Phillips Student Fellowships: Experiences in Global Learning

Application Deadline : February 1

Through the generous bequest of Charles F. Phillips, fourth president of the College, and Evelyn M. Phillips, the College offers students the opportunity to undertake fellowships in international and other culturally distinct settings. The goals of the Phillips Fellowship Program are to:

1) provide an experience of immersion in another culture,

2) provide opportunities for extensive research, service-learning, volunteer work, or career exploration, and

3) provide a student with unique opportunities for intellectual and personal growth.

Phillips Student Fellowships support student-designed projects featuring service-learning, career exploration, volunteer work, research, or some combination of these. Most projects are undertaken by individuals, but joint projects may also be considered. Fellowships usually take place during the summer, though some occur during the Short Term or the fall semester.

Most fellowships take place in international locations. Projects in the United States or in an international student's home country are considered, but only if the project takes place in a setting that is culturally distinct from the student's own background and previous experiences.

In 2006, Phillips Fellows investigated the nature of immigrant Indian identities in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean; interviewed descendants of Anzac solider of the Gallipoli campaign to document a more complete account of this battle not subjected to the reductionisms of the nationalistic historical accounts; worked for the Kivulini Women's Rights Organization to discover how women in grassroots organizations facilitate debates and adjust to social and cultural obstacles; visited several quilombo communities in Brazil to learn about their existence, and how these communities developed in the context of Black people who freed themselves; became an artist-in-residence and learned techniques on how Aruban artists convey definitions of the African experience in art; and participated in a service-learning project with Eco African Consultant Ltd, to continue work on an information-sharing platform to help people manage their own resources and conserve their environment.

In 2007, Phillips Fellows empowered girls through English education and employment opportunities in Senegal, enabling them to develop as self-reliant and capable women; addressed the cycle of poverty in Cambodia by teaching children English to enable them to gain employment in the tourist industry of Siem Reap; joined the Ndere Troupe of Kampala, a Ugandan dance project, to observe East African dance styles of the African diaspora and conservation of neighboring dance cultures; explored the cross-cultural perspectives and religious interpretations of cancer and clinical oncology in Bangladeshi communities; volunteered at an HIV/AIDS clinic in Cape Town, South Africa to educate people about the risk of AIDS, plan sustainable gardening in malnourished areas and gain new insight on global healthcare through cultural immersion; studied the impact of farm life on children in Germany and the contributions of farm settings to animal assisted and horticultural therapy.

Eligibility
In order to apply, students must have completed at least two semesters and one Short Term at Bates before the Fellowship begins, and must have at least one semester remaining at Bates following completion of the Fellowship. Graduating seniors are not eligible. Joint applications may be submitted for a double award to two eligible individuals whose complementary abilities would enhance the potential of the project. Students must be in good academic standing to receive and carry out a fellowship; a grade point average of 2.5 is required to be eligible.

Awards
Grants range from up to $4,000 for the Short Term; up to $6,000 for the summer; and around $12,000 for a semester-long project. More information on preparing a budget is available in the Guidelines for Preparing a Proposal.

Phillips Fellowships are considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service, so students should taken into consideration when preparing their budgets that federal, Maine, Social Security, and Medicare taxes will be withheld from any grant payments. A $5,000 grant, for example, may yield only $3,650 in summer earnings (the bulk of the difference not available to the student until she or he has filed for tax refunds the following year).

Project Budget
The Selection Committee realizes the impact this taxability may have on the funds available to students to actually complete projects, and so may adjust the awards of funded projects to compensate for the significant tax withholdings. If a student proposes a $5,000 project, for example, the Committee may award the student $5,500 to cover project activity costs, if necessary. The Committee will carefully consider and assess each proposal budget, so it is essential to have project costs carefully delineated and well documented.

Academic Credit
Academic credit is not granted for Phillips Fellowships.

Application Procedures
Students pursuing a Phillips Fellowship in Short Term, summer, or fall 2008 should begin by discussing their ideas with a faculty member or staff member who can assess the feasibility of the project and the student's qualifications to undertake it. Members of the Selection Committee (see below) may also be consulted when preparing a proposal.  While a student may consult with a member of the selection committee about the project design and feasibility, applicants are advised not to consult with each member of the committee, as members' time is very limited.

