Fellowship Advising

History

Boren Scholarships are supported by the national security education program to provide opportunities for U.S. students to study underrepresented languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests. These locations include Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.  As a study abroad program, applications should expect to be fully immersed in the culture and language of their host nation.  The national security education program intends for Boren Scholars to represent students wishing to pursue careers in federal national security; as such, all Boren Scholars commit to working for one year in the federal government after graduation. 

Award amounts up to:

• $8,000 for an 8-week minimum STEM Summer Program
• $10,000 for a semester abroad
• $20,000 for 6-12 months abroad*

*Preference is given to applicants proposing at least 6 months overseas. 

Demographic Requirements

1. U.S. Citizen.
2. Planning a study abroad program in countries that are critical to U.S. interests but are underrepresented in language studies classes.  Australia, Western Europe, Canada, U.S.A., and New Zealand are not accepted locations.
3. High School Graduate (Or obtained GED).
4. Current matriculated in an undergraduate degree program and will not graduate in the duration of the program.
5. Interested in/considering a career in National Defense.
6. Willing to work for the federal government for one year after graduation (must apply for jobs separately).

Application Requirements

1. Two essays.
2. Letter(s) of recommendation. 
3. Language proficiency evaluation.
4. Transcripts.
5. Select a study abroad program offered by your university.
6. Budget proposal (details).

Recommended for Success

1. Choose a country/language vital to U.S. interests.
2. Study abroad for a longer period of time. 
3. Demonstrate commitment to a career in the federal government.
4. Indicate plans to continue studying the language after the program has been completed.
5. Tie your future plans to national security.
6. Have strong letters of recommendations.

Boren preferences

All preferences can be found here.

Deadlines

• Campus deadline - December 11, 2020
• Foundation deadline - January 27, 2021

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Kristi Bond, Chair of Department of Modern Foreign Languages and International Studies;  knbond@harding.edu

Honors College - honors@harding.edu

Application Instructions and link

Applicants must receive access to the application via the faculty mentor. 

All application instructions and tips can be found here.

History

Introduced in 1945 by Senator J. William Fulbright and signed into law by President Truman in 1946, the Fulbright program was designed to provide students and young professionals with the opportunity to undertake international study, teaching and research.  Now the largest U.S. exchange program, the Fulbright committee awards approximately 1900 grants annually in all fields of study.  Fulbright scholarships are offered in both academics and the performing arts.  Over 140 countries participate in this exchange.  

All U.S. students Fulbright grants include round trip transportation, room and board, and accidental and sickness benefits.  Some grants may also include book and research allowances, midterm enrichment activities, full or partial tuition, language study programs, and pre-departure and in-country orientations.  This scholarship also can allow dependents (such as a spouse) to receive dependent funding benefits as well if they accompany the recipient for 80% of the time in the foreign country. 

Demographic Requirements

1. U.S. Citizen
2. Studied primarily in a U.S. based institution
3. Receiving a bachelor's agreed before start of the grant
4. Any field of study may apply

Details for a Successful Fulbright Application

Fulbright Success Outline

Application Requirements

1. Biographical Data
2. Statement of Grant Purpose
3. Affiliation Letter
4. Personal Statement
5. Foreign Language Forms/Skills Assessment
6. Recommendation letters
7. Transcripts

Helpful tips and examples:

Graduate Degree Planning Worksheet

Research Project Planning Worksheet

Personal Statement Strategies

Personal Statement Rubric

Personal Statement Worksheet

Letter of Affiliation

Host Affiliation Initial Request

Host Affiliation Letter Request

ETA Statement

Deadlines

• Campus deadline - September 10
• Foundation deadline - Early October

Faculty Mentor

Dr. James Huff

Honors College - honors@harding.edu

Application Instructions and link

Applicants must receive access to the application via the faculty mentor. 

Applications open each April and close each October.

• Application Checklist
• Academic Fields
• Creative and Performing Arts

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The U.S Department of state’s Benjamin A Gilman international Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.  The Institute of International Education has administered the program since its inception in 2001.

WHY GILMAN

A Gilman scholarship enables American students to gain proficiency in diverse languages and cultures, gaining skills that are critically important to their academic and career development.

AWARD BENEFITS

Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need. Applicants who are studying a critical need language while abroad can apply for a supplemental award of up to $3,000, for a combined total of $8,000. This award is competitive and offered to a limited number of Gilman scholars each year. Not all students who are studying these languages will receive $8,000. In addition to receiving additional funds for language study, students who are awarded the Critical Need Language Award and complete their Gilman Scholarship requirements will be offered the opportunity to take the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). This test and the results will serve as both an evaluation measure of the award and as a credential for the award recipient.

HISTORY

This is a congressionally funded program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late congressman Benjamin A. Gilman from New York. With his support, the program was established by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000. Shortly thereafter in 2002, Congressman Gilman retired after serving in the House of Representatives for 30 years and chairing the House Foreign Relations Committee.

ELIGIBILITY 

A complete list of requirements can be found here.  

