Delegate Applications for Yenching Global Symposium Due 1/31/24

Middlebury seniors and alumni are invited to apply for the 2024 Yenching Global Symposium (YGS), the annual flagship conference of the Yenching Academy of Peking University. This is a fully-funded symposium taking place at Peking University in Beijing, China, from April 11 to 14, 2024. The application link and more information regarding eligibility criteria for“Equilibrium: Our World in Balance” can be found here. Applications opened on January 1, 2024 and will close at 11:59pm CST on January 31, 2024.

The theme of this year’s Symposium is “Equilibrium: Our World in Balance”. Finding equilibrium in light of changes in technology, the natural world, and human culture is key to promoting shared prosperity in the 21st century. Focusing on the interplay between these dynamic forces, YGS 2024 will examine how societies respond to contemporary challenges and how the local cultural, economic, and political contexts shape these responses. Fully in person for the first time since COVID-19, this three-day, fully-funded interdisciplinary conference will dive into a wide range of topics from artificial intelligence to China’s eco-cities to expression of nature through literature and artwork. 

YGS consists of engaging lectures, panel discussions, and interactive sessions about China’s impact on the world and the influence that the world has on China. The Symposium serves as a platform for today’s leaders to share their insights with a select audience of 200 students and young professionals from around the world, all united by their passion for exploring China’s role in their work and research.

Blakemore Fellowship for Asian Language Study, Deadline Dec. 30, 2023

The Blakemore Foundation is now accepting applications for its  Blakemore Freeman Fellowships for Advanced Asian Language Study and the new Blakemore Kingfisher Art History Language Fellowships. Both programs provide full tuition and a stipend for living, travel and study expenses at approved language programs in Asia for an academic year of full-time intensive language study during the 2024/2025 academic year.

Blakemore Freeman Fellowships for Advanced Asian Language Study are awarded to graduating seniors, college graduates, graduate students and young/mid-career professionals for advanced study of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Khmer, Thai, or Vietnamese in Asia.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States, have completed (at minimum) the third year of study of the Asian language, and are ready to advance to professional fluency.

Blakemore Kingfisher Art History Language Fellowships will be awarded for study of Chinese or Korean in East Asia. These grants are open to citizens and permanent residents of the United States and Canada who have a well-demonstrated intent to study the pre-twentieth century history of Chinese or Korean art at the doctoral level. Applicants must have received a bachelor’s degree by the start of a grant and have completed (at minimum) two years of classroom study of the language in rigorous college-level language programs.

Who should apply? The Blakemore Foundation is looking for exceptional candidates who will make significant contributions to their career field. The ideal candidate is someone with stellar grades, outstanding recommendations, and a demonstrated commitment to the Asian country and language. Beyond commitment, we are looking for a mature purpose: a career path that will require and benefit from fluency in that Asian language throughout that individual’s life.

Applications may be submitted athttps://blakemorefoundation.communityforce.com with a deadline of December 30, 2023.  

More detailed information on our fellowship programs is available at www.blakemorefoundation.org

Approved Language Programs

● International Chinese Language Program at National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan
● Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China
● Inter-University Center for Korean Language Studies at Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul National University, Sogang University 
● Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies in Yokohama, Japan  (Blakemore Freeman Fellowships only)
In addition to Chinese, Japanese and Korean, Blakemore Freeman Fellowships are also available for advanced language study in: ● Thailand ● Vietnam ● Indonesia ● Cambodia   

Graduate Study in China with the Yenching Scholarship; Application Deadline December 3

The Yenching Academy offers a highly customizable Master’s program in China studies for English speakers with varied levels of Chinese language competency. At the core of the program lies its emphasis on interdisciplinarity and the value it assigns to thinking about China; past, present and future – from both Chinese and international perspectives. It also aims to push the study of China beyond the boundaries of traditionally defined humanities and social science disciplines, and is designed to incorporate the experiences and intellectual training of a diverse international student body.

2024 Applicant Qualifications
Application for the 2024 cohort of Yenching Scholars will be open from August
15 to December 3, 2023. Candidates must submit all materials before 12:00 noon
(Beijing time) on the deadline. Letters of recommendation must also be received by
this deadline. See https://yenchingacademy.pku.edu.cn/ADMISSIONS.htm
Eligibility

  • Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in any field, or be currently enrolled in a
    Bachelor degree program and be on track to graduate no later than August 31
    of the year in which they wish to enroll;
  • An outstanding academic record;
  • Strong interest in interdisciplinary study of China;
  • A record of extracurricular achievement, community engagement, social
    responsibility, and leadership potential;
  • English proficiency.
  • While there is no age cut-off for applicants, the average age of students entering the
    program is 23. No one older than 28 has been admitted.

Questions? Contact fellowships@middlebury.edu .

Fulbright Info Sessions in August

Fulbright applicants, check out these info sessions run by Fulbright!

Student Webinar Schedule

Alumni Ambassador Panel – BIPOC 
August 4, 2023 | 3pm-4pm Eastern Time   
 
Alumni Ambassador Panel – ETA 
August 8, 2023 | 2pm-3pm Eastern Time 

Study/Research Q&A Webinar 
August 10, 2023 | 2pm-3pm Eastern Time     

ETA Q&A Webinar 
August 14, 2023 | 4pm-5pm Eastern Time 

Regional Office Hours: East Asia/Pacific 
August 16, 2023 | 4pm-5pm Eastern Time 

Regional Office Hours: South/Central Asia 
August 18, 2023 | 4pm-5pm Eastern Time     

Regional Office Hours: Europe/Eurasia (Study/Research) 
August 21, 2023 | 4pm-5pm Eastern Time 

August 15 “Intent to Apply” Deadline for Fulbright Applicants

Yes, August 15 is the day! If you’re applying for a Fulbright grant through Middlebury (seniors and alumni welcome!), we STRONGLY encourage you to submit draft materials by this deadline. Why do this? Two reasons: we guarantee that we will provide feedback on your essays and application and we’ll provide you with a nice pdf of your official transcript for your application. You can still apply if you miss this deadline, but we can’t guarantee the feedback or the transcript.

How do you submit your materials? You will do this through Middlebury Apply . You will need to have submitted a registration and Fulbright preliminary application to do this. If you need instructions, visit go/fulbright . Contact fellowships@middlebury.edu with questions!