Application forms and guidelines for preparing a proposal and budget are available in the Office of the Dean of the Faculty or online at http://www.bates.edu/Prebuilt/Phillips-Student-Application.pdf

 

To apply, the student must provide:

1) a completed application form, which includes the following information: student name; class; campus, home, and email addresses; telephone; project title; project start date and end date; primary locations of the project; sponsoring organization (if applicable); name of the faculty or staff sponsor whose letter of support is attached; and names and telephones of two other references who can assess the student's qualifications. On this page the student should also indicate if he or she is studying away from the campus during the winter semester 2008.

2) a one-paragraph abstract of the project.

3) a proposal of two to five pages (double-spaced) describing the project in detail; the participating institutions or individuals, if applicable; the student's qualifications for the project; the student's goals for the fellowship; and an assessment of how the project relates to the student's academic program, intellectual development, or personal transformation.

It is important to explain how the proposed fellowship represents a new personal and intellectual challenge for the student. The narrative should also describe what the student will bring back to the campus from the experience.

Students whose projects involve the use of animal or human subjects must indicate in the narrative if their project was subject to review by the Animal Care Committee or the Institutional Review Board, and if so, whether the project was approved.

4) a completed budget form, including any stipend (estimate no more than $350/week for up to ten weeks), travel, housing and living expenses, materials, supplies, equipment, training, subject reimbursement, gratuities, etc.

5) a letter endorsing the proposal from the Bates faculty or staff sponsor who has been consulted in the process of developing the project.

6) (if applicable) an official endorsement from the site supervisor representing the institution or individual with whom the student will be working and whose approval of the proposal is critical to its success. The letter should describe in detail the role and activities of the student, and should indicate any compensation the student may be receiving from the organization or individual. If the fellowship involves volunteer work or service-learning, the letter of support must state how the agency itself will benefit from the proposed work.

These materials must be submitted in their entirety to the Office of the Dean of the Faculty no later than February 1. PLEASE submit your ORIGINAL PAPERWORK AND 7 ADDITIONAL COPIES of the  APPLICATION FORM AND 7 COPIES of the ENTIRE PROPOSAL for a TOTAL of 8 COMPLETE PACKETS.

Transcript: The student applicant does NOT need to submit an official transcript. However, the Dean of the Faculty's Office will request a transcript for each applicant from the registrar after the deadline.

Application Signature Permissions: By signing the application form, the student grants permission to the Committee to review the transcript and other academic records pertinent to their decision-making.

Note for Students Studying Off Campus: Materials may be submitted without using the required forms if the student is studying away during the winter semester, but all the information sought in the forms must be included in the proposal. Students studying away may submit proposals by mail (Office of the Dean of the Faculty, Bates College, 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, ME 04240 USA); by fax (207-786-8393) or via email (kobrien@bates.edu). However all materials including supporting letters must be received by the deadline of February 1.

Review Process
The Selection Committee reviews all proposals. The Committee reserves the right to request additional information or to contact references. Applicants may be interviewed. The Committee gives preference to proposals demonstrating the greatest student creativity and initiative, the richest international or culturally distinct experience, and the most significant connections to a student's academic program, intellectual development, and personal goals. The Committee recognizes that students applying for the fellowship have different life experiences; the Committee supports those proposals that encourage intellectual curiosity and are most likely to be transformative experiences for the student. Typically, Five to seven fellowships are awarded annually. Fellowship recipients are announced by March 15.

Late Applications
If, after the February 1 deadline, not all Phillips funds are committed for fellowships for the 2007 cycle, the Committee may consider additional grant requests if they are submitted before the end of the winter semester.

Fellows' Responsibilities
Phillips Fellows conducting projects during the summer or the semester are required to submit a brief interim report to the Dean of the Faculty. All fellows must submit a final report to the Dean of the Faculty no later than twelve weeks after the completion of the project. The form of the final report is determined by the Selection Committee in consultation with the fellow.

