In late June, fellows from the recently graduated cohort engaged in a warm and spirited dialogue with a group similar to them in age and interests, from public health to materials science. The difference across which they were communicating? The young alumni from the US institution were meeting with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) interns in Athens, most of whom hail from Greece.
Taking part in a now-annual tradition, 18 recent Penn graduates traveled to Greece to learn about civil society in the country, meeting with community groups and touring historic sites. At SNF’s office in Athens, they heard about the Foundation’s approach to grantmaking, focusing particularly on its ongoing Global Health Initiative (GHI) and the public-private nature of the GHI’s bid to improve access to quality health services in Greece. The fellows asked insightful questions about SNF’s work, “double-clicking” on issues like the sustainability of systemic upgrades in care.
They also used what they’d learned in their civics-focused fellowship to facilitate a dialogue with SNF interns which quickly evolved into a warm and flowing conversation, overspilling the allotted time to become an organic, hours-long hangout.
Launched as a pilot in 2019 with a grant from the Foundation, SNF Paideia’s has become a fixture of the student experience on Penn’s campus, expanding to reach more students through offerings like the fellowship with additional support from SNF.