EducationUSA Weekly Update  

   
No. 73 March 17, 2008

I. Scholarships and Fellowships
- Undergraduate: Pine Manor College Small Scholarships for International Students
- Undergraduate: North Central Missouri College Scholarships for International Students
- Graduate: Karla Scherer Scholarship
- Doctorate: Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Scholarship
- Postgraduate and post doctorate: Notre Dame - Kellogg Visiting Fellowships
 
II. News you can use
- New York Times Article: The Scholarship Divide: Expectations Lose to Reality of Sports Scholarships
- Upcoming ACA Conference: Beyond 2010. European Higher Education in the Next Decade, Tallinn, June 15-17, 2008
- Online Survey for international graduate student studying Political Science in the United States

I. Scholarships and Fellowships

Undergraduate: Pine Manor College Scholarships for International Students
Chestnut Hill, MA

Program Description
Pine Manor is a small, private college for women located in a safe beautiful suburb of Boston, MA.  Founded in 1911, Pine Manor offers a high quality education to a diverse and inclusive community.

Small scholarships are still available for international students and determined upon admissions evaluation.  They review applications weekly for Fall 2008 enrollment. 

Pine Manor provides:
 Unique Enhanced First Year program (EFY) is designed to help ESL and international students bridge the language gap during their first year of undergraduate studies.  With credit-bearing classes, students are on track to graduate in 4 years.  Reading comprehension and Grammatical writing classes offer additional English support.
 Leadership Mission – Pine Manor prepares women for roles of inclusive leadership and social responsibility in their workplaces, families and communities
 On-site English Language Institute – coed program providing intensive English language classes year round.  Conditional admission offered.
 Small Class Sizes- an average of 15 students per class and 10:1 student to faculty ratio
 One of the oldest internship programs with over 1,000 sites
 Cross Registration Opportunities at Boston College, Babson College and the Marine Studies Consortium
 Learning Resource Center (LRC) offers professional tutoring and other individualized services at no additional cost
 Among the most affordable private colleges in the U.S.;  Tuition:  $18, 957.;  Room and meals:  $11,115.;  Global scholarships from $2,000-$5,000. offered
 Ranked #1 for campus diversity among BA liberal arts colleges in the country (US News and World Report America’s Best Colleges 2007)
 Comprehensive Portfolio Program
 7 Varsity Athletic Teams in NCAA Division III:  Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, Soccer, Tennis, Cross-Country, Lacrosse

Contact Admissions at admissions@pmc.edu 
View international pages at www.pmc.edu/international

Online Application
http://www.pmc.edu/admissions/index.html

Contact
Janna Spinazola
Director of International Recruitment
Pine Manor College
400 Heath Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
Skype:  jannaspin
MSN:  jannaspin@hotmail
tel +1-617-731-7068   fax +1-617-731-7102
E-mail: SpinazoJ@pmc.edu

 

***********************************************************************************************

Undergraduate: North Central Missouri College Scholarships for International Students

Program Description
North Central Missouri College is seeking international students who would like to study in the United States of America in a safe and rural environment.  North Central Missouri College is located in Trenton, Missouri, a town of approximately 6000 people in the Green Hills area of north central Missouri.

As a community college with an enrollment of 1506 students, North Central Missouri College offers an Associate in Arts university transfer degree as well as Associate in Science degrees. NCMC is accredited therefore, credits transfer to other institutions.  The college has been awarded the maximum accreditation of 10 years by the Missouri Coordination Board for Higher Education and The Higher Learning Commission.

North Central Missouri College also offers an additional program where a student can take courses with North Central Missouri College and also with Northwest Missouri State University or pursue a Bachelors degree with Northwest Missouri State University on the campus of North Central Missouri College.  

The field of studies that a student can pursue a portion or all of their Bachelor's from Northwest Missouri State University on the campus of North Central Missouri College are:  Nursing, Business, Agriculture, and Education. 

The Associate in Arts takes on the average 2 years to complete with the transfer program for  a Bachelors degree from Northwest Missouri State University taking, on  the average, an additional 2 years to complete for a total of 4 years  of study for a Bachelor's degree completion for the average student.

Graceland University out of Lamoni, Iowa also offers a Bachelors of Education on the NCMC campus as well.  A student would complete the Associate in Arts transfer degree (AA) or Associate in Arts in Teaching (AAT) with North Central Missouri College which takes on the average 2 years to complete and then transfer to Graceland University on NCMC’s campus for the remaining 2 year completion of the Bachelors degree.

Tuition and Fees
North Central Missouri College is affordable. The tuition rate is $153 a credit hour.   This includes some fees.  Books are extra, averaging about $600 for the year.  They have housing for students on campus.  The cost for the school year for a room in the dormitories and a 17 meal- a- week plan for the cafeteria is $4782.  The dormitory fee includes high speed internet to the room, computer labs in the dorms, cable TV, and laundry facilities.  

