The 2024-2025 Allen C. Crocker Family Fellowship

Now Accepting Applications

What is the Allen C. Crocker Family Fellowship? 

The Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Network created the Allen C. Crocker Family Fellowship in 2012. The Fellowship celebrates the work of Dr. Allen C. Crocker and his devotion to families of children with disabilities.

The Fellowship is for family members of individuals with developmental disabilities. If you are accepted into the Fellowship, you will be called a Crocker Fellow.

As a Crocker Fellow, you will come up with a project idea. Staff from the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) will meet with you regularly to check in on your progress and help as needed. We will help you develop leadership skills and learn about disability policy, disability services, and disability supports.

What organizations are involved in the Fellowship? 

  • Institute for Community Inclusion at the UMass Boston and Boston Children’s Hospital (University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities)
  • E.K. Shriver Center, UMass Chan Medical School (University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities)
  • Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council
  • Disability Law Center 

What do Crocker Fellows do?

First, come up with a project idea. 

As a Crocker Fellow, you will work on a project. Some project ideas include: 

  • advocating for people with disabilities
  • looking at disability policy
  • doing disability research
  • working on other projects that help make life better for people with developmental disabilities and their families 

While you work on your project, you will also learn about: 

  • disability policy and other public policy issues
  • the legislative process
  • how to advocate at the state house
  • what disability agencies do in Massachusetts
  • how to create change 

We strongly discourage applications for the development of a website or other online tools. Websites and other online tools are complex to develop and maintain after the Fellowship.

What are the Fellowship activities? 

As a Crocker Fellow, you will work on your project for 9–12 months. You will also do other activities, such as:

  • Join meetings. Go to meetings at the ICI and other organizations to help with your project.
  • Go to Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Fellowship classes. These classes will be held in Boston though you may be able to participate online (on Zoom). Classes are every Friday morning from September to May.
  • Participate in trainings. The ICI and the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Network programs host trainings and other leadership activities.
  • Go to conferences and other events. Fellows will participate in disability advocacy and public policy events in Massachusetts.
  • Give a presentation. After your Fellowship, you will present your Fellowship accomplishments at Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Network meetings. You can also give a presentation at a regional or national meeting with other people from the ICI. You can present a paper, present a poster, or give a talk.

How long is the Fellowship? 

The Crocker Fellowship is 1 year long. It goes from July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025. Crocker Fellows will spend up to 20 hours each week on Fellowship activities.

Do Crocker Fellows get paid? 

Yes, Crocker Fellows get a total of $20,000 for the year. Fellows get paid each month or every three months, depending on their preference. 

Where is the Fellowship? 

The Crocker Fellowship is at the ICI in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Crocker Fellows can work remotely and/or in person at the ICI.

Am I eligible for the Fellowship? 

If you answer “yes” to all these questions, you are eligible to apply:

  • Do you live in Massachusetts?
  • Do you have a family member with a disability? 
  • Do you want to learn skills for working in the disabilities field?

We strongly encourage people with disabilities from historically marginalized groups to apply. This may include people with disabilities who are Asian, Black, Indigenous, immigrants, LGBTQ+, and Latine.

Can I work with another friend or family member for the Fellowship? 

Yes. The Fellowship is designed for one person, but two family members can apply together. Also, you don’t have to be related to each other. If you have a friend who also meets the eligibility requirements, you can both apply together. If you apply with another person, you will split the money and Fellowship resources. 

How can I learn more about the Crocker Fellowship?

You can attend a webinar on Wednesday, March 13 at 12:00 to ask questions and learn more about the Crocker Fellowship. You can register here. We will record the webinar. You can watch the recorded webinar on our website after April 1.

Application Questions 

How can I apply for the Fellowship? 

Follow these instructions to apply for the Crocker Fellowship:

1. You can submit a written proposal or you can submit a video proposal. Your proposal must include:

  • your name
  • your project title: a name that describes your project
  • your background and disability experience
  • a description of the project you want to work on in your Fellowship
  • why you want to work on this project
  • what your project involves: your project goals and activities
  • what you hope will happen if you do this project: your project outcomes and impact
  • how your project will impact people with disabilities and their families (including how your project may impact people with disabilities who are Asian, Black, Indigenous, immigrants, LGBTQ+, and Latine)
  • what you want to do after the Fellowship: your vision for how you want to work in the disability field
  • what kind of training or support you will need during the Fellowship

2. Include your resume 

3. Include three letters of reference from people who have worked with you 

4. Email your proposal, resume, and three letters of reference to Berenise Reyes-Albino at Berenise.albino@umb.edu. Your email subject line should be: “Crocker Fellowship - (your last name)” by April 12 at 5pm. 

Important Dates 

Informational webinar: March 13, 2024 12:00pm

Application deadline:  April 12, 2024 5:00pm 

Interviews:  May 2024

Crocker Fellow announced:  Early June, 2024

Fellowship begins: July, 2024

Fellowship ends: June 30, 2025 

How do you decide who will get to be the 2024-2025 Allen C. Crocker Family Fellow? 

We will review all fellowship applications. We will decide who is the Fellow based on: 

  • how original the project idea is
  • how much of a need there is for the project
  • how big of an impact the project will have on people with disabilities
  • how realistic the project is for the amount of time you have
  • how much you will benefit from the Crocker Fellowship 

Do you have any other questions about the Fellowship? 

Contact Berenise Reyes-Albino by phone at 617-287-4314 or berenise.albino@umb.edu . 

Who is Dr. Allen C. Crocker? 

Dr. Allen C. Crocker was a doctor who worked with children with disabilities. He worked as a doctor for 60 years at Boston Children’s Hospital. He was the person who started the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI), which was originally called the Developmental Evaluation Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital. 

Dr. Crocker was not only a world- renowned physician but also an advocate for children with complex care needs and their families. His leadership was influential in Boston, throughout Massachusetts, and across the country as he helped to pioneer the field of developmental-behavioral pediatrics. His dedication to children and their families was legendary.