June Notes for Watson and Fulbright Applicants

If you’re thinking about applying for a Fulbright or Watson nomination in the fall, you should start working on those applications. Many of you have already talked with me about your ideas or completed a preliminary application this spring. But yes, you can still apply for these in the fall even if you did not submit a preliminary application! Below are a few notes for those of you just considering these now or already working on the applications:

Dean Gates is happy to talk with you, answer questions and review essay drafts. You can email questions to fellowships@middlebury.edu and/or make appointments at go.middlebury.edu/appt . Dean Gates has limited appointment hours during the summer.

Make sure you know the internal deadlines and application processes! See https://go.middlebury.edu/fulbright and https://go.middlebury.edu/watson for details. We often get questions that can be answered by reviewing the information on these pages, so please review carefully and then send me your questions. You will also find information about internal deadlines and application instructions on these pages. Note: the fellowships office must register Watson applicants in the online Watson system. As of today, everyone who has notified us of their interest has been registered! If you can’t find a link, check your junk/clutter/spam filters. For technical or password problems with the Watson online system, you must contact the Watson office for help.

If you haven’t sent in a preliminary application for Watson or Fulbright, you can still apply! Alumni, you can apply for Fulbright through Middlebury; you just have to follow our process and campus deadlines. At this point in the summer, I recommend you start working on the applications themselves (not the preliminary application form) and email or talk with Dean Gates about your ideas or questions. The online applications for both are open and you can begin working on those.

For more Fulbright info, check out the webinars offered by the Fulbright team–see the schedule here: https://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/information-sessions. There are some great sessions coming up, including answering the short answer questions on the Fulbright application and office hours focused on the Study/Research and ETA grants with program staff.

Watson and Fulbright Internal Deadlines

Yes, deadlines are fast approaching. Summer is officially over.

Watson internal deadline: Wednesday, Sept 9 at noon. To apply for nomination, complete the required sections of the Watson online application and send an email to fellowships@middlebury.edu with a Banner transcript (advising format if possible), the names of your recommenders. In the subject line, write “Watson internal application.” We will download your online Watson app and share the materials with our selection committee. Candidates will be invited to interview with the committee in early October. See go/watson for the applicant timeline and checklist if you’ve forgotten what to complete on the Watson online application!

Fulbright internal deadline: Monday, Sept 14 at noon. Please submit your complete, final, polished application in the Fulbright online system by this deadline. If you have recommendations or affiliations that will be late, let us know. If there are errors on the transcript we sent you, let us know. If you can’t submit because you are missing recommendations, email fellowships@middlebury.edu . If there are typos or problems we discover after you submit, never fear: you have time to fix these issues. You will receive an interview sign-up sheet later on 9/14 for your campus committee interview (via Zoom).

Questions or problems: email us at fellowships.@middlebury.edu .

Drop-In Sessions For Current Fulbright and Watson Applicants on 9/1

Lisa Gates will be hosting Fulbright and Watson application help sessions on Tuesday, September 1, 2020.

Current fall 2020 applicants are welcome to drop-in the Zoom room with questions about the application or internal application process. This will be an open session for whoever wants to drop in!

Watson questions welcome from 9-10 a.m.

Fulbright questions from 10-11 a.m.

Register for Watson to get the zoom link at https://middlebury-ctlr.libcal.com/event/7058454

Register for Fulbright to get the zoom link at https://middlebury-ctlr.libcal.com/event/7058452

Upcoming Fulbright Webinars–check it out!

Upcoming Webinars for Applicants:

A full list of Applicant webinars can be found on the Information Sessions page of the website. All applicant webinars are recorded and can be accessed throughout the competition on the Recorded Webinars webpage. 

Fulbright Program: Panel Discussion “Race, Justice, and the Global Civil Rights Struggle” on 7/1!

Join Dr. LaNitra M. Berger, Senior Director of Fellowships in the Office of Undergraduate Education and affiliate faculty in the African and African American Studies Program, for an expert panel discussion entitled, “Race, Justice, and the Global Civil Rights Struggle” sponsored by the Fulbright Program in the U.S. Department of State on Wednesday, July 1, from 3-4:30pm EDT. 

This virtual event is free and open to the public. The program will engage an interdisciplinary panel of Fulbright alumni experts in an academic discussion designed to deepen our understanding of racial injustice and contemporary issues in policing and criminal justice, and to contextualize our current moment in the global history of the civil rights struggle. Please see below for the panelist bios. 

Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/6015930337764/WN_GriZQL5cTkmuwG9T_Y7JRw

Moderator: LaNitra M. Berger is the senior director of fellowships in the Office of UndergraduateEducation and affiliate faculty in the African and African American Studies Program at George Mason University.