Ph.D. students: THIS BOOTCAMP IS FOR YOU! The Graduate School is offering a unique, writing-intensive workshop to prepare you for external fellowship application submission. See the flyer below for more details.

Apply here: http://goo.gl/forms/he6nA5chGr

Questions?: gradfllw@usc.edu

by Justine Saquilayan

George Villanueva, Ph.D. graduate and current Postdoctoral Scholar at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, has been appointed Assistant Professor of Advocacy and Social Change at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Communication.

Villanueva’s research focuses on the changing global context of community, civic engagement, sustainable urban development, democracy, the city, and visual communication practices.

During his time at USC, he was a recipient of both the Annenberg Ph.D. Fellowship and the Center for Religion and Civic Culture’s 2012 Interdisciplinary Research Group Fellowship.

In 2014, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed Villanueva to the East Los Angeles Area Planning Commission. His previous civic work includes serving as Community Organizer and Field Deputy for former Los Angeles City Council member, and now Mayor, Eric Garcetti, as well as Senior Field Representative and Research Coordinator for former California State Assembly member Jackie Goldberg.

Recently, he was program manager for the Northeast Los Angeles Riverfront Collaborative, a project aimed at creating sustainable economic development in the NELA river study area. This program was backed by the Partnership for Sustainable Communities Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Villanueva is also affiliated with the Metamorphosis Project at USC Annenberg, a program that seeks “to understand the transformation of urban community under the forces of globalization, new communication technologies, and population diversity so that…research can inform practitioner and policy maker decisions.”

Additionally, Villanueva contributes as a writer and filmmaker for KCET Departures. He also maintains his column, “Engaging Spaces,” which investigates how people and organizations engage urban space to make Los Angeles a more livable, socially just, and fun city.

by Justine Saquilayan

Joshua Gray is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in USC Viterbi’s Industrial and Systems Engineering Program. He currently serves as the Graduate Student Advocate for Diversity Outreach with the Graduate School.

What is your role with the Graduate School?

As Graduate Student Advocate for Diversity Outreach, I help support outreach and advocacy for diversity. That translates into participating in panels or seminars with first generation undergraduate students and underrepresented minorities and women in both the undergraduate and graduate levels to encourage them to pursue PhDs in their area of interest. My specific focus is in the STEM disciplines. I also help provide a platform for current grad students to give feedback to the Graduate School on how we can improve recruitment and retention.

How did you get this position?

I actually first got involved with the Graduate School through the Academic Professional Development (APD) workshops and institutes. After participating over a number of semesters, I talked with Dr. Andalon, the Associate Dean for Diversity Outreach and APD, about helping support the existing programs and developing new programs.

What particular concerns do you deal with?

So, the concerns I deal with are when students feel as if there is a lack of support for them within their program or would like more support from the Graduate School. I help students find a sense of community and association with peers and identify resources that they can utilize, either within their department or within the university, to become more acclimated within the campus environment.

What advice do you have for new or continuing students?

For students, I definitely recommend applying for and participating in our APD programs because it allows you to meet students prepare for the different milestones within a graduate program, such as a screening exam, the quals, dissertation defense, as well as graduation.

I also recommend that students of color and females participate in some of the diversity programs and mixers we host. We’re currently in the process of revamping those and looking at how we can get more feedback on ways to be more supportive of students.

I would also say to reach out to staff within the departments or within their schools. Certain schools have offices that support different groups, such as the Center for Engineering Diversity in Viterbi and Dornsife’s Office of Diversity and Strategic Initiatives. On the Health Sciences Campus there are also many different groups and organizations. It’s really beneficial for students to get involved in some of the professional organizations.

Also, don’t be shy with people who are higher in administration. Dr. Sally Pratt is very genuine and down-to-earth administrator who I actually met at the Expo Line Train Station. I just sparked up a conversation with her, and she’s been very supportive and encouraging of me. I mean, even certain trustees within the university that I’ve had privilege of getting to know, they’re interested in my research and diversity within USC.

Students should try to get involved in some kind of leadership role. It looks good on the CV and allows them to get connected with others who can help them with placement after they graduate. It allows them to get involved in conferences, and I encourage students to conduct research and apply by submitting their abstracts to participate in conferences. Some allow you to travel, and that can support students that want to actually go and present and really explore the opportunities that are available as a result of being a graduate student. There’s limited funding, but through travel grants, you can make the most of your experience.

