Advice & Assistance

THE FELLOWSHIP ADVISOR 

Fellowship Advisor Susan Albrecht can assist you with consideration of appropriate fellowship opportunities, as well as with the process of application itself.  This assistance may include any or all of the following:

• identification and evaluation of opportunities, including those available to undergraduates
• direction to relevant websites and resource materials
• review of personal statements, grant purpose statements and other essays (with the exception of those for the Rhodes and Mitchell Scholarships, where such assistance is prohibited)
• completion/submission of application materials
• deadline management
• arrangement of campus committee interview, where required
• provision of institutional endorsement, where required
• coordination of mock interviews, where appropriate
• connection with alumni and faculty who have received fellowships

Contact Susan Albrecht:  albrechs@wabash.edu / (765) 361-6216 / Office: 1st Floor, Lilly Library

GETTING STARTED

• Fellowship Database - searchable database of over 100 fellowships and scholarships       
• Which Fellowship Is For Me? - take this brief QUIZ to help hone in on fellowships appropriate for you                           
• Student Information Form - an important tool for providing background and interest information to the Fellowship Advisor

ONCE I'VE CHOSEN A FELLOWSHIP, WHEN DO I BEGIN MY APPLICATION?

        The answer is: EARLY!  To understand why, please go to this section 

TIPS ON APPLYING AND ON WRITING SPECIFICALLY FOR FELLOWSHIPS

• Writing Personal Statements - online resource created by Joe Schall, with general and fellowship-specific tips for writing Personal Statements. Chapter 5 is especially relevant.
• Tips on Writing Statement of Purpose and Personal Statement Essays – Some portions of this document from Pomona College pertain more to graduate school applications, but there are many useful suggestions for fellowship applicants.
• Definition of a Personal Statement – Article prepared by Mary Hale Tolar, Truman and Rhodes Scholar (with thanks to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute)
• How to Win a Graduate Fellowship – Suggestions especially useful for STEM applicants, from Michael Kiparsky, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, from The Chronicle of Higher Education (May 11, 2006).

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:  HOW SHOULD I OBTAIN THEM AND WHOM SHOULD I ASK?

• The specific fellowship you are applying for should be considered when determining those individuals from whom you wish to request recommendations.  You are strongly encouraged to discuss recommendation options with the GFA.
• Requesting Letters of Recommendations – Be SURE to review this document prior to requesting letters of recommendation for your fellowship application.

OTHER CAMPUS RESOURCES

The Graduate Fellowship Committee (GFC):

The Committee - comprised of four Wabash professors and the Fellowship Advisor - can help identify appropriate opportunities and will help you to polish your application materials, meet any foundation requirements, and prepare for interviews. 

GFC faculty members for the 2024-25 year:  

Dr. Warren Campbell:  campbelw@wabash.edu 

Dr. Eric Freeze:  freezee@wabash.edu  [fall]

Dr. Ethan Hollander:  hollande@wabash.edu

Dr. Derek Nelson: nelsond@wabash.edu

Dr. Michelle Rhoades:  rhoadesm@wabash.edu 

Dr. Nate Tompkins: tompkinn@wabash.edu  [fall]

The Writing Center: 

Writing Center Director Dr. Zachery Koppelmann, or one of the student peer tutors, can be helpful in assisting you with the mechanics and quality of any personal statement or essay required for application. 

Contact:  (765) 361-6258 / Office: 2nd floor, Lilly Library

The Schroeder Center for Career Development:

Career Services can help you in your initial work to identify fellowship opportunities and, even earlier in your career, to locate internships or other experiences which might better position you as a candidate for a fellowship.  Career Services staff can assist with resumes, CVs and other application materials.  Additionally, they offer tools to help students identify their skills and strengths.

Contact: career@wabash.edu

Faculty Representatives for Specific Fellowships:

For the following fellowship, it is recommended that interested students contact, in addition to the FA, the specified faculty member, who can offer additional guidance regarding the award and its application process. 

Goldwater Scholarship:  Dr. Lon Porter:  porterl@wabash.edu - and/or the specific professor who supervised the student's research activities