North Central Missouri College offers scholarships for international students.

Contact

For admission requirements, contact Karla McCollum: kmccollum@mail.ncmissouri.edu or Ginny Wikoff at gwikoff@mail.ncmissouri.edu or by phone at 660-359-3948 ext 1401

***********************************************************************************************

Graduate: Karla Scherer Scholarship

Program Description

The Karla Scherer Foundation was established in 1989, the result of a successful proxy battle waged by Karla Scherer for control of the company her father founded in 1930.  Initially the Foundation supported women at both the undergraduate and graduate levels as they pursued degrees in Economics or Finance at schools around the world. With no geographic strictures, the Foundation’s goal was to target those women they believed would be tomorrow's business leaders in a world where free trade and more open borders were becoming a reality. In 2003 it was decided to alter the course and focus of the Foundation. The offshore applicants comprised nearly one-third of the applicant pool. Their strong educational backgrounds in the humanities, particularly among those applicants from the newly emancipated nations of the former Soviet bloc, were clearly superior to their American counterparts, giving them a distinct advantage by any measure of future success. Karla Scherer completed her MA in the Humanities at the University of Chicago in 1999, and this exposure solidified her view that this nation's schools must once again stress the humanities if we are to educate the critical thinkers necessary for leadership in every discipline. As a result, The Karla Scherer Foundation now offers scholarships ONLY to women accepted into the Master of Arts Program in the Humanities at the University of Chicago.

Host Institution: University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

Areas of Study: Humanities

Open to Students from: no expressed restriction, nationals from countries of former Soviet bloc are preferred

Award Deadline: deadline of application for MA programs at University of Chicago

 

Eligibility Requirements
Select women accepted into the Master of Arts Program in the Humanities at the University of Chicago will be invited to apply to The Karla Scherer Foundation following their acceptance by the University. Application packages contain all information regarding requirements and deadlines.

The Foundation does not set dollar limits on the amount of each scholarship, nor do they grant a predetermined number of scholarships. International students must already have a United States visa for study to be considered.

When an application is accepted by the Board for further consideration a personal interview is then scheduled, either at the Chicago office or on campus. Please note that this is a requirement that cannot be waived for any reason.

Further Information
http://www.karlascherer.org/

Contact
The Karla Scherer Foundation
737 N. Michigan Avenue
Suite 2330
Chicago, IL 60611

***********************************************************************************************

Doctorate: Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation Scholarship

Program Description
The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation (HFG) welcomes proposals from any of the natural and social sciences and the humanities that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence, aggression, and dominance. Highest priority is given to research that can increase understanding and amelioration of urgent problems of violence, aggression, and dominance in the modern world.

Ten or more dissertation fellowships are awarded each year to individuals who will complete the writing of the dissertation within the award year. These fellowships of $15,000 each are designed to contribute to the support of the doctoral candidate to enable him or her to complete the thesis in a timely manner, and it is only appropriate to apply for support for the final year of Ph.D. work. Applications are evaluated in comparison with each other and not in competition with the postdoctoral research proposals.

Applicants may be citizens of any country and studying at colleges or universities in any country.

Areas of Study
Particular questions that interest the foundation concern violence, aggression, and dominance in relation to social change, the socialization of children, intergroup conflict, interstate warfare, crime, family relationships, and investigations of the control of aggression and violence. Research with no useful relevance to understanding and attempting to cope with problems of human violence and aggression will not be supported, nor will proposals to investigate urgent social problems where the foundation cannot be assured that useful, sound research can be done. Priority will also be given to areas and methodologies not receiving adequate attention and support from other funding sources.

Eligibility Requirements

Only for students in final year of their PhD studies

A completed Dissertation Fellowship application will include THREE copies of the following items, typewritten in English and mailed to The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation, 25 West 53rd Street, New York, N.Y. 10019-5401. The deadline for receipt of applications by the foundation is February 1 of each year, for support to begin September 1 of that calendar year. Incomplete or late applications will not be processed. Applications may not be submitted by fax.

A. Title Page (download from homepage)
This form may be copied or imitated on a computer. It must be signed by the student and by the dissertation advisor.

B. Abstract (download form homepage)
Enter an abstract on this form describing the dissertation research in plain English and a statement specifying its relevance to human dominance, aggression, or violence. Do not exceed the space allotted. The abstract and statement of relevance should be self-contained and sufficient to serve as a succinct and accurate description of the application. The name of the applicant should appear on the upper right corner of the abstract form and on all succeeding pages of the application.

