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By Julianna LaBruto, Fellowships Program Assistant 2006-07

The annual Fellowships Informational Meeting held on March 8, 2007, was a resounding success. There was a high turnout of about 200 students despite the cold weather, and speakers each imparted a piece of useful wisdom regarding the application procedure. Students then were able to find out more about the specifics of various fellowships in the Breakout Sessions, where they also learned tips relating to each individual fellowship.

The Speakers

• Beinecke and ENS fellow Sarah-Neel Smith recommended that students look carefully at all the options available to them, even if they’re not completely sure they want to do a fellowship. The process of writing an application helps in making more decisions about life than just about what to put in the essay. They force you to articulate yourself and your specific relation to your field of study. As a multiple fellowship winner herself, she also mentioned that completing one fellowship application makes it much easier to apply for others, as much of the legwork is already done.


• Fulbright Finalist Rebecca Heeb discussed how her JYA experiences in China led her to apply for a Fulbright, and how these experiences aided her tremendously in formulating her application, both from the knowledge she had gained and the contacts she had made.
  
  
• Kristen Nelson, also a Fulbright Finalist, told students that she realized while applying that formulating her ideas and researching for her proposal was akin to doing a mini-Fulbright in and of itself. She came to understand that completing a fellowship application is itself a rewarding experience and helped her grow as a scholar.
  
  
• Fulbright Finalist Krystal Banzon spoke on the importance of locating and contacting host institutions early on in the application process, as it can often take some time for organizations overseas to reply.
  
  
• Michaela LeBlanc, a finalist for a Fulbright Teaching Fellowship to Germany, advised students to start early, be organized, and be positive when applying for any fellowship.
  
  
• Donald Andrew's own information-packed speech addressed how a student can position herself to stand out in a field of applicants. This became clear as he examined two of the key components of a fellowships application: academics and resumes.

  In a resume, he said, it is critical to demonstrate that you know what is going on globally and have formed your own opinions. To that end, you must get involved in activities beyond the classroom. However, be sure not to spread yourself too thin, as dedication to and leadership in a few endeavors is much better than a long list of unrelated activities. What matters is a focus, a coherency, and a continuity that defines you and allows you to stand out.

  When it comes to academics, there is no doubt that high grades are helpful, even essential, in applying for fellowships, but intellectual development is more important. Make use of the excellent faculty at Smith to become deeply involved in one or two fields. Engage in research opportunities with professors. Fellowship winners say that the single most important factor in their success was the professors they got to know. A fact of fellowships is that the letters of recommendation professors write count for a lot, so however excellent the application might be, strong letters by professors who have gotten to know you can make the difference between winning a fellowship or not.