As senior director of development at Miller Center for Global Impact, I’ve long been dedicated to our mission to end global poverty and protect the planet. But a simple question from a partner stuck with me: “How do you know your work is making a difference?”
That question led me to join a Miller Center immersion trip to Mexico City. It was a pivotal experience—one that reminded me that to truly understand our impact, we must engage directly with the real-world work of social entrepreneurs. It also affirmed my deep belief in the power of our new Legacy Fellowship, a program designed to give others this same opportunity to reconnect with purpose and witness impact firsthand.
In Mexico, I met the artisans behind Someone Somewhere in Puebla, who are paid fair wages for their exceptional embroidery. Their stories highlighted the dignity and value that ethical business practices can bring to entire communities. At Iluméxico, I saw how solar energy is reaching off-grid homes through creative pay-as-you-go models. And Extensio/Acceso introduced me to agtech solutions helping smallholder farmers adapt to changing conditions—tools that could mean the difference between a harvest and a loss.
These moments brought the work to life. And they echo the kind of powerful encounters our Legacy Fellows will experience in India during their 10-day immersion trip from January 30 to February 8, 2026.
Throughout that journey—spanning Bangalore, Pune, and Goa—Fellows will visit organizations like Sistema.bio, where cow manure is converted into clean energy and fertilizer; Hippocampus Learning Centres, which bring education to underserved communities; and Noora Health, which trains family members to deliver essential health care at home. They’ll also engage with Agrivijay and Farmers for Forests, both working to promote renewable energy and sustainable land use in rural areas.
This immersion is the heart of the Legacy Fellowship, a program crafted for individuals in the second half of their careers who are looking to deepen their values, expand their impact, and discover what comes next. The Fellowship begins the week of September 29, 2025, with an 8-week hybrid course on leadership and social entrepreneurship, followed by an in-person convening during Miller Center’s In-Residence in October.
Through dialogue, reflection, and hands-on learning, Fellows will build a community of purpose and gain insights that last far beyond the program itself.
My time in Mexico reaffirmed what I’ve always believed: there is no substitute for seeing impact in action. The Legacy Fellowship offers that opportunity—a chance to step into the work, meet the changemakers, and reconnect with what matters most.
If you’re ready to explore what your legacy could be, I invite you to learn more. The deadline to apply is June 15, 2025, and space is limited.
Feel free to reach out—I’d be happy to share more.
Eli Latimerlo
Sr. Director of Development
elatimerlo@scu.edu