To contact Joshua Gray, please email graduate.diversity@usc.edu.

The Fulbright-Hays Grant funds doctoral student research in Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, South Asia, the Near East, Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia, and the Western Hemisphere (excluding the United States and its territories).

Creative Commons / Flickr / User: Virgil Telmo

A student is eligible if he or she:

• Is a citizen, national or permanent resident of the United States;
• Is a graduate student in good standing who, when the fellowship begins, is admitted to candidacy
• Is planning a teaching career or planning to utilize their language skills in the fields of government, international development and/or the professions.
• Possesses adequate skills in the language(s) necessary to carry out the project.

Key Dates:

Tuesday, March 24, 2:00pm – 3:00pm GFS 329
Fulbright-Hays Info Session sponsored by the USC Graduate School

Wednesday, April 8
Fulbright-Hays Proposal Narrative due to Graduate School

Monday, April 13 – Tuesday, April 14
Proposal Narrative Review by Graduate School and USC faculty

Monday, April 20
Final Fulbright-Hays Proposal & all letters of recommendation and/or affiliation submitted to DOE G5 application portal

Friday, April 24
USC Graduate School submits all student proposals.

IMPORTANT: USC applicants for the Fulbright-Hays must submit through the Graduate School. Dr. Meredith Drake Reitan, Associate Dean for Graduate Fellowships serves as USC’s Program Director.

More information is available: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/02/27/2015-04137/applications-for-new-awards-fulbright-hays-doctoral-dissertation-research-abroad-fellowship-program

by Adam Feinman

Sarah Goodrum is a Ph.D. candidate in Art History. She was awarded a Fulbright Research Fellowship for the 2012-2013 school year and a Dissertation Fellowship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) for the 2014-15 school year. She’s now in Germany, researching the photography of East Germany during the Cold War.

Continue reading →

by Justine Saquilayan

In honor of Black History Month, we celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of Dr. Barbara Solomon, Vice Provost Emeritus and former Dean of the Graduate School.

Throughout USC’s history, few individuals have had as significant an impact as Dr. Barbara Solomon, Vice Provost Emeritus for Graduate and Professional Studies and former Dean of the USC Graduate School. Over the course of more than fifty years, Dr. Solomon has been an inspirational figure in academia and professional practice.

Described by USC News as “the conscience of USC,” Solomon’s hands-on approach and dedication to the field of social work led to significant developments within the university. A prolific author, she also published several works on social service delivery systems as they relate to underrepresented populations.

When the Los Angeles chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference named Solomon the recipient of the Rosa Parks Award in 1998, USC President Steven B. Sample was quoted as saying:

“Her capacity to think and teach creatively about society’s needs and to involve the university
with the community that surrounds it is unparalleled. Her example inspires faculty, staff
and the legions of social workers she has influenced as a teacher, writer, researcher and
practitioner.”

In addition to serving as USC’s first African-American dean, Dr. Solomon held many other posts within the university. In 1993, she was appointed Vice Provost for Minority Affairs. The next year, she was named Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, where she led the effort to recruit and retain minority faculty members. She also served as a professor in the School of Social Work.

Dr. Solomon has been recognized for her work by organizations such as the American Association of Higher Education and the National Association of Social Workers. In 1999, the university awarded her the Presidential Medallion, which is the highest honor bestowed by USC.

Creative Commons / Flickr / User: Nicolas Raymond

Please join the staff of Academic & International Fellowships for an information session on competitive fellowships.  No RSVP is needed.  US citizenship is required to apply.

Upcoming Fellowships Information Sessions

General Fellowships (such as Rhodes, Boren, Goldwater, Luce, and Fulbright)

February 3        12-1pm              DML 110C (East Asian Seminar Room)

February 19      11am-12pm      HNB 107

Fulbright Grant (Research & ETA) Information Sessions

January 29        12-1pm            Leavey Library Auditorium

February 11        1-2pm            DML 110C  (East Asian Seminar Room)

February 23        12-1pm          STU B3

If you have questions, please contact aifstaff@usc.edu  We also post updates regularly on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/uscaif  For a list of all of the awards we support visit our website http://www.usc.edu/programs/ugprograms/aif/fellowshiplist.htm​