AI Innovation Fellowships

List of 10 frequently asked questions.

• Who is eligible to apply for this fellowship?

  Like the Bowden Fellowships in the Humanities, the AI Innovation Fellowship is designed for current juniors in good standing at Ransom Everglades. The fellowship begins in the spring of the junior year and concludes in the winter of the senior year.

• Is this primarily a coding or technical project?

  It is much more than that. While technical development is part of it, the fellowship is deeply rooted in humanistic values. It focuses on identifying real-world problems within the school community and using AI to solve them in a way that enhances – rather than replaces – human purpose.

• What does a finished project look like?

  Fellows will present their findings and final project at the AI Innovation Symposium in January of their senior year and submit project documentation to the school’s archives.

• How much time will this take during the summer?

  June through August is the development and iteration phase. While students have flexibility, this is the most intensive period for building prototypes and testing. There are virtual mid-summer checkpoints and regular mentor meetings to keep projects on track.

• Will this interfere with senior year college applications?

  The fellowship is designed to be a significant but manageable commitment. The foundational work happens in the spring of junior year, and the bulk of development happens in the summer. By the fall of senior year, the focus shifts to refinement and preparing for the January symposium.

• Do students have to pay for the AI tools they use?

  No. The fellowship provides funding that can cover AI token costs, API access, software licenses and hardware materials. It may even cover travel costs or program fees related to the fellowship research if deemed essential to the project.

• What kind of mentorship is provided?

  Each fellow is paired with a primary faculty mentor. When necessary, the school will also facilitate connections with external mentors from universities or the technical industry to provide specialized expertise.

• Does the project have to solve a problem at Ransom Everglades?

  Yes. A key selection criterion is community impact. The committee looks for projects that meaningfully benefit the RE community, though they also consider if the solution could eventually scale beyond the school.

• What if a student has a great idea but isn't an AI expert yet?

  The foundations and planning phase (March-June) is specifically designed to build baseline literacy. Students will learn how models are trained, how to identify bias, and how to manage "hallucination" risks before they start building.

• What does ethical reasoning mean in this context?

  Students aren't just asked "Can we build this?" but "Should we build this?" They must consider who their solution might exclude, how it could be misused, and what unintended consequences might arise.