Lang Center

for Civic & Social Responsibility

About ChesterSemester

VIDEO: Program introduction from Prof. Mark Wallace
APPLICATIONS will be accepted on a rolling basis until April 12th, 2023 at 11:59pm.

The ChesterSemester Fellowship is a transcript-notated interdisciplinary program on social change with an engaged scholarship (ESCH) internship component. The purpose of the program is to facilitate committed student engagement with visionary leaders in the city of Chester and focuses on critically understanding and helping to ameliorate some of society’s most pressing real-world problems by enabling students to participate in civic volunteer programs throughout the academic year.

ChesterSemester consists of the following key elements: 

1. Fall Enrollment in ENVS 007/BLST 007 

A. The ChesterSemester Fellowship (ENVS 007/BLST 007) is a Fall semester course consisting of a weekly class facilitated by engaged faculty, staff, and community partners. This course combines meaningful readings and in-depth conversations with Chester community leaders. 

As an Environmental Studies exercise, the ChesterSemester Fellowship course focuses on the social, economic, and political interactions of residents with the food systems, waste management and related infrastructure needs of Chester city. As a Black Studies offering, the course and internship studies the challenges and contributions of Black Chesterites in relation to historic white privilege within Delaware County and the Philadelphia region. Both areas of study provide the academic backbone for enabling students to address the intersectional disadvantages and harms communities of color face in the wider society.

ENVS 007 is cross-listed with BLST 007 and eligible for credit in BLST, ENVS, ESCH.

B. In the Spring semester, you will have the option to select one Engaged Scholarship (ESCH) course from a variety of those offered across different academic departments to continue building upon your specific area of study within the context of Chester.

2. A Fall and Spring Internship

Students participating in the ChesterSemester Fellowship are paired with Chester-based organizations and partners. They will have the opportunity to work closely with community mentors. The internship is estimated to be a 4-5 hr/wk commitment which will continue into the Spring as a paid fellowship. 

3. Transcript Notation 

Students who successfully complete the program receive a notation on their transcript that they were awarded a “ChesterSemester Fellowship.” This award denotes a student's academic and professional commitment to learning from and with our partners in the city of Chester.

For more information or questions, please contact Ashley Henry at ahenry1@swarthmore.edu.

ChesterSemester Participants & Partners 

2022-2023 Fellows

Continuing Fellows