Fellowships and other cool opportunities

Fellowships and opportunities for funding at Williams for current students. Not to be confused with postgraduate fellowships.

Organized roughly in chronological order in terms of one's career at Williams, though there can be any number of variations.

MMUF & WCURF

(Class of '08) Marcela DiBlasi, Amy Chin, Lashonda Williams, Aston Gonzalez, Raemond Parrott, Billy Guzman, Amy Steele, Paulette Rodriguez, Haydee Lindo, Danielle Calloway

(Class of '07) Ashley Brown, Kiana Gree, Priyanka Bangard, José Valenzuela, Sara Morrissey, Robert Bland, Ariana Orozco, Paula Santos, Seulghee Lee

(Class of '06) Esa Seegulam, Nikhar Gaikwad, Avon Khowong, Becky Burditt, Teresa Martinez, Richard Sosa, Alexandra Fleary, Lisha Pérez, Alana Frost, Jessica Davis

The MMUF and the WCURF are fellowships that provide students with the opportunities to work on research with faculty mentors. Students should have a strong interest in research and who plan to go to graduate school after Williams.

For both programs, we are looking for students with academic promise, who have the potential to serve as mentors and teachers for a wide variety of students, and who will commit to participating fully and enthusiastically in all aspects of the fellowship programs.

Additional criteria to be weighed in the selection process are:

Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship

  • interest in pursuing a Ph.D. in one of the following fields: anthropology, area studies, art history, classics, computer science, demography, earth science, ecology, English, ethnomusicology, foreign languages, geology, history, literature, mathematics, musicology, philosophy, physics, political theory, religion, sociology;
  • status as a US citizen and/or permanent resident;
  • race and ethnicity (in relation to underrepresentation in designated fields of study);
  • demonstrated commitment to increasing opportunities for underrepresented minorities, breaking down stereotypes, increasing cross-racial and ethnic understanding, and enabling others to better understand persons of different races and ethnicities.

Williams College Undergraduate Research Fellowship

  • interest in pursuing a research career;
  • status as any one of the following:
  • first generation college student,
  • African American, Latino/a, Asian American, Native American,
  • non-US citizen of African, Hispanic, or Asian descent.

Program Requirements:

  • ten weeks of full-time work on research during the summers after sophomore and junior years;
  • participation in the Summer Research Colloquium after sophomore year;
  • eight hours per week on research during the semesters in lieu of campus jobs;
  • full participation in fellowship-related programs;
  • maintenance of a strong working relationship with a faculty mentor;
  • regular contact with and completing of all paperwork required by the Office of Special Academic Programs.

OCC Fellowships (A&E, '51, '72, '74, '75, Barsch, Fox, Kershaw, Kraft, Levien, Marver, Mead, Dively)

  • Number of Awards: Varies
  • Eligible: Sophomores and Juniors
  • Amount: $2,640, or $1,320 with your organization expected to match the grant
  • Time: Summer
  • Applications due: February 2, March 2, and April 2
  • Administrator: Ron Gallagher, Office of Career Counseling
  • Past Winners: See the booklet in the OCC.

The OCC fellowships, called Alumni Sponsored Internships, give students the resources needed to carry out any type of internship with a nonprofit organization. Applicants must fill out an application form, available at the OCC. The application includes a brief personal statement and must be accompanied by a resume and letter of acceptance from the organization where you plan to do your internship. Grant recipients receive a check at the beginning of the summer and are expected to use it to cover expenses related to the internship (housing, food, transportation). They are also expected to submit a 1-2-page write-up to Ron Gallagher before September 1 after the internship.

Keck Consortium Grants

There's a consortium for geology and astronomy, each with a summer research program.

Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid

Gaudino Fund Grant

The goal of the Gaudino fellowship is to plan and carry out an independent project designed to fulfill the motto of "uncomfortable learning" being in an environment that challenges one's beliefs and/or sensibilities. The goal is to not only learn something, but reflect on the experience. Proposals are due at the end of September and must include a specific itinerary and budget. The key to winning the Gaudino is to demonstrate that what you are doing will take you so far out of your element that it will be a highly transformative experience. Grant recipients enroll in PSCI 023. However, after that, you are pretty much on your own to take the project wherever you want.