C. Advisor's Letter
Include a letter from the dissertation advisor evaluating the significance of the research and affirming that all requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation will have been satisfactorily completed at the commencement of the award and that preparation for the dissertation is such that it will be completed within the academic year for which the dissertation fellowship is requested. If this is not true, the advisor is doing the applicant no favor by saying so nevertheless. It would be better to encourage the advisee to wait until the appropriate time to apply. As with all parts of the application, three copies are needed. Should the advisor prefer to preserve confidentiality, three copies of this letter may be sent in a sealed envelope but must be submitted with the application. Please also attach copies of the advisor's c.v. (abbreviated to two pages if possible).

D. Applicant's Background
Include applicant's curriculum vitae and a list of any relevant publications. One copy of a transcript detailing the applicant's career in graduate school should be sent by the school directly to the foundation. If your Ph.D. program does not involve graded coursework, please include an explanation of your university's requirements. You must request a transcript from the registrar's office early enough so that it will reach us by the application deadline.

E. Research Plan
Applications that arrive without three copies of a research plan cannot be evaluated. Although in most cases you will have already completed your research, you must describe guiding theories, methods, study populations, etc. Here is where you tell us how your work fits into the body of knowledge of your field and what you will contribute to the field. This is your chance to convince us that your project is worth funding. Be concise, but give sufficient detail for a proper evaluation. This part of the application is typically about 15 double-spaced typed pages. Supplementary supporting material is not necessary but may be submitted. However, the foundation cannot be responsible for the return of such material.

F. Protection of Subjects
If your subjects are living humans, or people with living relatives or associates whose lives may be affected by your research, tell us what you have done to protect their safety or privacy. If your subjects are non-human animals, we want to be sure that you have avoided all unnecessary discomfort or harm to them in the course of your work. If your thesis involves documentary work concerning people long dead or otherwise incapable of being harmed by what you say, please so state in this section of the application.

G. Other Support
Describe facilities and resources already available for the proposed research. A Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation dissertation fellowship may be accepted in conjunction with other awards, fellowships, or employment. A $15,000 fellowship will only contribute to the support of an individual during an entire dissertation year. Have you other sources of support? Will you be working? Have you applied for other fellowships? Alternatively, it may be that our $15,000 award will support you for intense full-time work for a few months, which will enable you to finish the dissertation. We would like to see that you have thought about these practical matters.

Further Information
http://www.hfg.org/df/guidelines.htm

Contact
The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation,
25 West 53rd Street,
New York, N.Y. 10019-5401,
Phone to (646) 428-0971
Fax to (646) 428-0981

***********************************************************************************************

Postgraduate and post doctorate: Notre Dame - Kellogg Visiting Fellowships
University of Notre Dame, Kellogg Institute of International Studies

Program Description

The Kellogg Visiting Fellowships are designed to provide you the time and space to work on research, while interacting with some of the country’s leading scholars. Visiting Fellows submit their research to the Institute’s Working Paper Series and are encouraged to contribute work to the Kellogg Institute’s respected monograph series, published in conjunction with the University of Notre Dame Press. While there, numerous opportunities exist to explore the work of noted scholars through our Seminar and Lecture Series, international conferences, roundtable discussions on world affairs, and many cultural events.

• Most are semester long research fellowships
• A limited number of academic year fellowships with teaching opportunities are available
• 
In exceptional cases, the Institute might offer a two-year postdoctoral visiting fellowship, which would include teaching one course per year.

Eligibility Requirements
The Kellogg Institute seeks accomplished as well as promising scholars whose work and presence will contribute creatively to its major research themes.
• Applicants may come from any country
• Most successful applicants will hold a PhD or equivalent degree in a social science discipline or in history
• In exceptional cases, the Institute will support applicants with a PhD or its equivalent in other disciplines
• The Institute welcomes applications from distinguished senior candidates who do not hold a PhD
• Advanced ABD graduate students may apply, but awards are contingent on their having completed the PhD before beginning the fellowship

Eligibility Considerations (for non-US citizens/residents)

The following should be considered when applying for a Kellogg Institute fellowship:
• Advanced English language proficiency is required
• Foreign nationals must have a valid passport and be able to obtain a J-1 Visa
• A recently issued U.S. immigration regulation states that an individual who completes a period of stay of less than five years as a J-1 professor or research scholar and does not have another appointment immediately following the termination of said stay, cannot return to the U.S. as a J-1 professor or research scholar until the individual has been outside the U.S. for a minimum period of two years. This new two-year bar is different from the two-year home residency requirement normally issued to J-1 scholars.

Residency
Visiting Fellows are expected to be in residence during their tenure at Kellogg. Absences of more than a few days are discouraged and require the Director’s permission. Residence requirements for Guest Scholars are generally more flexible but, since Kellogg apartments and office space are much in demand, guests who choose to occupy an office and/or apartment should also commit to remaining in residence at the Institute during that time.

