Qualifications

The following are requirements to qualify for a Harvey Fellowship:

Christian Faith
All persons receiving support from the Mustard Seed Foundation must demonstrate personal faith in Jesus Christ and desire to serve and witness in His name. The Lausanne Covenant best articulates the theological vision of the Mustard Seed Foundation. All applicants must affirm the Lausanne Covenant as an expression of their faith and theological understanding; OR submit a statement in their application articulating how their theological understanding differs from the Covenant. In addition, the Foundation expects a strong correlation between a successful applicant and involvement in his/her local church.

Graduate Study
An individual must be enrolled in or have applied to a full-time graduate program. The Harvey Fellowship is not awarded to individuals pursuing undergraduate degrees, post-doctorate or non-degree programs, or part-time studies.

Premier Institutions
An individual must be attending or applying to a premier university — typically those with an internationally recognized reputation as a “top five” program in the specific discipline, or studying with an advisor (and/or team) who is an internationally recognized expert in their field — which will likely position the individual for a career in top companies, institutions and organizations around the globe.

Strategic Fields
An individual must be able to demonstrate that their intended vocational field has a significant impact on society, and yet appears to be underrepresented by Christians. We understand that these fields may vary in different countries or contexts as applicants come from and are planning to work in different countries around the world. Therefore the applicant is responsible to make a strong case for the strategic nature and underrepresentation of Christians in the field or context in their application.

The most successful applicants tend to be preparing for careers in the following fields:

• Economics, business and finance in public and private sectors
• International diplomacy, security, and business
• Journalism and media
• Film production and visual and performing arts
• Public policy and federal, state, and major city government
• Applied and theoretical sciences
• Research, teaching, and administration at premier colleges and universities

Vocations we do not consider a priority for this fellowship include: work within a church or religious organization, civil service, elementary and secondary education, homemaking, farming, not-for-profit relief and economic development, military service, private practice law or medicine, clinical psychology or counseling, social work, professional sports, and other fields that traditionally have attracted a higher percentage of Christians. While we value these disciplines and those who work in them, the purpose of this fellowship is to encourage scholarship and vocational pursuits in areas of significant societal influence in which a Christian presence is perceived to be minimal.