Applications are open for the Leadership Academy!
During this eight-week educational fellowship in sustainable food systems leadership, you'll be surrounded by like-minded, high-achieving peers who share your passion for making a real-world impact. You’ll learn about the challenges inherent in industrial animal agriculture, develop the critical competencies to advance systems-level change, and build meaningful connections with other leaders in the movement to end factory farming.
The Leadership Academy is offered on a pay-what-you-can basis.
You'll learn from thought leaders in each subject area, including:
Learn how civic engagement and the legislative process can be leveraged to create a more just and sustainable food system.
Explore how technology and business can come together to build momentum to support the end of factory farming.
Hear firsthand how students like you are building a people-powered plant-based global movement — and how you can bring this movement to your campus and community.
Understand the harms factory farming inflicts upon human and ecological well-being, and how to foster flourishing communities.
Discover the power of storytelling to influence public opinion and create real-world impact.
Three days per week, you'll have four hours of comprehensive programming, consisting of:
Strengthen your leadership identity and develop critical competencies for making a meaningful impact.
Deepen your understanding of the problems and existing efforts to address them through conversation with thought leaders and subject matter experts.
Awaken your curiosity and explore new interests and insights as we come together to share what inspires and motivates us.
Broaden your perspective and cultivate systems thinking as you begin to draw connections through dialogue with your peers.
Candidates for the Leadership Academy are eager to be changemakers in the movement to end factory farming. They are eager to learn about the impacts of factory farming; develop communication, advocacy, and leadership skills; and leverage these skills to create change in their communities toward our shared goal of ending factory farming.
Application review ends June 5 or until all seats are filled, whichever comes first. By applying for the Leadership Academy, you’ll also have the chance to be selected for the yearlong fellowship.
This year we are able to offer the program on a pay-what-you-can basis, with a suggested fee of $795 to help partially cover the cost of your participation. This helps keep it accessible to as many qualified applicants as possible. Similar programs can cost upwards of $2500 per student. Successful applicants will receive a link to a payment page where they will have the option to pay whatever they can afford. We do not factor ability to pay into admissions decisions, and will never allow the cost of our programming to prevent the participation of a qualified applicant. We encourage you to apply whether or not the fee is feasible for you!
The fellowship is offered on a pay-what-you-can basis. Successful applicants will receive a link to a payment page where they will have the option to pay whatever they can afford.
Whether or not you can receive credit depends on the requirements for your school, and we are happy to work with you to fill those requirements to be able to receive credit.
The Leadership Academy is an eight-week educational fellowship focused on learning about the impacts of factory farming; developing communication, advocacy, and leadership skills; and creating change in their communities toward our shared goal of ending factory farming.
Attendance at required meetings is mandatory. If you have a prior commitment or concern about being able to attend part of the eight-week educational fellowship, please email leo@newrootsinsitute.org to discuss.
The Leadership Academy is an eight-week educational fellowship running from June 25 through August 15. Scheduled programming will take place Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week (except for the July 4 holiday) from 9am - 1pm PT / 12 - 4pm ET. Participants will also have assigned reading and assignments outside of core programming hours.
Please email leo@newrootsinsitute.org with any further questions.
To apply, candidates submit their application online. Selected applicants will move to the next stage, a 20-minute virtual interview with a member of the Leadership Development team. Candidates who are successful in the interview stage will be accepted into the Leadership Academy.
To best prepare for the application process, we recommend reviewing New Root Institute’s vision, mission and values, and considering why you are passionate about effecting change within your community to create a more just and sustainable food system.
“New Roots Institute [is] where I discovered that it's not just climate, but the well-being of all species that truly matters... I'm excited to express my dedication and share my research [at] the Climate Justice and Health Lab at NYU.” - Pooja Sharma, Leadership Academy, Summer 2023
“I came to New Roots very unsure of my potential for advocacy, but your encouragement through the program helped me see how I can merge positive change and animal rights with my career goals, and that the work doesn't have to end with New Roots!“ - Bethel Mengisto, Leadership Academy, Summer 2023
In the last two years, our students had successful plant-based default campaigns at Cornell University, the Issaquah School District in Seattle, Pomona College, and San Diego State University.
One of our fellows organized a broad-based coalition at New York University to lock in the plant-based commitments secured by former New Roots Institute students on campus.
In the last year, our fellows organized very successful veg fest events at the University of California Los Angeles and Pomona College. These events were attended by over 1100 people!