Lauren Interess Adventure Fellowship

Endowed by the Interess family in memory of Lauren Interess '98, the fellowship provides $1500 to fund a field or travel project related to earth sciences.

Lauren loved geosciences and the outdoors, and found adventure in all sorts of places. She always sought out projects and outdoor research experiences, and the Interess Fellowship exists to allow students in our department to follow her lead and their hearts. Previous LIF recipients have used the funds to travel to Arizona, Mongolia, and the Virgin Islands.

If you have a dream that you would like to make real, during the summer, spring break, or as a Winter Study 99, talk to us. We accept ideas and applications on a rolling basis.

Summer Research Program for Division I and II Students

  • Deadline: March 1
  • Eligible: Current first-years, sophomores, juniors
  • Amount: $3,400 plus room (but not board)
  • Time: Summer (10 weeks)
  • Number of awards: 20
  • Administrator: John Gerry, Associate Dean of the Faculty

Many students look for summer work over Spring Break, so we hope to announce funded projects before students leave on March 17. In order to meet this goal, please submit a brief application in hard copy to the Dean of Faculty Office by Wednesday, March 1. The application should contain the following information: 

   * Name of faculty sponsor and department/program
   * Name and class year of student
   * Starting date and number of weeks for the research project (10 weeks maximum, but shorter periods are fine, in which case the amount of the stipend will be calculated accordingly, at $340/week; the stipend level assumes a full-time work week).
   * Housing required? On-campus lodging is available from June 12 thru August 18 and we will pay for this as well. We don't pay for student meals, but they can enroll in an economical meal plan with dining services.
   * Project Title and Project Description
   * Qualifications of the student for this project
   * Is this request for a backup or supplement to another grant or fellowship?

Student participation in summer faculty research projects must be substantial and significant so as to provide authentic involvement in academic research. Projects comprised largely of clerical or background work performed by students will likely not be funded. There is no "residency requirement" per se, but it is certainly preferred that students spend a substantial amount of their time on campus, as one of the hopes of this initiative is to foster a student summer research climate on campus. There are clearly cases where research is best conducted elsewhere, in which case we ask that faculty sponsors be in a position to monitor the off-site research. Also, please note that current seniors are ineligible for this program.

This program is not to be confused with the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUFP) or the Williams Undergraduate Research Fellowship (WCURF), both of which also support student summer research and are run by Molly Magavern out of the Office for Special Academic Programs.

Charles W. Hufford Memorial Fellowship

Established in 1988 by the family, friends and classmates of Charles W. Hufford '89, the Charles Hufford Memorial Fellowship is awarded to a member of the junior class to support independent research or work broadly related to the field of political economy or political science during the summer before the senior year. The purpose of the fellowship is to enable a Williams undergraduate to pursue an imaginative project with prospects for personal enrichment and expansion of educational horizons. One fellowship will be awarded this year.

Students wishing to apply for the fellowship should prepare a description of their project together with a brief estimated budget. The proposal should include a statement of purpose, a description of the project, and the names of two Williams faculty members who can be called for references. The proposal should be approximately 1000 words. The statement should explain how the project will enrich and expand the applicant's educational perspectives. The budget should briefly outline the anticipated expenses for the project. There is no requirement that applicants have a particular major. However, as stated above, the proposed subject and its purpose must be related "broadly interpreted" to the field of political science or political economy. The Hufford Fellow will be expected to submit a written report on the project, its achievements and consequences, at the end of the fellowship.

Linen Summer Grant for Asian Studies

  • Eligible: First-Years, Sophomores, Juniors
  • Amount: Varies, usually around $1000
  • Time: Summer
  • Applications Due: Spring Break
  • Administrator: Professor Neil Kubler, Asian Studies Department
  • Past Winners: (2005) Kristyn J. Bretz '06, Phillip G. Carter '08, Jason C. Fan '08, Morgan J. Goodwin '08, Theodore F. Haley '07, Christian M. Hudak '08, Jason Law '06, Thai Q. Nguyen '08, Ridhima S. Raina '07, Phoebe N. Rockwood '07, Richard J. Sosa '06, S.Peter Tosirisuk '07, (2004) Godfrey Bakuli '07