**Fellows are expected to present a short talk on their experiences to the College community upon their return. They are also expected to meet with 2008 Fellows, once they are selected, to provide advice and encouragement to future fellows.**

Phillips Student Fellowship Committee
A member of the Selection Committee will be pleased to discuss with any eligible student the fellowship program, individual proposals, budget preparation, or the selection process. Due to time restrictions on the part of committee members, students should choose only one member from the committee for consultation.  Members members are:

David Aschauer, Elmer W. Campbell Professor of Economics; Czerny Brasuell, Director of Multicultural Affairs; Dennis Grafflin, Professor of History; A. Charles Kovacs, Director, Office of Career Services; Holly Lasagna, Director, Service-Learning Program; Kerry A. O'Brien, Assistant Dean of the Faculty; Steve W. Sawyer, Associate Dean of Students.

 

Guidelines for Preparing a Proposal

The best Phillips Student Fellowship proposals are thoughtful and concise. Your proposal should articulate the particular value to you of the project you propose. Group proposals should indicate the specific strengths and anticipated roles of each member of the group. To develop a strong proposal:

• It is ESSENTIAL that you meet with your academic advisor, department faculty, or any Bates faculty member or staff member with whom you have a good working relationship and who can help you develop your ideas. Discussion with a fellowship sponsor will also help the sponsor prepare a strong letter of support for you. The students who seek sound advice from a faculty or staff mentor usually develop the strongest proposals.

• You may also wish to discuss your proposal with a staff member in an appropriate administrative office, such as the Center for Service-Learning, the Office of Career Services, the Multicultural Center, the Dean of Students' Office, or the Dean of the Faculty's Office. Individuals in these offices may make suggestions or provide contacts that will strengthen your proposal. They may also be able to recommend other staff members, faculty members, alumni, companies, organizations, or web sites that could be of assistance to you as you put your proposal together.

• One of the primary aims of the Phillips Student Fellowship program is to encourage students to take intellectual risks at whatever level is appropriate for the individual student. Proposals demonstrating creativity, originality, and strong student motivation are given preference by the Selection Committee.

• Students who propose to return to a country where they participated in an off-campus study program should offer convincing arguments that the activities of the Fellowship will bring the student to a new and deeper understanding of the country. In other words, you must demonstrate that even though you are returning to a country you have lived in before, your experiences will be new and transformative.

• If you are working with an institution, government or private agency, corporation, or other organization as part of your project, you must secure a letter of support from that organization or individual, confirming that your activities and goals can be realized as the project is designed. You need to convey your plans to these site sponsors, solicit their reactions, and incorporate their suggestions into your final proposal.

Preparing the Budget
• Fellowship are considered fully TAXABLE income. It is important to remember that federal, State, Social Security, and Medicare taxes are withheld from every award. A $5,000 award, for example, will yield summer earnings of only $3,650, so students need to plan accordingly. Usually, most of the funds are refunded to the student after he or she has filed a tax return.

• Fellowships usually fund up to around $4,000 for projects undertaken in the Short Term; up to around $6,000 for projects undertaken during the summer; and up to around $12,000 for projects undertaken in the fall semester. The committed carefully considers each proposal budget, and may make adjustments to funded project budgets to compensate for tax withholding.

• Student wages--provides support if the project is undertaken in lieu of a summer job. If you choose to take a stipend, it should be consistent with other Bates research and service-learning stipends.

• Equipment--equipment necessary to complete the Fellowship may include books, journals, data sets, maps, scientific equipment, field or data-gathering equipment, computer hardware or software, camera or video equipment, tape recorders, etc.

• Supplies--may include any consumable supplies, including film, paper, postage, chemicals, tapes, videotapes, etc.

• Air and Ground Travel--may include any air or boat travel; taxis; public transportation; car rental or car mileage. Secure accurate estimate of air travel.

• Lodging--may include hotels, dormitories, rooms, or apartments at project locations. Get as accurate an estimate as possible.

• Food--may include an estimate for meals per day at the project locations.

• Subject/Informant Reimbursement--some research involves consultation or activities with subjects or informants, who are normally paid a nominal fee for their time and effort. Please include the estimated number of subjects and each subject's projected payment.

• Gratuities--in some cultures, the social custom is to present small gifts as tokens of appreciation or hospitality. Estimate the number and types of gratuities.

• Training--may include short course fees, training sessions, conference registrations, or private lessons.

• Admissions--may include admissions to tours, museums, historic or archaeological sites, libraries, archives, etc.

8/2007