Benedictine University (BenU) student Julia Alch has been named a recipient of the competitive Bridgebuilders Relating Across Interfaith Differences (BRAID) Fellowship by Interfaith America, a national nonprofit organization. The fellowship recognizes and cultivates promising undergraduate leaders committed to fostering cooperation and understanding across religious and philosophical differences.
The BRAID Fellowship selects a diverse national cohort of students each year. Fellows receive advanced training, mentorship, and funding to develop and lead interfaith bridgebuilding projects on their campuses.
The fellowship aligns closely with BenU’s mission and values, particularly its commitment to community, hospitality, and the common good. As a BRAID Fellow, Alch will design and facilitate a campus project aimed at building respect and collaborative relationships across different faiths, worldviews, and backgrounds.
Interfaith America states that the fellowship aims to equip students with “the vital skills, training, education, and experience they need to become interfaith bridgebuilding leaders on their campuses and in their communities.” Fellows learn principles of interfaith cooperation and develop practical leadership capacities through community-based learning and project implementation.
Alch will begin the fellowship with pre-work this winter and continue through the Interfaith Leadership Summit in August 2026. The Benedictine University community looks forward to supporting her journey and the impactful dialogue her work will inspire on campus.
