The Virginia Commonwealth University Humphrey Fellowship Program is a non-degree program providing midcareer professionals from developing countries with advanced leadership training that combines academic, practical and cultural activities. While VCU’s program focuses on substance abuse prevention and treatment, it also provides training in the broader public health field. VCU’s Humphrey Fellows enhance their professional knowledge and leadership abilities by drawing not only on the expertise of university faculty, but also through affiliations with community-based and state agencies, which provide real-world exposure to research, treatment, prevention and policy in a midsized American city.

The VCU Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies serves as the administrative home for the program and, working with faculty mentors, coordinates individualized program plans for
the Fellows as well as develops professional affiliations. The academic portion of VCU’s program is led by the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, a core department in the emerging School of Public Health. This department has lead responsibility for conducting the weekly Humphrey Seminar series, and it provides a variety of other course options for Fellows. The VCU Office of International Education assists Fellows in moving to Richmond, Va., provides housing options, identifies host families and offers numerous opportunities for a meaningful cultural experience.

In addition to VCU, primary support for the VCU Humphrey Fellowship Program comes from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and the National Institute on Drug Abuse International Program.

About the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program

The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program was initiated in 1978 to honor the memory and accomplishments of the late senator and vice president. The program brings accomplished professionals from designated countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Eurasia to the U.S. at a midpoint in their careers for a year of study and related professional experiences. Fellows are selected based on their potential for national leadership and a demonstrated commitment to public service in either the public or private sector.

The Humphrey Fellowship Program provides a basis for establishing long-lasting productive partnerships and relationships between U.S. citizens and their professional counterparts in other countries, fostering an exchange of knowledge and mutual understanding throughout the world.

“This, then, is the test we must set for ourselves; not to march alone but to march in such a way that others will wish to join us.” – Hubert H. Humphrey

For more on the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, visit the Institute of International Education.