GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS
If you have an outstanding academic record as a student at IWU, you might be interested in learning about opportunities to pursue prestigious graduate fellowships. Highly selective and involving lengthy preparation for application, fellowships can transform lives, as they enable recipients to pursue graduate study in the United Kingdom, advanced graduate study in the U.S., or teaching and conducting research in many international settings. It is never too early to start thinking about and preparing for these amazing opportunities.
-
Fulbright Fellowship
-
Marshall Scholarship
-
Rhodes Scholarship
-
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
-
Truman Fellowship
Fulbright Fellowship
The Fulbright Program was introduced by former Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright and established by the U.S. Congress in 1946. Sponsored by the U.S. government, the Fulbright Program is a bilateral international exchange program operating in over 155 countries that enables grantees to study, teach, and conduct research abroad. Roughly 8,000 individuals are awarded Fulbright grants annually, including about 1,600 U.S. students, 4,000 foreign students, 1,200 U.S. scholars, 900 visiting scholars, and hundreds of teachers. Fulbright Program participants possess strong academic merit, great leadership potential, a passion for exploring and resolving international concerns, and the ability to pursue their proposed Fulbright project. Eligibility criteria varies by program and country.
Faculty Contact:
Dr. Frank Boyd, Holmes 211, 309-556-3255
Deadlines:
September 17, 2013 (IWU)
October 15, 2013 (National deadline, campus interviews need to be completed by this time)
Website:
Resources:
IWU Fulbright Recipients:
2012 Teresa Sherman ('09) – English Teaching Assistantship in Turkey
2011 Emily Coles ('11) – English Teaching Assistantship in Bulgaria
2011 Geoffrey Grimm ('11) – English Teaching Assistantship in Russia
2011 Jason Roeschly ('11) – English Teaching Assistantship in Mexico
2010 Lauren Ostrowski – English Teaching Assistantship in Spain
2008 Jessica Olsen – English Teaching Assistantship in Germany
2007 Rachel Slough – English Teaching Assistantship in Chile
2006 Anne Herrmann ('03) – English Teaching Assistantship in Germany
2004 Emily A. Frazier – Academic Research/Study Grant for Musicology in Germany
Marshall Scholarship
The Marshall Scholarship was named after U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, and commemorates the Marshall Plan. Founded in 1953, it enables up to 40 young Americans each year to study any academic field at any institution in the United Kingdom. The value of the award includes University fees, cost of living expenses, annual book grant, thesis grant, research and daily travel grants, fares to and from the United States and, where applicable, a contribution toward the support of a dependent spouse. Only United States citizens who hold a degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States with a GPA of at least 3.7 are eligible to apply.
Faculty Contact:
Dr. Mike Theune, English House 303, 309-556-3168
Deadlines:
The national deadline is in early October; however, because of the demanding and multi-faceted nature of the application process, students serious about applying for a Marshall Scholarship must contact Mike Theune by spring break, the previous semester.
Website:
http://www.marshallscholarship.org/
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship is named after British colonial pioneer and statesman Cecil J. Rhodes, and was initiated in 1902 to aid in the promotion of international understanding and peace. Each year 32 young Americans represent the 50 states as Rhodes Scholars, joining more than 160 Rhodes Scholars from around the world to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. These individuals exemplify the ideals of physical, intellectual, and moral leadership set forth by Mr. Rhodes as the comprehensive criteria for the Rhodes Scholarship. The value of the award includes matriculation, tuition, laboratory and other fees, an allowance, and the cost of necessary travel to and from Oxford for a term of 2-3 years. Only United States citizens aged 18 and over (but not yet 24 on October 1 in the year of application) who will have completed a bachelor's degree by October following the year of application are eligible to apply.
Faculty Contact:
Dr. Frank Boyd, Holmes Hall 212, 309-556-3255
Deadlines:
2013 deadline for receipt of applications is October 3, 2012; regional interviews will be held in mid-November.
Website:
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
Rotary International was founded in 1905 by Paul P. Harris on the values of world understanding, goodwill, and peace. Twelve years later the organization created an endowment fund for the simple purpose of doing good, which eventually became The Rotary Foundation. After the Rotary's founder died in 1947, contributions rolled into The Rotary Foundation, helping to lay the framework for Ambassadorial Scholarships. The scholarship supports up to 500 students annually in their abroad experience in over 60 countries worldwide, totaling $27,000 for one regular academic year of full-time study abroad. Recipients of the Ambassadorial Scholarship are expected to uphold the ideals of Rotary International by serving as goodwill ambassadors to the communities of their host country and sharing their experiences abroad and at home. Only individuals who are citizens of a country in which there is a Rotary club may apply. In addition, applicants must have completed at least 2 years of university or college coursework.
Staff Contact:
Warren Kistner, Hart Career Center - 2nd Floor Welcome Center, 309-556-3237 or 309-556-3071
Deadlines:
Application materials for our district are due to Warren's office by the end of June. Interviews (mandatory date for all applicants) are held in August. It is ideal for a student to pursue this as a junior as the scholarship begins one year out.
Website:
Truman Fellowship
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, named after the 33rd President of the United States, awards individuals pursuing a career in public service. Founded in 1974, the foundation recognizes 60-65 students each year who demonstrate exceptional leadership and commitment to public service. The value of the award includes career counseling, internship placement, graduate school admissions, professional development, and up to $30,000 of funding to students pursuing graduate degrees in public service fields.
Faculty Contact:
Dr. Greg Shaw, CLA 253, 309-556-3658
Deadlines:
The national deadline is early February of the junior year. However, due to the rigorous application process, students who are serious about applying for a Truman Fellowship should contact Greg Shaw by the end of their sophomore year.