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.
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.
Dates and Deadlines
Application opens: Thursday, September 26, 2024
Deadline for student submission: Thursday, October 10, 2024
Announcement of results: Friday, November 8, 2024
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.
Application Procedures and Materials
The online application portal can be accessed through: MyWellesley > Administrivia > Especially for Students > Schiff Fellowship Application.
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Complete the application form.
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Upload a current resume.
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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.
Recipient Expectations
Fellowship recipients are expected to present the results of their project at the Ruhlman 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 to thesis@wellesley.edu and 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.