Diversity Advancement Pipeline Fellowship

Objective: Graduate students are the pipeline to the future professoriate. This program is intended to create support opportunities which enhance campus efforts to recruit and retain meritorious domestic graduate students from divergent and/or nontraditional backgrounds who have an expressed interest in a career in university teaching and/or research. The fellowship, in combination with its matching component, is designed to provide a financial foundation sufficient to support academic success and degree completion.

Eligibility: Eligibility will be established in two parts:

Part A - Nominees must meet all of the following criteria:

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident;
• meritorious academic achievement and leadership potential as reflected in grade point average, GRE or other test scores, publications, presentations, awards/honors, and/or other professional activity; and
• expressed interest in a career in university teaching and/or research.

Part B - In addition to Part A, nominees must meet at least two of the following diversity enhancement-based criteria:

• previously participated in a TRIO Program (Educational Opportunity Center, Talent Search, Student Support Services, Upward Bound, McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program);
• previously participated in a College Assistance Migrant Program ( CAMP);
• previously attended an Historically Black College or University (HBCU);
• previously attended an Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS);
• previously attended a Tribal College;
• primary language is other than English;
• documented financial need (based upon FAFSA application process) with consideration of low income status;
• first generation to attend a university;
• participation in a summer research experience for undergraduates (e.g., REU);
• demonstrated engagement with communities that are underrepresented in higher education and an ability to bring this experience to the learning environment;
• interest in using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and research

Fellowship Details: Fellowships will provide a one-year stipend ranging from $14,875 to $25,000. Award levels will be aligned to the standardfull-time graduate assistantship stipend provided by the nominee’s academic program. Typically, this is an appointment at .49 FTE, but in some cases, slightly lower FTE will be considered. At a minimum, all requests must show a stipend level valued at no less than the 9-month .49 FTE equivalent listed in the prevailing Graduate School Stipend and Appointment Guidelines for the year in which fellowship funds are sought. For 2008-09, the 9-month .49 FTE recommended minimum stipend is $14,875. Requests for stipends in excess of existing departmental stipend levels must be substantiated in the nomination letter. Tuition remission will accompany the fellowship stipend if not otherwise provided through other concurrent means of support. Please note that fellowships do not provide access to the graduate assistant health insurance plan.

Matching Requirements: When used for recruiting purposes, academic programs presenting nominations must agree to provide equivalent support (stipend and tuition remission) for at least two years after the Diversity Advancement Graduate Pipeline Fellowship is awarded. Fellowships awarded for the purpose of retaining graduate students will require the nominating program to show evidence of at least two prior years of equivalent support (stipend and tuition remission), or a combination of one prior and one subsequent year of support.

Nomination Procedures: Departments and/or interdisciplinary programs may submit only one nomination. Nominations of former FDI fellowship recipients will be given lowest priority. Academic programs must include the following materials in their nomination packets:

• a letter of nomination from the department head or interdisciplinary program director that demonstrates the candidate's merit and promise for the future, and which specifies:
• the specific details of matching support for the nominee as outlined in the “Matching Requirements” section of this announcement;
• the dollar value of the standard full-time stipend level (typically expressed as .49 FTE) for doctoral students within the program. Requests for fellowships exceeding standard departmental stipend levels must be substantiated;
• the basis for which the Diversity Advancement Graduate Pipeline Fellowship is being sought (i.e., relevant criteria in Part B above); and
• how the award will contribute toward an inclusive graduate community within the department/program.
• two additional letters of recommendation;
• the nominee's curriculum vita or résumé;
• the nominee’s statement of academic and career goals, which articulates his/her interest in collegiate level teaching and/or research; and
• copies of transcripts.

Nomination Deadline: Nominations must be received in the Graduate School by February 1, 2008 to be given priority consideration. Initial awards will be announced by February 18, 2008. After the initial deadline, nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis until all funds have been awarded.

Information regarding this and other scholarship and fellowship programs administered by the Graduate School may be found on the Graduate School web: http://oregonstate.edu/dept/grad_school/