the emily stover DEROCCO FELLOWShip

Building the Next Generation of Women Leaders in Manufacturing

The DeRocco Fellowship honors the legacy of Emily Stover DeRocco by preparing the next generation of women manufacturing leaders through mentorship, professional development, industry experience, and career-launching opportunities.

Investing in talented women and the future of American manufacturing.

About the Fellowship Get Involved
Young women collaborating around a table with a tablet and printed plans
Woman wearing safety glasses working at a computer in an engineering lab
Three women reviewing a handheld device on a manufacturing floor

Our Mission

Inspired by Emily Stover DeRocco’s belief in the power of opportunity to create possibility – and in the responsibility to create opportunities for others – the DeRocco Fellowship equips the next generation of women leaders in manufacturing with the mentorship, leadership development, and meaningful industry connections to turn opportunity into impact.

About Us

  • Applications for the 2027 DeRocco Fellowship are now open.

    Apply Now

  • Know a future leader in manufacturing? Encourage her to apply.

The Fellowship Experience

The DeRocco Fellowship is a high-touch leadership and professional development experience designed to complement summer internships for women interested in careers in advanced manufacturing.

Selected through a competitive application and interview process, Fellows become part of a small cohort where they receive individualized mentorship, participate in virtual professional development sessions, and come together for an immersive in-person workshop that includes participation in a national manufacturing-related conference.

Small cohorts make the experience personal and meaningful. Fellows build relationships with accomplished women leaders in manufacturing, gain insight into the industry and its opportunities, and develop the confidence, skills, and connections to launch their careers.

And Fellows become part of a community. They build lasting relationships with like-minded peers and begin developing a professional network that can support them throughout their careers in manufacturing.

Learn More About Eligibility Apply Now
Woman working on a laptop in a manufacturing workshop

Invest in the Future of Manufacturing Leadership

The DeRocco Fellowship is a 501(c)3 non-profit and is made possible through the support of individuals and industry partners who believe in the importance of strengthening the leadership pipeline in advanced manufacturing and recognize the opportunity to engage more women in this field.

Donor support helps fund:

  • Leadership and professional development programming
  • Travel and participation in the in-person workshop and conference
  • Mentor engagement and cohort activities
  • Continued alumni engagement and growth

Whether you’re an individual or organization, your support helps expand leadership opportunities for women in manufacturing.

Support the Fellows
Emily Stover DeRocco

“Work Hard at Work Worth Doing”

— Emily Stover DeRocco

Emily Stover DeRocco was a connector. She believed in “linking and leveraging” people and resources for the greater good. Whether in her role as Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Labor, the President of the Manufacturing Institute, or in any of her many leadership roles on corporate and academic boards, Emily believed in the power of work and the right for every individual to have the opportunity to “work hard at work worth doing.”

The DeRocco Fellowship has been created to honor the impact of Emily’s career in education and workforce development and to provide a pathway to leadership for young women in advanced manufacturing, the industry sector that was closest to Emily’s heart and the focus of the last 10 years of her career.

Emily Stover DeRocco left this world unexpectedly in 2021. The volunteer team behind the DeRocco Fellows are colleagues and friends who are committed to seeing Emily’s legacy and impact continue.

Get Involved Support the Fellows

DeRocco Spotlights

  • The biggest gift this fellowship has given me was the mentorship program. My mentor has been an unwavering source of guidance, resources, and encouragement in our weekly 1:1s. She has been a true champion helping me prepare for my next steps in my professional career!

    Brinley Jordan

    Brinley Jordan

    2025 DeRocco Fellow

    DeRocco Fellows

  • Through this fellowship, I have had the privilege of growing both personally and professionally through workshops, mentorship, and connecting with others in the manufacturing industry.

    Genevieve Powell

    Genevieve Powell

    2025 DeRocco Fellow

    DeRocco Fellows

  • I am beyond grateful for this opportunity and excited to grow as a woman in STEM through all of the experiences offered by this fellowship.

    Laila Abbas

    Laila Abbas

    2025 DeRocco Fellow

    DeRocco Fellows

  • Thank you DeRocco Fellows! This was one of the most enjoyable professional experiences and I am so grateful for you including me in the program. Brinley Jordan is an amazing Fellow and Emily would be so proud that we selected her.

    Lisa Masciantonio

    Lisa Masciantonio

    2025 Mentor and Chief Workforce Officer ARM Institute

The Latest News and Updates

The DeRocco Dispatch

Get updates, announcements, and stories from the DeRocco Fellowship community working to expand opportunity and shape the future of manufacturing.

  • 2026 DeRocco Fellows at a luncheon during the HI-TEC Conference, with the Fellows shown on screen
    3–4 minutes

    Mentorship: Where Experience Meets Opportunity

    October 26, 2026

    Mentorship is an important component of the DeRocco Fellowship experience. Each DeRocco Fellow is paired…
    Read More
  • DeRocco Fellows seated at a panel table with microphones at the HI-TEC Conference
    1–2 minutes

    Distinguished National Leaders Join DeRocco Fellows Advisory Board to Advance Women’s Leadership in Manufacturing

    August 14, 2026

    A distinguished group of national leaders in manufacturing, workforce development, and higher education has come…
    Read More
  • DeRocco Fellows at a luncheon table during the HI-TEC Conference in Austin
    2–3 minutes

    The DeRocco Fellowship Announces 2026 Cohort of Emerging Women Leaders in Manufacturing

    August 14, 2026

    Eleven women from colleges and universities across the country are spending the summer solving engineering…
    Read More
View All

Partners in the Work

  • LIFT
  • Anthology Communications
  • NextFlex
  • Endress+Hauser
  • Amatrol
  • Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC
  • IACMI – The Composites Institute
Become a Partner

Questions

Find answers about the fellowship, application process, and how to get involved.

Reach out

Fellows work directly with advanced manufacturing employers on real projects and challenges. You’ll earn a competitive wage while gaining hands-on experience, working alongside mentors who invest in your development. The placement typically runs ten weeks during the summer.

Fellowship applications for Summer 2027 are open.  Vist the Fellowship Page to learn more. You will be contacted within 10 days of submitting your application.

Fellows should plan to participate in various programming components:
• 2-3 days for an in-person workshop held mid-summer (location to be determined).
• 3-5 hours per month for virtual workshops and mentorship sessions.

The fellowship program will run from June through August.  Specific dates for 2027 are coming soon.

DeRocco Fellows are not paid outside of what they are paid by their employer for their internship work experience.  However, all travel costs, hotel, and meal expenses related to participating in the in-person workshop will be covered by DeRocco Fellowship.