Campus News

John C. Culver Fellowships established

Sept. 25, 2009

Simpson College is pleased to announce the establishment of the John C. Culver Fellowship Program to support and encourage students with a passion for politics, history and public service.

The fellowships were created to honor the public service of former Iowa U.S. Senator John C. Culver. The fellowships will be awarded to five incoming students each year, beginning in 2010 with the class of 2014.

The renewable scholarships will provide the Culver Fellows with a generous stipend of $12,000 to $18,000 annually. The Culver Fellowships will add another significant offering to Simpson’s extensive scholarship and grant program.

The fellowships offer Simpson students with opportunities to participate in a variety of civic programs, including:
  • Oral history projects that involve interviewing important Iowa leaders and processing the material for use by scholars and students. This is in conjunction with the work of the Iowa History Center at Simpson.
  • The Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP), a semester-long internship program in the U.S. Congress.
  • The opportunity to work with state and national leaders.
  • Participation in conferences and programs that advance the goal of promoting public service, including those offered by the Institute of Politics at Harvard University.

“The Culver Fellowships will create important new opportunities for Simpson students” said Simpson President John Byrd. “Senator Culver is a long-time advocate of civic engagement. We are honored to work closely with him to engage a new generation of young people in politics and public service. We are especially proud that Senator Culver has agreed to lend his name and support to this important fellowship program. His long-time interest in the college has been woven through his authorship of an award-winning biography of Henry A. Wallace and Wallace’s valued friendship with renowned scientist and educator George Washington Carver – one of Simpson’s most accomplished alumni. Wallace’s wife Ilo, an Indianola native, also attended Simpson College. The rich tapestry of these historical connections is a proud chapter in Simpson’s history, and we are proud now that our more formal association with Senator Culver will add to that history."

Last Updated: 9/25/09