{"id":2719,"date":"2025-07-29T15:37:20","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T15:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/?post_type=furman-update&p=2719"},"modified":"2025-07-29T15:37:20","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T15:37:20","slug":"riley-institute-at-furman-announces-2025-26-afterschool-policy-fellows","status":"publish","type":"furman-update","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/riley\/news\/riley-institute-at-furman-announces-2025-26-afterschool-policy-fellows\/","title":{"rendered":"Riley Institute at Furman Announces 2025-26 Afterschool Policy Fellows"},"content":{"rendered":"

FOR INFORMATION:<\/strong>
\nClaudia Winkler
\nDirector, Marketing and Communications
\nThe Riley Institute at Furman University
\n864.294.3368; Claudia.winkler@furman.edu<\/p>\n

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:<\/p>\n

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RILEY INSTITUTE AT FURMAN ANNOUNCES<\/strong> 2025-26 <\/strong>AFTERSCHOOL POLICY FELLOWS<\/strong><\/p>\n

The White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellowship creates opportunities for a nationwide network of leaders to harness their collective expertise to expand and improve afterschool and summer learning programming.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

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GREENVILLE, S.C.\u2014 The White-Riley-Peterson (WRP) Policy Fellowship has selected 17 afterschool leaders from across the nation to participate in this prestigious 10-month program, designed to equip fellows with the policy knowledge to effectively advocate for afterschool and summer programs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Offered by the Riley Institute at Furman University and funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the WRP Fellowship is in its fourteenth year and has graduated 208 leaders from all 50 states. The latest cohort of WRP Fellows will gather this September at Furman University to build community and learn collaboratively. Over the next 10 months, they will participate in a hybrid program combining virtual and in-person classes that will consider how to establish state-level funding mechanisms and funding streams and how to identify and set state priorities to support expanded and afterschool learning, among other topics.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

WRP fellows will learn from policy experts across the country and have access to national networking opportunities made possible by the Afterschool Alliance and the 50 State Afterschool Network. Fellows will put these new policy skills to use as they develop and launch a range of afterschool-related policy projects in their home states. Past WRP projects have educated local and state leaders about the use of billions in afterschool dollars and have resulted in greater prioritization of learning opportunities outside of the regular school day.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOur past WRP Fellows have an impressive track record conveying the importance of afterschool and summer learning across all states and securing significant investments in this critical component of our public education system,\u201d said Sara Beanblossom, director of the White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellowship. \u201cI am excited to see what this new group of leaders will accomplish in their home states and beyond. By fostering a nationwide coalition of visionary leaders and policy advocates in this space, we are supporting American families and enriching the educational experiences of children and youth across the country.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The 2025-26 White-Riley-Peterson Policy Fellows are:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n