USC Marshall’s Neely Center for Ethical Leadership and Decision Making is excited to announce the call for applications for the Neely Ethics & Technology Fellows Program for 2024-25. The Neely Fellows Program aims to support visionary graduate students poised to become the next generation of technology leaders. Each cohort explores and guides the development of a new area of transformative technology. The 2024-25 cohort will focus on Extended Reality (XR), with implications for a wide range of areas, such as entertainment, gaming, collaboration, policy, AI, education, healthcare, and more.
- Program Vision
- Program Deliverables
- Personal Impact Fund
- Program Benefits
- Time Commitment
- Eligibility
Program Vision:
The mission of the Neely Fellows program is to find and champion emerging tech leaders, equipping them to contribute thought leadership on ethics and technology, and preparing them to guide their future companies toward responsible use of new technology. Our 2024-25 cohort will focus on Extended Reality (XR) as it drives growth in industries set to reach $900 billion by 2030.
Program Deliverables:
A cohort of 5 elite student fellows will be selected for the program, running from October 2024 – through June 2025. We welcome applications from all full-time Marshall graduate students. During the program period, selected fellows will be expected to complete the following mandatory deliverables:
A Personal Impact Project: Research, analyze, and implement a purpose-driven project utilizing the Personal Impact Fund (more below). Projects should be meaningful, contribute to personal and professional development, and advance the principles of ethical leadership in the emerging XR sector. Our inaugural fellows explored a diverse range of innovative XR applications, including mixed reality in medical education, immersive advertisement, XR in fashion, trends in investment in XR, and more.
Regular meetings and collaborations: Attend regular meetings twice a month, factoring in class schedules. These sessions are designed for fellows to share their experiences, discuss progress on their projects, and address any challenges they might be facing. It’s an opportunity for collaborative problem-solving and continuous learning.
One field trip: Each fellow will be allocated a calendar month during which they will identify a company at the forefront of innovation in XR, then plan, organize, coordinate, and host a field trip to be attended by the full cohort and program advisors. Our 2024 cohort organized insightful visits to industry pioneers, including Cedars-Sinai Virtual Medicine Lab, Amaze VR, Magnopus, SandBox VR, among others.
Research and contribute case entries to the Neely XR Library: The Neely Center has created a unique repository of XR experiences aimed at achieving specific positive objectives such as health, productivity, fun, and learning. Neely Fellows will research, analyze, and propose 6 – 8 cases of purposeful innovations to the Neely XR Library.
Optional Deliverables:
Fellows may undertake optional projects in addition to the required deliverables, such as writing articles and blog posts for the Neely Substack and other pertinent channels and journals, and organizing speaker events with industry experts.
Personal Impact Fund:
Each fellow will have access to a $10,000 Personal Impact Fund that they can utilize toward achieving program deliverables, advancing the field, positioning themselves as an up-and-coming leader in the XR space, and developing their personal and professional career. The Personal Impact Fund will be administered by the Neely Center in accordance with USC reimbursement guidelines and policies. Allowable expenses include conference attendance, subscriptions, tech hardware, books, seeding startups, and event organization. Fellows must utilize their Personal Impact Fund by the end of the Program.
Program Benefits:
Access to a vibrant learning network: USC boasts multiple cutting-edge XR labs across the university. Fellows will learn about these hubs as well as have the opportunity to take part in interactive demos by industry leaders.
Opportunity to publish: The program will create opportunities for the fellows who are interested to publish papers and blog posts in the Neely Substack, newsletter, and other pertinent platforms.
Mentorship: Fellows will receive guidance and mentorship from industry insiders in XR (e.g., Roblox, Meta, Apple, Snap, Microsoft), as well as from expert research faculty across USC.
Networking: The Neely program staff and partners will create networking opportunities with leading tech companies to facilitate tailored support to each fellow, opening the way to secure desirable employment upon graduation. Fellows will also receive peer and Neely Fellows Alumni support, serving as a brain trust they will be able to tap into throughout their careers.
Time Commitment:
Personal Impact Project: This will likely require significant time, as it involves research, analysis, and implementation. Projected time commitment: an average of 4-6 hours per week.
Regular meetings: Meeting twice a month for around 1-2 hours per meeting. Projected time commitment: approximately 4 hours per month.
One field trip: Each fellow will be allocated a calendar month during which the fellow will plan, organize, coordinate, and host a field trip to be attended by the cohort as well as program advisors. Preparation of the field trip is likely to be spread over a few months. Projected time commitment: 10 – 15 hours throughout the program, averaging about 1 hour per week.
Research and contribute to the Neely XR Library: Creating 6 – 8 entries will require research, writing, and possibly some coordination. Projected time commitment: 1-2 hours per week.
Estimated weekly total: 7-10 hours per week.
In addition to the above, the fellows will be required to attend the program kick-off and wrap-up events which are projected to take about 1 workday.
Eligibility:
We welcome applications from all full-time Marshall graduate students.
The Neely Fellows Program is highly competitive and requires deep engagement from the fellows. However, the enriching and unique experiences it offers make it a worthwhile endeavor.
The 2024-25 application period is now open. Apply today!
“The Neely Fellowship has been an incredibly impactful experience for me. The dedicated mentors provided invaluable guidance, and the field trips to local startups and companies offered a unique glimpse into the innovative landscape of the mixed reality industry. This program has allowed me to deeply explore my interest in MedEd Tech, equipping me with tools I need to make an impact in the space.”
Nicole Zara Oparaugo 2023-24 Cohort
