The St. Petersburg Higher Education Consortium, made up of four Pinellas County higher education institutions, created a Racial Justice Fellowship to dismantle racial hierarchies and fight for racial justice.

By Isaiah Sterling, The Crow’s Nest at USF St Petersburg campus

Two USF St. Petersburg students will be chosen to support local racial justice efforts during the 2021-22 academic year in a new Racial Justice Fellowship program created by a St. Petersburg Higher Education Consortium.

The purpose of the fellowship program is to place students at the center of efforts to create a systematic change, creating a pipeline to become involved in work related to anti-racist policy and movements, and racial healing and transformation, according to a university press release.

Participating students will each receive up to $2,000 thanks to a grant from the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg (FHSP), including a $500 stipend for both fall and spring semesters and an additional $1,000 for an approved summer internship.

USF St. Petersburg, FHSP and three other higher education institutions formed the St. Petersburg Higher Education Consortium for Racial Justice last year.

Director of Community Relations and Consortium member Caryn Nesmith said Eckerd College, St. Petersburg College and Stetson University College of Law also make up the Consortium.

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