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

To be eligible for a Gilman Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be a citizen of the United States;

• Be an undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States (including both two-year and four-year institutions);
• Be receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship;
• Be in the process of applying to, or accepted for, a study abroad or internship program of at least two weeks for community college students and three weeks for students from four-year institutions, in a single country and eligible for credit from the student’s home institution. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
• Apply for credit-bearing study abroad programs in a country with an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2, according to the S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System. However, certain areas within these countries may be designated within the Travel Advisory as either “Do not travel to” (Level 4) or “Reconsider travel to” (Level 3) locations, as such; students will not be allowed to travel to these areas. Moreover, students are not eligible to apply for programs in a country with an overall Level 3 or 4 Travel Advisory. Please note that Travel Advisories may change at any point as new information becomes available and that countries may be added or removed from the eligible country list during the application period and/or after the application period ends.

DEADLINES

• Campus deadline:  September 18, 2020
• Foundation deadline:  October 6, 2020

FACULTY MENTOR

Dr. Ann Brown- pabrown@harding.edu 

History

In 1986, congress established the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation to honor Senator Barry Goldwater for his 56 total years of service to the U.S.A. Focusing on the STEM research fields, this scholarship was developed to ensure the U.S. continued to produce the needed professionals to fill and further develop these fields.  Previous recipients can be found improving national defense, researching cures for virulent diseases, and teaching in the STEM fields.  Desire applicants show 1) a strong commitment to a STEM research career, 2) effective display of intellectual intensity, and 3) potential for significant future contribution to research in the applicant's chosen fields. 

• Sophomore recipients will receive up to $7500 per year for their Junior and Senior years.
• Junior recipients will receive up to $7500 for their Senior year.

Demographic Requirements

1. U.S. Citizen and resident.
2. Sophomores and Juniors in the STEM fields intending to pursue a career in research.
3. Full-time matriculated Sophomore or Junior pursuing a degree from an accredited university.
4. GPA greater than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
5. Intended to pursue a career in STEM research.

Application Requirements

1. Pre-application and student profile.
2. Goldwater application and questionnaire.
3. Research essay.
4. 3 letters of recommendation (from mentors/faculty/professors in STEM fields).
5. Transcript Submission.

Recommended for Success

Applicants should expect to work closely with the faulty mentor and to demonstrate current and past projects in their field of interest.  Ongoing or past research opportunities are greatly encouraged, and applicants should indicate where they personally were involved. 

Deadlines

• Campus deadline - January 1st
• Foundation deadline - Last Friday in January 

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Jeremiah Sullins- jsullins@harding.edu

Application Instructions and link

Applicants must receive access to the application via the faculty mentor. 

For other application questions please visit the Goldwater site or contact your faculty mentor.  

History

The National Science Foundation (NSF_ was created by congress in 1950 to "promote the progress of science; [and] to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare" through supporting research and education in all STEM fields.  The NSF provides funding for about 11,000 proposals annually through grant and cooperative agreements for colleges, university, K-12 school systems, businesses, and research organizations.  An additional 2000 proposals are funded through the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) which offers funding for five year graduate studies.  Particular emphasis is placed on academic research and education, especially for low-income and underrepresented (minority) researchers. 

Demographic Requirements

Full demographic Requirements can be found here. 

1. Applicants should be in STEM fields.
2. Institutes of higher academics submit the actual proposal, applicants should contact and work with the faculty mentor.
3. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to conduct research in STEM fields. 

Application Requirements

Exact requirements for the application vary between fields and institution; however, the generalized application includes the items below.

1. Letters of intent.
2. Proposal Submission (preliminary-->full proposal if accepted).
3. Letters of recommendation.

Funding opportunities

All funding opportunities can be found here.

Deadlines:

Specific deadlines vary by fields of study.  You can find all deadlines here.

• Campus deadline - Mid-September 
• Foundation deadline - October, with dates varying by field of study

Faculty Mentor

Dr. James Huff- jlhuff@harding.edu

Application Instructions and link:

Applicants must receive access to the application via the faculty mentor. 

History

The Truman foundation was created by congress in 1975 to serve as the nation's living memorial to President Truman with the purpose of investing in the education of the next generation of political, education, and nonprofit leaders.  Awarding 55-65 applicants per year, the Truman foundation provides scholarships that can amount up to $30,000 for each candidate.  These scholarships are seen as an investment; as such, applicants are expected to work 3 of their first 7 years after graduate studies in public service.  The Truman scholarship is highly prestigious as previous recipients have gone on to become senators, supreme court justices, and leaders in health care, academia, and the military. 

Demographic Requirements

History

The Udall scholarship was founded in honor of the legacies of Morris and Steward Udall, whose service greatly impacted U.S. policies involving Native Americans as well as stewardship of public lands and resources.  For this reason, the Udall scholarship offers three primary focuses: tribal policy, native health care, and environmental concerns.  Each year, the Udall foundation anticipates rewarding nearly 50 applications with up to $7,000 in scholarships each.  

Demographic Requirements

1. Sophomore or Junior Undergraduate.
2. Tribal police and native health care applicants should be registered Native Americans (or children of registered members) interested in pursuing a career in these areas.
3. Environmental concern applications are open to all who intend to pursue a career in studying and improving the environment.

Application

Sample application and sample rating form. (PDFs) 

Recommended for Success

Aspiring applicants should indicate a strong desire to pursue a career in tribal policy and/or environmental policy.  A high GPA is strongly encouraged, and students should seek to demonstrate leadership and research skills.  A strong familiarity with the Udalls' legacy and speeches is requisite for a successful application. 

Deadlines

• Campus deadline - TBD
• Foundation deadline - TBD

Faculty Mentor

TBD

Application Instructions

Applicants must receive access to the application via the faculty mentor.