NextGen Service Fellowship: A Commitment to Sustainable Development Goals

Program Overview and Strategic Partnerships

A new international development initiative, the NextGen Service Fellowship, has been established to engage American undergraduate and graduate students in overseas projects. The program is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with foundational support from The Rockefeller Foundation and the Outrider Foundation. The fellowship’s core mission is to deploy students to contribute to local initiatives that directly advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In its inaugural year, Johns Hopkins University (JHU) is one of eleven participating universities. The selection of twelve JHU students, representing nearly a quarter of the 52-person cohort, underscores the university’s commitment to global development and public service.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The fellowship provides a four-week, fully-funded placement for students with nonprofit and community-based organizations in Africa, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. The program is structured to directly address several key SDGs through targeted local projects:

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) & SDG 4 (Quality Education): Fellows will support local initiatives focused on improving public health outcomes and expanding access to quality education.
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) & SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Projects centered on sustainable agriculture and local economic development aim to combat hunger and promote inclusive growth.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): Environmental initiatives will engage fellows in efforts to address climate change and its impacts at the community level.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The fellowship model itself, which fosters collaboration between U.S. students, international non-profits, and local communities, exemplifies the spirit of global partnership for sustainable development.

The National Fellowships Program at Johns Hopkins noted that the program offers an ideal opportunity for students from diverse academic backgrounds to build their capacity to help meet community needs, a central objective of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

2025 Johns Hopkins University Fellows

The twelve students from Johns Hopkins University selected for the inaugural fellowship cohort are:

• Ryan Alezz, Engr ’25, Bachelor’s in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
• Natalie Beckford, Master’s candidate in International Relations, School of Advanced International Studies
• Ira Chaturvedi, A&S ’25, Bachelor’s in Neuroscience and Public Health Studies
• Kahtara Harris, A&S ’25 (MA), Master’s in Communications
• Lillian Hudanich, A&S ’25, Bachelor’s in Natural Sciences Area and Public Health Studies
• Cabral Jeter, Master’s candidate in International Relations, School of Advanced International Studies
• Jacqueline Kennedy, Master’s candidate in Education Policy, School of Education
• Gayatri Malhotra, PhD candidate in Health, Behavior, and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Erika Menendez, Master’s candidate in International Relations, School of Advanced International Studies
• Meredith Newman, Master’s candidate in Environmental Sciences and Policy, Krieger School’s Advanced Academic Programs
• Jazmin Williamson, Master’s candidate in International Relations, School of Advanced International Studies

Future Outlook and Leadership Development

Beyond the four-week placement, the fellowship includes networking opportunities designed to foster long-term careers in global development and public service. The Rockefeller Foundation emphasized its commitment to supporting the next generation of changemakers who will promote humanity’s well-being. This investment in professional growth aims to prepare students to become future leaders equipped to address global challenges and advance the Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the NextGen Service Fellowship highlights work that connects to several Sustainable Development Goals. The fellowship sends students to contribute to international development projects in specific areas that align directly with the global goals.

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  This goal is addressed as the article explicitly states that fellows will support local initiatives related to “agriculture.” This involves improving food production and sustainable agricultural practices, which are central to SDG 2.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The fellowship’s focus on supporting “local initiatives related to… public health” directly connects to SDG 3. The participation of students pursuing degrees in public health, neuroscience, and health, behavior, and society further reinforces this link.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  SDG 4 is relevant in two ways. First, the fellows support “local initiatives related to education.” Second, the fellowship itself is an “experiential learning opportunity” designed to “build their capacity,” providing the students with skills and knowledge for their future careers.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article mentions that fellows will work on projects related to “economic development.” This directly supports the aim of SDG 8 to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  This goal is connected through the fellowship’s work on initiatives related to “the environment.” One of the fellows is pursuing a master’s degree in “environmental sciences and policy,” indicating that environmental and climate-related projects are a component of the program.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  This goal is fundamental to the entire initiative. The article describes a multi-stakeholder partnership involving universities (“Johns Hopkins is one of 11 universities”), foundations (“The Rockefeller Foundation and Outrider Foundation”), an administrative body (“Institute of International Education”), and “nonprofit and community-based organizations” in the host countries.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the activities and structure of the fellowship program described, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 2.a

   “Increase investment, including through enhanced international cooperation, in rural infrastructure, agricultural research and extension services, technology development and plant and animal gene banks in order to enhance agricultural productive capacity in developing countries…” This target is relevant because the fellowship represents a form of “enhanced international cooperation” that supports local “agriculture” initiatives, thereby contributing to agricultural capacity.

2. Target 3.c

   “Substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries…” The fellowship contributes to this target by sending students, some with public health expertise, to support local health initiatives. This acts as a form of capacity building and knowledge sharing, contributing to the development of the health sector.

3. Target 4.7

   “By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development…” The fellowship is described as an “ideal way for students from varied educational pathways to build their capacity to help meet community needs.” This experiential learning in international development directly equips students with the skills to promote sustainable development.

4. Target 8.2

   “Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation…” By sending university students to support “economic development” projects, the fellowship facilitates the transfer of new knowledge and skills that can contribute to innovation and productivity in local economies.

5. Target 13.3

   “Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.” The involvement of fellows in projects related to “the environment” contributes to building human and institutional capacity for addressing environmental challenges, which is a core component of this target.

6. Target 17.17

   “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.” The NextGen Service Fellowship is a clear example of this target in action. It is a “multi-stakeholder partnership” that mobilizes resources from foundations and expertise from universities to support civil society organizations (“nonprofit and community-based organizations”) in developing countries.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides several quantitative and qualitative data points that can serve as implied indicators for measuring progress towards the identified targets.

• Indicator for Target 4.7 and 13.3:

  The number of students participating in international development and sustainable development education programs. The article explicitly states there are “52 recipients” of the fellowship in its inaugural year, with “12 students from Johns Hopkins University.” This number serves as a direct measure of students gaining skills to promote sustainable development.

• Indicator for Target 17.17:

  The number of multi-stakeholder partnerships for sustainable development. The article details the creation of one such partnership. It also provides the number of partners involved, such as “11 universities,” two foundations (“The Rockefeller Foundation and Outrider Foundation”), and one administering institute (“Institute of International Education”), who then partner with numerous local organizations.

• Indicator for Targets 2.a, 3.c, 8.2:

  The number and scope of development projects supported through international cooperation. While the article does not give a specific number of projects, it confirms that fellows will be placed with “nonprofit and community-based organizations” to support local initiatives in Africa, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, and Latin America across sectors like agriculture, public health, and economic development. The existence and funding of these placements is an indicator of resource mobilization for these goals.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: hub.jhu.edu