Jerome A. Schiff Fellowship
A generous gift from the Jerome A. Schiff Charitable Trust allows Wellesley to support students pursuing independent research projects through the senior Honors thesis program.
The fellowships are awarded on the basis of merit, and the number of fellows each year is determined by available funding and the number of qualified applicants. Applicants should read carefully the following criteria and instructions, which have been updated.
Selection Criteria
In selecting fellows, the Committee for Curriculum and Academic Planning (CCAP) considers the clarity and feasibility of the proposal, the significance of the project within and beyond a particular academic discipline, the coursework and experiences that have prepared the candidate to complete the project successfully, and the strength of faculty recommendations. Applicants should make their proposals intelligible and compelling for non-specialist readers.
Purpose
The fellowship honors excellence in research and is intended to facilitate thesis work. The application does not require a budget or a statement of financial need. Fellows may use the funds as they deem appropriate; students have used their fellowships to reduce job obligations in order to devote more time to research and writing; to cover travel and living expenses related to fieldwork, library, or archival research; to cover expenses related to interviews, user studies, and participant compensation; to purchase necessary supplies, materials, or equipment, including computing resources and equipment; and to cover travel and living expenses to attend relevant academic conferences.
Eligibility
Eligibility is limited to Wellesley students enrolled in a 360 in the fall or intending to enroll in a 360 in spring. Students enrolled in a 370 in the fall are not eligible. A recipient of the Daniels Fellowship is not eligible to receive a Schiff Fellowship, though students may apply to both.
Letters of Recommendation
将邀请顾问上传一口的来信port once the student has submitted the online application described below. The letter should address the strength and feasibility of the student's proposed project, the student's ability to work independently, and the likelihood that the promise of the thesis will be fulfilled. The Committee would also welcome comments comparing the applicant's proposal to that of other students with whom the faculty member has worked.
Model Proposals
Excerpts from the prior year’s successful proposals will be posted to the online portal. They are intended to offer general models for writing about research clearly and compellingly.
Dates and Deadlines
Application opens: Tuesday, September 28th 2021
Deadline for student submission: Friday, October 15th 2021
Faculty advisor letters due: Friday, October 22nd 2021
Announcement of results: Friday, November 19th, 2021
Application Procedures and Materials
The online application portal can be accessed through:
MyWellesley Portal> Administrivia > Especially for Students > Levitt & Schiff Fellowships Application
Note:The Levitt and Schiff Fellowship review timelines coincide in Fall 2021, and applications for both will be submitted and reviewed within the same app typically used for Schiff applications. A student applying for both Levitt and Schiff need only fill out one application.
Complete the application form.
Upload a current resume.
Upload a 2-3 page proposal (double-spaced) describing the premise, methodology, and significance of the research project, the research and writing accomplished so far, and detailed plans for completing the thesis.
A student applying for both Schiff and Levitt must also include in their application a one paragraph description of commitment to service and engagement. This additional paragraph is required for the Levitt application.
List the name of the thesis advisor, as prompted by the form. Your advisor will receive by email a request to upload the letter of recommendation when you submit your application. The recommendation cannot be uploaded until the application has been submitted.
Recipient Expectations
Fellowship recipients are expected to present the results of their project at theRuhlman Conference. In addition, fellows are required to submit a one-page reflection to the Office of the Provost and Dean of the College before Commencement Day (before the end of exams in December, in the case of students beginning a 360 in Spring). These reflections can be emailed tothesis@wellesley.eduand fellowship students will receive a reminder closer to the deadline. This essay should describe what the fellow learned from the experience of researching and writing a thesis.