Tag: graduate school

Rangel International Affairs Graduate Program Deadline September 19!

Lisa Gates / / Fellowships, Graduate School Funding

The Rangel Graduate Program deadline has been changed to September 19, 2016. The application is open and available at www.rangelprogram.org.  The Program supports graduate education for college seniors and recent graduates interested in careers as Foreign Service Officers. The program welcomes any undergraduate major and encourages applications from members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service and those with financial need.

 Applicants must be college seniors or graduates planning to start two-year graduate programs in fall 2017; must have GPAs of at least 3.2; and must be U.S. citizens.  The Rangel Graduate Fellowship Program provides benefits of up to $95,000 over two years toward a master’s degree, arranges internships on Capitol Hill and at U.S. embassies/consulates, provides mentorship and professional development support, and leads to a career in the State Department Foreign Service. Fellows must use the fellowship to attend two-year master’s programs at U.S.- based institutions to study an area of relevance to the Foreign Service, including international relations, public policy, public administration, economics, or business administration. Upon successful completion of the two-year fellowship and Foreign Service entry requirements, Fellows join the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State, embarking on a uniquely rewarding career of international service. There is a five-year service obligation.

 The Program is funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University.

Summer notes for fall 2016 British and Mitchell scholarship applicants–read carefully!

Lisa Gates / / Fellowships, Graduate School Funding, UK

For those applying for a British Scholarship (Churchill, Gates-Cambridge, Marshall, Mitchell, Rhodes) in the fall, read on for notes to help you structure your work on applications.
I am here during summer, but will be traveling too—so my ability to respond to you may be faster or slower depending on when you contact me. Available appointment hours are online at go/fellowships. Contact me at fellowships@middlebury.edu or x3183 with questions.

Please note: The schedule below is organized around the competitions requiring nomination by Middlebury. Nomination interviews took place in late spring for the Fall 2016 application cycle. Instructions are the same for those are being nominated and for those whose materials require a review before a decision about nomination is reached. For all candidates, you nomination is dependent on your continued work on these applications and your responsiveness to deadlines and requests from the fellowships office.

For direct apply fellowships–the Gates Cambridge and others–you do not need to be nominated to apply, but I am glad to talk with you about the process and discuss essays with you.  See list of other UK ideas here. [add link]

Application Process and Recommended Timetable (note the deadlines!):

Spring/summer: 1. Identify your potential recommenders for the various competitions and discuss your interest and proposed plans with them. Recommenders will need to submit letters (if you are nominated!) in the online application system by Friday, Sept. 23. Make sure they are aware of this deadline. For those who are awaiting decisions about nomination, we will endeavor to have final decisions to you prior to Labor Day (Sept. 5) so that you can notify your recommenders. I recommend that you share with them a copy of your application, your resume and transcript, the selection criteria for the scholarships you are applying for. Please also talk with them about you would like them to focus on. You should also confirm with me who you will be asking for letters of recommendation for each application.
By July 1:  Confirm the program(s)/universities you propose to apply to and which faculty or program contacts are important for you to connect with. You will want to have conversations (typically done through email, sometimes phone) to discuss your research interests, how they align with faculty in the program, and be certain this is a program that will help you reach your educational objectives (and that you’re a good candidate for it). If you’re planning on pursuing research with a faculty member, you will need to talk with them about your interest and affirm their interest in having you join their lab/project. You will need to note this in your essays.
By July 15: Complete a functional draft research proposal and/or application essays. Share with me and relevant faculty/advisors for feedback. Don’t underestimate how much writing/revision is needed for these. They are short, but challenging. Note the Rhodes and Mitchell policy about feedback on the essay; you cannot solicit feedback on your drafts. I am happy to advise you about the policy.
August 15 deadline: Turn in a solid, working application draft in PDF form for the fellowships you are seeking nomination for, as outlined in emails I sent to you following the nomination interview. Committee members will review this draft, provide feedback and make final determinations about nomination status where that is still needed.
Early September: You will be notified of final nomination decisions. Let your recommenders know and remind them that we need letters submitted by Friday, September 23.
September: Work on revising and polishing application and essays. For Marshall, I would like your work on applications fully completed by September 28. For Mitchell and Rhodes, you will manage the application process yourself. You will need to make sure everything is in and finished in advance of the deadline so that you can submit. I do not manage this for Rhodes or Mitchell.  Please note that there is heavy submission volume close to the deadline, so I strongly recommend submitting your applicaiton a day in advance of the deadline.
The schedule above is intended to help you organize the different parts of the application. If you are confused about any details, please ask!

New Truman Scholar Hasher Nisar ‘16.5

Lisa Gates / / Fellowships
Truman_winner_16
Truman Scholar Hasher Nisar

Congratulations to Hasher Nisar ‘16.5, Middlebury’s newest Truman Scholar! Hasher was one of 54 new Truman Scholars selected from a field of 775 candidates. He will receive a $30,000 scholarship toward graduate school and the opportunity to participate in professional development programming to prepare for a career in public service leadership. Hasher plans to pursue a PhD in Islamic Studies. Read more about Hasher here . The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation selects and supports the next generation of public service leaders. Students apply as juniors for this fellowship. Learn more at go/fellowships .

Schwarzman Scholarship Info Session 4/19 at 4:30pm, Library 201

Lisa Gates / / Fellowships, Graduate School Funding

The Schwarzman scholarship, inspired by the Rhodes scholarship, is a program designed to help future leaders meet the challenges of the 21st century and beyond by preparing them to better understand China’s culture, economy, and governance. Up to 200 Scholars chosen annually from around the world for this highly selective, fully-funded program will have an unrivaled opportunity to live in Beijing for a year of study and cultural immersion, attending lectures, traveling and developing first-hand exposure to China and its people. Scholars will study for a one-year Masters degree in public policy, international relations, or economics and business at Tsinghua University. Program conducted in English. Open to students of all citizenships. Application cycle: senior fall; also open to young alumni.

Session led by Christian Tanja from the Schwarzman Scholarship. Join us on Tuesday, April 19 at 4:30pm in Library 201. Join us to learn more!

Questions? Email fellowships@middlebury.edu . See http://schwarzmanscholars.org/ for more info.

April 15 Deadline for Fellowships and Senior Work Funding

Lisa Gates / / Fellowships, Graduate School Funding, Study Abroad

April 15 is an important deadline for the following:

  • Senior Work Funding: SRPS/Hoskins applications for rising seniors/super-seniors planning to conduct research over the summer. Others can likely wait until the Oct. 1 deadline. See go/srps .
  • Nomination applications for British and Irish Scholarships (Marshall, Mitchell, Rhodes, Churchill). You must apply by April 15 to be considered for nomination! Applications open to rising seniors and young alumni. See go/fellowships .
  • Preliminary applications for Fulbright and Watson scholarships. Open to rising seniors and alumni (Fulbright only). See go/fellowships .

For these internal fellowship applications, you do not have to have everything thought out; you may not have entirely settled on a particular topic or country. That is fine–the preliminary application just forces you to get started. It is helpful if you’re applying for nomination for a British or Irish scholarship to be as precise as you can regarding your choice of programs and why this program makes sense for your trajectory.

Questions? Contact us! fellowships@middlebury.edu or uro@middlebury.edu .