Presentation
Visiting Fellows are expected to give at least one presentation of their current research in the Kellogg seminar and lecture series.

Publication
The Program expects Visiting Fellows to publish the results of research undertaken and / or completed during their stay. We ask that such publications contain an acknowledgment of Kellogg Institute support.

Working Papers
Kellogg has its own peer-reviewed Working Paper series to which Visiting Fellows must submit at least one paper for consideration, either during or shortly after their stay. The series is not copyrighted and is intended to speed dissemination of work-in-progress for use and feedback by other scholars. The research may then appear later in books or journals.
 
Application Process
The Kellogg Institute holds one competition per year. The application deadline is usually in November.

A complete application consists of the original and seven copies of each of the following:
• Application form
• Curriculum vitae
• Three letters of recommendation (must be sent separately)
• A research project statement addressing the selection criteria (6 - 10 double spaced pages)

Selection Criteria
Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis. A committee composed of Kellogg Institute Faculty Fellows evaluates the applications based on the following criteria:
• What is the problem being addressed? What is its interest and importance within and beyond the researcher’s field?
• How does the study relate to the research themes of the Kellogg Institute?
• What is the quality of the research design, including basic hypotheses, research methodology, and the kinds of data or evidence the researcher is considering?
• Where does this particular project fit into the researcher’s own intellectual and professional development?
• How much would the researcher be able to complete during his/her time at the Institute?

For non-US applicants only
All supporting documents may be submitted via email to lcanales@nd.edu - pdf is the preferred format. Letters of recommendation must be sent by the referees directly to the Kellogg Institute.

Further Information
http://kellogg.nd.edu/faculty/vfellows/index.shtml

Contact
Juliana de Sousa Solis
Manager of Grants and Faculty Programs
University of Notre Dame, Kellogg Institute for International Studies
201 Hesburgh Center
Notre Dame, IN 46556-5677
574/631-8523, Fax 574/631-6717
Email: jdesousa@nd.edu

 

 

II. News you can use

The Scholarship Divide: Expectations Lose to Reality of Sports Scholarships
New York Times, March 10th, 2008

“Many students and their parents think of playing a sport not because of scholarship money, but because it is stimulating and might even give them a leg up in the increasingly competitive process of applying to college. But coaches and administrators, the gatekeepers of the recruiting system, said in interviews that parents and athletes who hoped for such money were much too optimistic and that they were unprepared to effectively navigate the system. The athletes, they added, were the ones who ultimately suffered.”

Read full article online at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/sports/10scholarships.html

***********************************************************************************************

Upcoming ACA Conference: Beyond 2010. European Higher Education in the Next Decade, Tallinn, June 15-17, 2008

What does the next decade hold in store for European higher education? Which role will internationalization and globalization play, and will Europe continue to be a global magnet for students and scholars? Will the Bologna Process continue beyond 2010? Will the Lisbon Strategy remain the centerpiece of EU education, research and innovation policy? Or will new priorities emerge, and which? These are some of the questions which this year's ACA Annual Conference will address.
The conference Beyond 2010. European Higher Education in the Next Decade will take place in Tallinn, Estonia. It will draw an audience of 250-plus participants - composed of policymakers and practitioners alike, from Europe and elsewhere in the world.
More information and registration: http://www.aca-secretariat.be/08events/Conferences/Tallinn/tallinn.htm#Registrations

***********************************************************************************************

Online Survey for international graduate student studying Political Science in the United States

Request from Jenny Wüstenberg,  Department of Government & Politics
University of Maryland,  College Park, MD

I am a doctoral student in Government & Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park and I am conducting a study on the research  undertaken by international graduate students studying Political Science  in the United States. I am especially interested in their research experiences because I believe international students bring a special  skill set to the table that is often overlooked.

I would be very grateful if you could forward the following request (which includes a link to an online survey) to your graduate student list.

Thank you!
Jenny Wüstenberg
*****
*If you are an international graduate student studying Political Science in the United States, please consider taking a few moments to fill out an online survey. *

 *I am a doctoral student in Government & Politics at the University of Maryland, College Park and I am conducting a study on the research undertaken by international graduate students in Political Science in the United States. I am especially interested in your research experiences because I believe international students bring a special  kill set to the table that is often overlooked.*

 *You can take the survey by clicking on this link:*
 
 *http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3NvduwTOjJRPWxAvaFxLlw_3d_3d*

 *Please be assured that it is completely anonymous and that its results  will be reported (to me and to anyone else) only in aggregate form.*

 Should you have any questions, feel free to contact me:

 Jenny Wüstenberg
 Department of Government & Politics
 3140 Tydings Hall
 University of Maryland
 College Park, MD 20742
 jwustenberg@gvpt.umd.edu