Supported by an endowment for Asian Studies established by family and friends in memory of James A. Linen III, Class of 1934, the Department of Asian Studies offers a limited number of grants to assist Williams College undergraduates (including rising juniors, rising sophomores, and rising first-years) in traveling to South, Southeast, and East Asia during the summer for educational purposes. Note that, for the purposes of these grants, "Asia" refers to South, Southeast, and East Asia, defined as those parts of the continent east of the Khyber Pass and south and east of the Tian Shan Mountains and the Gobi Desert. Proposals might include (but are not limited to) conducting research for an honors thesis; pursuing other kinds of independent research under the direction of a member of the Williams College faculty; participating in an intensive language training program in Asia at the advanced or intermediate level; etc. Students who have not studied Asian languages at Williams are also eligible to apply. Students develop individual study proposals in consultation with sponsoring faculty members, and these are evaluated by the department in the spring. Several awards are given each year, in amounts that vary depending on the proposed research. Students wishing to apply for Linen Summer Grants should contact the Asian Studies Department Chair early in the Spring semester for information about obtaining an application.

The Linen Grant Selection Committee will give highest priority to funding proposals that contribute to developing a student's scholarship in a serious and well-focused way. Proposals might include (but are not limited to) conducting research for an honor's thesis; pursuing other kinds of independent research under the direction of a member of the Williams College faculty; participating in an intensive language training program in Asia at the advanced or intermediate level; etc. The selection committee may elect to call finalists for a brief interview. Grants will be awarded according to the merits of the proposal and the availability of funds; some projects may be offered partial funding. Please note that disbursement of grants will be through payment of invoices or reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses based on receipts. Applicants will be informed of the committee's decision by mid April.

Students who wish to be considered for Linen grants should submit the following:

  • A project proposal of no more than 500 words. The proposal should describe in detail the project to be undertaken. It should include an explanation of how the project fits in with the student's present and future study plans, as well as an explanation of why this project can be most successfully undertaken only in Asia.
  • If the applicant is proposing an independent research project, the applicant should submit a brief letter of support from the member of the Williams faculty who has agreed to supervise the project, including a description of the project's final product.
  • The names of two faculty references. The selection committee may contact references directly if the applicant is a finalist.
  • A detailed project budget indicating how much money is requested and the specific purposes to which it will be put. Indicate what alternative sources of funding are available, including any that have been or will be applied for.

Mexico City Internship Program

  • Number of Awards: 1
  • Eligible: Sophomores, Juniors
  • Amount: Depends on OCC fellowship received.
  • Time: Summer
  • Administrator: Professor Crane
  • Applications Due: January 8, 2005
  • Past Winners: Nick Carter '07, Jose Pacas '08

SMALL math research program

  • Amount: $3000
  • Time: June 12, 2006 - August 13, 2006
  • Applications Due: February 13
  • Administrator: Professor Morgan

Junior Travel Fellowships (Wilmers, World and Lawrence)

  • Number of Awards: Varies
  • Eligible: Juniors
  • Amount: Varies
  • Time: Summer
  • Administrator: Dean Peter Grudin
  • Applications Due: February 20, 2006
  • Announced: Before spring break
  • Past Winners: See packet in the Dean's Office or on the web site.

Williams offers three fellowships in support of student travel abroad during the summer following their junior year (i.e., rising seniors). Students interested in applying for these fellowships should attend the information meeting in November or December. This will be your chance to ask specific questions about the fellowships and project design. Please note that the fellowships support travel outside the United States only, and that projects must be fully designed and implemented by the students who propose them; fellowship funds may not be used to pay tuition or expenses for any organized course of study abroad. The Mary and Nathaniel M. Lawrence Memorial Fellowship, in honor of Nathaniel Lawrence, Professor of Philosophy, and his wife Mary, makes relatively modest grants to support travel projects that lead to personal development. This means that a student's project need not have an academic or primarily educational component; suchprojects that do would likely be more appropriate for one of the other two fellowships.

The Robert G. Wilmers Jr. 1990 Memorial Student Travel Abroad Fellowship honors Robert Wilmers, Jr. The fellowship's grants are designed to support substantial projects involving foreign travel and study. Successful projects will normally involve 6 weeks or more abroad, and will present an ambitious intellectual program.

The Class of 1945 Student World Fellowship is the gift of those classes whose academic careers at Williams were interrupted by World War II. These fellowships support projects of travel and study abroad that aim to increase international understanding, knowledge of and concern for other cultures, and social action that forges links among countries. The donors are especially interested in supporting projects that may form the basis for a senior thesis upon the fellows' return, but this is not a rigid criterion. Projects must been substantial in their aims.

