The Unum Academy is a leadership accelerator of E Pluribus Unum (EPU) that aims to foster the personal and professional development of college students in the South who have an interest in addressing policies, practices, and structures that create inequality.  The program is structured around a traditional academic calendar. The fall and spring semesters are dedicated to receiving foundational leadership education, but also practical training in the methods, frameworks, and tools used by Project Directors and other practitioners in the areas of community building and organizational work through workshops that will be hosted on Zoom. During the summer, the program culminates in a paid internship with a community-focused organization in their local area. Internships are in-person in the city in which the Academy member either lives or attends school.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: APRIL 15th 

Eligibility

• Must be between the ages of 18-24 as of the start date of the program.
• Currently attending a 2 or 4 year college or university located in the American South*
• Will be enrolled at their institutions at least through Fall semester of 2026. 
• Must reside in the American South* when not in school (you do not have to reside in the same state where you attend school, but both states must be located in the American South).

*Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia

Program Requirements

Please note that applicants who are accepted into the program will be required to participate fully in all program components:

• In-Person Opening Conference in New Orleans, LA June 25 - 27, 2025.
• Virtual workshop sessions held every other week during the fall and spring semesters
• Mandatory Summer Internship in your home city during the summer of 2026
• In-Person Closing Conference in New Orleans, LA June 2026 (exact date TBD)

Unum Academy sessions will be held every other Tuesday 4:00pm - 5:30pm CT / 5:00pm-6:30pm ET with occasional extended sessions for special workshops. 

• The sessions will be held during Fall 2025 and Spring 2026. 
• The first session of Fall semester will be September 16, 2025. 
• The first session of Spring semester will be January 13, 2026. 
• Session attendance is mandatory. Please be sure that your class and work schedule will allow you to attend these sessions before applying. 
• The internship period will be June 1 - August 7, 2026. 

 

    If you have any questions about the program or application process, you can email Shauna at academy@unumfund.org.  

Here are some additional links for your reference:

• Unum Academy Information Sheet
• Unum Academy webpage
• E Pluribus Unum (EPU) website

Electronic Submissions:
 

• To submit an application, you will need to create a Submittable account. If you are experiencing difficulties, please visit the following link for directions on How to submit. All you need is an email and password to create your account, it's that simple. Visit this page for help or questions about using submittable.
• Once you start your application in Submittable, you will be able to save your draft and return to your saved draft at a later point in time.How do I return to a saved draft?
• Supported internet browsers include Google Chrome, Apple Safari, & Mozilla Firefox.
• If you have any technical issues, please contact Submittable through the following link: Submittable technical support