Student Leadership
& Fellowships
UNH students have spent summers and semesters at The Freedom Café through university fellowships, working behind the counter and leading projects that move the mission forward.
Small Family · Winant · Semester for Impact
Why fellows join us
Learn by doing, at a café with a mission.
Fellows split their time between the café counter and a project of their own. They learn how a nonprofit social enterprise runs, and how human trafficking connects to the products we buy every day.
Many of our fellows started as customers or volunteers. In their words, the café opened their eyes to exploitation happening “even down the street,” and showed them what they could do about it.
Fellowship programs
How students join us
Fellows come to the café through these university programs. Each one spends part of their time behind the counter and leads a project of their own.
Small Family Fellowship
An internship and fellowship program from UNH’s Department of Civic and Community Engagement. Fellows apply what they learn in class with local groups, businesses and organizations.
- Part-time work behind the café counter
- A project of the fellow’s own
- Professional development badge and end-of-summer showcase
Winant Fellowship
Created by UNH in 1982 and named after Governor John G. Winant. New Hampshire undergraduates serve their communities through a summer-long internship at a NH nonprofit or government agency.
- For undergraduates passionate about public service
- Open to New Hampshire residents
- A summer-long internship
Semester for Impact
Students take a nearly full-time internship during the semester while living on or near campus, and earn a full semester of course credit.
- Nearly full-time internship
- A full semester of course credit
- Fellows leave as AmeriCorps alumni
From our fellows
Past fellows, in their own words
Reports written by students who spent a semester or a summer at the café.
Summer 2024
Megan Schmidt Small Family Fellow
Worked behind the counter while taking on projects to improve the volunteer experience and create new outreach materials.
Read the reportSpring 2024
Suzie Scharff Semester for Impact Fellow
Her final assignment as a UNH undergraduate: a look back on a semester of research, presentations and community work at the café.
Read the reportSummer 2023
Christian Knightly Small Family Fellow, café management
Spent the summer learning to run the café and presented the work at the UNH Extension Student Summer Showcase.
Read the reportSummer 2023
Devon Morin Winant Fellow
Completed an internship at the café as a Winant fellow, working on the mission to end human trafficking.
Read the report
Life as a fellow
What fellows do at the café
Drawn from the reports of past fellows.
Real café experience
Fellows learn hospitality and café operations by working part-time behind the counter.
Work alongside our team
Fellows work with Bryan Bessette, our co-founder and Executive Director, and the café team.
Learn the issue
Fellows learn how human trafficking shows up in supply chains and communities, and how to talk about it.
Projects fellows have led From past fellowships
Behind the counter
HospitalityMaking drinks and crepes, welcoming guests and learning how the café runs day to day.
A project of your own
ProjectsPast projects include a wall of honor for donors and volunteers, acoustic panels for Perform for Freedom, standardized café processes and a Seacoast guide to ethical businesses.
Share what you learn
PresentingFellows have given short education talks at Perform for Freedom and presented their work at the UNH Extension Student Summer Showcase.
Interested in a fellowship?
Want to spend a summer or semester at the café?
Apply through your fellowship program and let them know you’d like to work with The Freedom Café, or send us a note and we’ll talk it through.
Direct Advisor & Student Inquiry
Send a quick note directly to Bryan Bessette.