For all summer fellowships, projects must take place outside of the United States. Projects must be independently planned and implemented. Awards are made to individual applicants only. Applications submitted by two or more students for joint projects will not be considered.

Center for the Study of the Presidency Fellowship Program

Sentinels of the Republic Advanced Study Prize

From a fund established in 1944 by the Sentinels of the Republic, this prize designates an unusually gifted senior as the Sentinels of the Republic Scholar, who receives a substantial stipend to cover costs associated with a year-long advanced research project in American politics under the direction of the political science faculty.

Class of 1960 Scholars

Scholarships for Service

  • Number of Awards: 5
  • Eligible: All students
  • Amount: $1,000
  • Time: School year
  • Applications due: September 13, 2005
  • Adminstrator: Sadie Miller

The Office of Community Service has received a grant for five Americorps Scholars for Service. These positions allow students to take leadership through community work and capacity building for social justice.

Scholars that perform 300 hours of community work over the course of the coming academic year are eligible for a $1,000 educational award, which can be used for tuition, to pay off loans, to buy books, or to cover travel expenses to and from school.

Community Scholars Program

  • Number of Awards: 8
  • Time: Summer
  • Applications due: March 11, 2005
  • Adminstrator: Sadie Miller

The Community Scholars Project is a pilot summer program which will provide 8 students the opportunity to intern during the summer of "˜05 with a Northern Berkshire County community-based non-profit organization and develop related research and analytical skills.

Students in the 8 week summer program will participate in a pre-work orientation seminar in early April (after Spring Break) before working in the local community organization of their choice from June 13th through August 5th.

Participants will have informal opportunities throughout the work period to explore and discuss the meaning and relevance of their fieldwork to social and political research and policy. Students will also participate in an end-of-session symposium (during the first week of August). Each participant will be provided free college housing, a small meal plan and assistance with transportation to his/her host institution. Each student must arrange his/her internship opportunity in advance of submitting an application. Every applicant is required to consult with Sadie Miller (x2139, smiller@williams.edu) of the Community Service Office regarding placement. She will provide information on opportunities for those who need it.

Ruchman Fellowship

  • Number of Awards: 2
  • Eligible: Seniors
  • Amount: $1,250
  • Time: Senior year
  • Applications due: N/A (students must be nominated by departments)
  • Administrator: Professor Mark Reinhardt, Political Science Department
  • Past Winners: Marcos Gouvea '05, Marissa Doran '05, Jennifer Hermanski '06, Ruxy Paul '06

Other sources of funding

Center for Environmental Studies

  • Number of Awards: Varies
  • Amount: Up to $3,400
  • Eligible: All (preference to juniors working on a senior thesis)
  • Time: Summers (10 weeks)
  • Administrator: Sarah Gardner
  • Past winners: 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999.

Each summer the Center for Environmental Studies offers limited funding to support student projects including scholarly research, career-related internships, and creative endeavors. All Williams students are eligible to apply for CES funding, regardless of major, concentration, or year(graduating seniors are not eligible). All proposals must demonstrate an environmental component, although our interpretation of "environmental" is broad.

All students who accept funding from CES are expected to give a public presentation about their Summer work during the following academic year by giving a log lunch talk, a gallery exhibit, or some other public presentation. A written report of the project( 5 - 10 pages for internships; 15 - 20 pages for research projects) must be submitted in the fall, along with a 300-600 word article for the CES newsletter,"Field Notes".

The maximum stipend for research, internships, and creative projects is $3400 for 10 weeks of full-time work. Applications will be accepted for part-time projects, or projects taking less than 10 weeks. CES encourages students to seek funding from additional sources. In the case that partial funding is obtained elsewhere, CES will provide not more than the difference between the funding secured and $3400 for 10 weeks of full-time work.

Bronfman Fund for Judaic Studies

The Bronfman Fund for Judaic Studies was established in 1980 by Edgar M. Bronfman '50, Samuel Bronfman II '75, and Matthew Bronfman '80. The Bronfman Fund provides opportunities for the Williams community to learn about Jewish history and culture, both within the College's formal curriculum and through the planning of major events on Jewish themes.

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