National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellows Hone Skills, Build Community

September 17, 2019

Some of the most experienced and diversely talented professionals in the out-of-school time (OST) field will next week kick off a year-long fellowship to hone their leadership, research, and critical thinking skills. The third cohort of National Afterschool Matters (NASM) Fellows includes 16 members from 13 states across the U.S., who bring a range of experience in nonprofit and public OST settings.

The Fellowship, hosted by the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) offers mid-career OST professionals the opportunity to become part of a professional learning community where they reflect on, study, and assess their work to improve its quality and impact.

Georgia Hall, NIOST director and senior research scientist, said, "We have been privileged in the past several years to have worked with two enormously talented and enthusiastic groups of fellows. We know this third cohort will be equally energetic and dedicated to building quality out-of-school time experiences for children and youth in this country."

Not only has the experience deepened fellows’ personal skills, but it has also impacted the youth they serve in their communities. One 2017 fellow noted, “I was instrumental in starting a new music program for elementary students as a result of the research I conducted through the NASM Fellowship.”

Another 2017 fellow observed, “The NASM Fellowship connected me with colleagues across the country who are asking important questions about how to deepen and improve the afterschool field. The mentors and guidance around research and writing provided a unique and empowering professional development experience.”

The NASM Fellowship Program is part of the larger Afterschool Matters initiative at NIOST, which also includes publication of Afterschool Matters, a peer-reviewed journal that is produced semi-annually and highlights the work of OST researchers, NASM Fellows, OST practitioners, and other related professionals. Funding for the fellowship and the journal is provided by the Robert Bowne Foundation.

Visit Afterschool Matters to learn more.