As this year’s Global Poverty and Practice (GPP) graduates stepped onto the stage to receive their diplomas, they carried with them a hard-earned insight: the injustices they spent years studying weren’t distant or theoretical — they were urgent and unfolding all around them. Their time in the program has prepared them to enter the world beyond Berkeley with a strong sense of purpose, ready to confront poverty in a time of growing global uncertainty.
AgriSolar — a mobile and scalable solar-powered irrigation system designed for smallholder farmers’ accessibility and affordability — took home top honors and the first-ever Biggie trophy in the 12th annual Big Ideas Grand Prize Pitch Day on May 7.
Ekta Raghuwanshi and Maria Denna, her MDevEng classmate, worked at A Better Education Club as part of an internship pilot program that DevEng and ABE Club look to expand in the coming years. The organization, based in Kenya's southwestern region of Kasigau, supports youth education and women’s empowerment by focusing on health, food security, hygiene, and farming practices.
Sam Goldman
March 21, 2025
6 mins
Host and Fellow Responsibilities
Host Organizations
Identify staff supervisor to manage I&E Climate Action Fellow
Submit fellowship description and tasks
Engage in the matching process
Mentor and advise students
Communicate with Berkeley program director and give feedback on the program.
Berkeley Program Director
Communicate with host organizations, students, and other university departments to ensure smooth program operations
Student Fellows
Complete application and cohort activities
Communicate with staff and host organizations
Successfully complete assignments from host organization during summer practicum
Summarize and report summer experience activities post-fellowship