Benefits of Becoming a Graham Fellows Program Candidate

Students who elect to pursue a Graham Fellow status will benefit from a variety of activities designed to develop leadership skills. Students will receive guidance and training on interviewing skills, résumé preparation, business etiquette, and networking. They will be exposed to local and national leaders from a wide array of disciplines through the Graham Speaker Series, and they will be encouraged to demonstrate their networking skills during the Corporate Partners Networking event. By networking with corporate partners, students are provided with connections that may lead to internships and career opportunities.

The program is available to students in all majors. Students must apply and be accepted while they are at the York campus. Students may complete their degree at any Penn State campus while completing their Graham Fellows Program requirements.

There is no cost to the students for this program.

Outside the Classroom Experiences

Students will participate in corporate partner networking/meet-and-greet opportunities and guest speaker events offered throughout the year on and off campus. In the past, students had the opportunity to attend events with Penn State alumni entrepreneurs Gary Eberle, Robert Choi, Matt Woods, Madris Tomes, John Polli, and Kristina Groff. Opportunities such as these will help students hone the skills they learn in the program, and may also help them make connections that could prove to be beneficial to their futures.

Additionally, the chance for networking is not limited to on-campus events. Students participating in internships are often able to travel with their corporate partners to conferences and meetings which take place out of the office.

How to become a Graham Fellows Program Candidate

Students may enter the program in two ways: referral/recommendation by faculty or staff in their chosen discipline or through self-identification. Both methods require the student to complete the program application and submit it to the Graham Fellows Program staff. Students must be active at the York campus to apply to the Graham Fellows Program. They may continue at another Penn State campus while continuing in the program.

A student must submit the following to complete their application to the Graham Fellows Program, as well as maintain a 3.0 overall grade-point average (GPA) while in the program:

  • Résumé
  • Two academic and/or professional references
  • Writing sample stating perspective on meaning of entrepreneurial leadership

Please download the application and open it in Adobe Acrobat, which can be downloaded from the Adobe Creative Cloud here.

Graham Fellows Program Application 2025-26362.96 KB

For more information contact your faculty adviser, a Graham Fellows Program Center staff member, or one of the Graham Fellows Program Leadership Committee members.

Student Responsibilities

The Graham Fellows Program for Entrepreneurial Leadership at Penn State York is an opportunity for students to develop their leadership skills and be exposed to entrepreneurial thinking through participation in planned activities and potential internship experiences. These activities are designed to prepare students for future opportunities in their chosen careers.

Responsibilities

  1. Submit a completed application (available on the Penn State York website or at the Graham Fellows Program office, located in the Graham Center for Innovation and Collaboration). Once the application has been processed, the student must meet both with the Director of Advising and Career Development and the Director of the Graham Fellows Program. Upon successful completion of these steps, the student may be admitted to the Graham Fellows Program as a Graham Fellows Program Candidate.
  2. Participate in required activities for candidates. These include:
    • Graham Fellows Program Orientation
    • Business Etiquette session
    • Corporate Partners Networking
    • Emotional Intelligence session
    • A minimum of three events from the Graham Speakers Series per year
  3. Maintain a 3.0 overall grade-point average (GPA).
  4. Complete curriculum requirements in the categories of Entrepreneurship, Economics and Ethics, while an undergraduate student at Penn State. See the list of approved course options in the Graham Fellows Program for Entrepreneurial Leadership application.

Advising and Career Development

The Penn State York Advising and Career Development office is available to provide support to students accepted to the Graham Fellows Program and to ensure they are prepared to compete for internships and job opportunities. As part of the process of applying to the Graham Fellows Program, a student must complete a résumé review and mock interview with the director of Advising and Career Development.

The Graham Fellows Program

The Graham Fellows Program, located in the Graham Center for Innovation and Collaboration, is the hub of entrepreneurial leadership activities on campus where students can:

  • Gather and share ideas
  • Schedule time with the Graham Fellows Program director or staff
  • Access news and reference materials