirm the dignity of every person and strive to create a culture of respect and inclusivity. This conviction grounds our efforts to ensure that all members of our university community are able to thrive in every dimension of their lives." Fellows are expected to treat everyone with respect, including people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, and countries of origin, among other categories. If at any point the selected Fellow does not meet or follow the requirements and expectations listed during their Fellowship, the Kroc IPJ has the right to revoke their Fellowship.

Application

Please submit your CV, answers to the following essay questions, and research proposal in a single combined PDF document. Please ensure that these materials are all your original work; please do not use generative AI tools, such as Chat GPT, or plagiarize others' work.

Essay Questions (no more than 300 words per essay question)

Please describe the peacebuilding or violence reduction work you have led or currently lead related to border policy. How do you consider gender in this work?
How is your work to reduce violence related to border policy connected to communities affected by those border policies? Please describe how you collaborate with those most impacted in your work.
What do you consider your greatest achievement in building peace or reducing violence?
Please describe your experience conducting research, including the methodologies you have used in the past and how you have collected data. Please provide links to two of your published research works.
Please describe how this Fellowship would benefit your ongoing work and how your experience can contribute to the community at the University of San Diego and the Kroc School of Peace Studies. How do you plan to engage with faculty, staff, and students?

Research Proposal

As part of your Fellowship, you will work toward a ten-page case study focused on ending cycles of violence and/or peacebuilding work in your country of residence. Please ensure that the research proposal is your own original work. If it is determined that AI tools were used to create your research proposal, your application may be disqualified.

In 750 words or fewer, please provide a research proposal on the topic you would like to explore within the theme of building less violent border policy using a gendered lens. This research proposal should focus on policies and implementation of those policies, not only on service provision or humanitarian response. Please include the following elements in your research proposal:

A brief abstract
Your research question(s)
A brief description of your methodology
Types of data to be collected
Study participants or community of focus

Letters of Recommendation

Please submit two letters of recommendation. We suggest that these recommendations come from colleagues or supervisors who know you well and can speak to your strengths in peacebuilding or violence reduction and your research skills. Your application will not be considered complete without the submission of these letters.

Women PeaceMakers Fellowship

2025-2026 Application

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