The Mind Trust opens applications for fourth cohort of Emerging Leaders Fellowship
INDIANAPOLIS – (December 2, 2025) – The Mind Trust, an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit, is excited to announce the opening of applications for the fourth cohort of the Emerging Leaders Fellowship, a three-year program designed to help educators grow their leadership skills and expand their impact on students in Indianapolis.
The fellowship provides a unique opportunity for educators to accelerate their professional development through high-quality training, individualized coaching, and immersive experiences that build their capacity as leaders. Fellows also receive a $30,000 stipend, split over three years, contingent on remaining at their school throughout the fellowship. Since 2023, thirteen Emerging Leaders Fellows representing ten Indianapolis charter and innovation schools have participated in the fellowship.
“The Mind Trust looks forward to supporting a new cohort of educators who are committed to delivering life-changing outcomes for students,” said Luke Lennon, Vice President of Talent and School Growth at The Mind Trust. “Through the Emerging Leaders Fellowship, passionate educators will accelerate their impact within their school communities, helping to build a stronger education talent pipeline in Indianapolis.”
About The Mind Trust’s Emerging Leaders Fellowship
The Emerging Leaders Fellowship is ideal for educators who are in leadership roles such as Director of Special Education, Assistant Principal, Multilingual Learners Coordinator, or Dean of Culture and are currently employed at an Indianapolis charter or innovation network school.
Over three years, fellows engage in a cohort-based experience that includes in-person and virtual training sessions, school visits, and opportunities to learn from national and local education leaders. Fellows focus on personal leadership development in the first year, expand their school-level impact in the second year, and explore systemic challenges and solutions in the final year.
Each fellow receives coaching and professional development tailored to their unique role and professional goals, along with the opportunity to complete a fellow-led project that benefits their school community.
Emerging Leaders Fellowship Application Process
Interested educators can access the application at themindtrust.org/emerging-leaders-fellowship. Applicants will complete an online application, submitting two professional letters of recommendation, an updated resume, a data worksheet illustrating how the leader uses data to inform decision-making or progress monitoring, and a video showcasing their leadership. All materials are due on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 11:59pm EST.
The Mind Trust will have upcoming opportunities for interested applicants to learn more about the application process, the fellowship experience, and meet current cohort members. Fellows will be selected by May 2026 and will begin the fellowship experience in summer 2026.
To learn more about the current cohort of Emerging Leaders Fellows, visit themindtrust.org/fellows. For more information about all of The Mind Trust’s fellowships, visit themindtrust.org/fellowships.
About The Mind Trust
The Mind Trust is an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit that works to build a system of schools that gives every student, no exceptions, access to a high-quality education. The Mind Trust does this by building a supportive environment for schools through policy and community engagement, empowering talented, diverse educators to launch new schools, and providing existing schools with the support they need to hire world-class talent and achieve excellence. Since 2006, The Mind Trust has supported the launch of more than 50 schools, 15 education nonprofit organizations, and has helped place over 1,800 teachers and school leaders in Indianapolis.