Category Archives: Fellows

Funding Opportunities to Connect U.S. and Turkish Universities

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Funding Opportunities to Connect U.S. and Turkish Universities

 Programs to Bring U.S. Student and Faculty Researchers to Turkey

  • TUBITAK Program 2216 – Research Fellowship Program for International Researchers: U.S. Master’s and PhD students are eligible to apply to receive partial travel costs and health insurance, up to $2,500 for research expenses, and $1250/month for up to 12 months.  More information can be found at http://www.tubitak.gov.tr/en
  • TUBITAK Program 2221 – Fellowships for Visiting Scientists and Scientists on Sabbatical Leave:  U.S. scientists with a PhD are eligible to apply to receive travel expenses, health insurance, and $3,500/month for up to 12 months.  More information can be found at http://www.tubitak.gov.tr/en
  • The Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program:  U.S. researchers and professors are eligible to apply to receive funding to carry out research, lecture, or consult with other scholars in Turkey.  More information can be found at http://exchanges.state.gov/us/program/fulbright-us-scholar-program
  • The Fulbright U.S. Student Program:  U.S. graduating seniors, graduate students, and young professionals are eligible to apply to receive funding to study, conduct research, and teach English in Turkey.  More information can be found at http://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-programs/program-summaries/student-program
  • Short Term Research Scholarships:  U.S. PhD students are eligible to apply to receive funding to study at a Turkish university.  More information can be found at http://www.turkiyeburslari.gov.tr/index.php/en/turkiye-burslari/burs-programlari
  • Marie Curie Actions – International Incoming Fellowships (IIF):  U.S. researchers going to EU Member States or Associated Countries, including Turkey, with a PhD or at least four years of full-time research experience are eligible to apply for an IIF.  IIF provides approximately 200,000 Euros of financial support for up to two years.  More information can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/about-mca/actions/iif/
  • Marie Curie Actions – Career Integration Grants (CIG):  Experienced U.S. researchers with a PhD or at least four years of full-time research experience are eligible to apply for a CIG.  CIG grants provide support up to 100,000 Euros for a maximum of four years.  More information can be found at http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/about-mca/actions/cig/

The Center for Applied Mathematical Science (CAMS) Graduate Student Prize

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University of Southern California
CENTER FOR APPLIED MATHEMATICAL SCIENCE

THE CAMS GRADUATE STUDENT PRIZE
for Excellence in Research with a Substantial Mathematical Component
The $1000 Prize Will Be Awarded Annually

ELIGIBILITY: Any graduate student at USC who is expected to receive a Ph.D. degree between May 2014 and August 2015 inclusive is eligible.

NOMINATION PROCEDURES: Nominations for the CAMS Prize should include a nominating letter from the student’s dissertation committee chair, the nominee’s C.V. and a statement of 3 pages or less by the nominee describing his or her research in a way that is accessible to non-experts.  Reprints, preprints and a further faculty letter of support are not required, but may be included in the supporting material.

SELECTION COMMITTEE: The prize winner will be selected by the Board of Directors of The Center for Applied Mathematical Sciences.
Susan Friedlander: Professor of Mathematics and Director of CAMS
Solomon Golomb: Professor of Electrical Engineering and Mathematics
Shanghua Teng: Professor of Computer Science
Michael Waterman: Professor of Computational Biology and Mathematics

DEADLINE: Nominations are due Friday, March 14, 2014 at 4:00 p.m.
Please direct nominations to the Director of CAMS and send material to:

Adriana Cisneros
Department of Mathematics
KAP 104B, MC 2532
e-mail: adrianac@usc.edu

AWARD
The prize will be announced and awarded in April 2014
The names and departments of former Prize winners can be seen at cams.usc.edu

Apply Now for the 2014-2015 Haynes Lindley Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship

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The Haynes Foundation recently announced the 2014 Haynes Lindley Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships. The Fellowships are designed to encourage research into the economic, social, policy or political issues that impact Los Angeles.

The Graduate School coordinates the submission of these fellowships on behalf of the University. The application guidelines are below. Applications are due to the Graduate School office in GFS 315 by 5:00pm on Wednesday, Feb 19, 2014.

In addition to the paper proposal, applicants are required to submit an on-line proposal information form (http://www.haynesfoundation.org/proposal/proposal_info.asp). Students should include the information below in the boxes set aside for the Organization Information.

Prefix Suffix:                Dr.
First Name:                  Meredith
Last Name:                  Drake Reitan
Present Position           Assistant Dean of Graduate Fellowships
Department                 Graduate School, Office of the Provost
Organization/School     University of Southern California
Mailing Address             3601 Watt Way, GFS-315
City                              Los Angeles
State                            CA
Zip Code                      90089-1695
Contact Telephone       (213) 821-5644
Contact Email               mereditd@usc.edu

THE JOHN RANDOLPH HAYNES AND DORA HAYNES FOUNDATION

2014-2015 Haynes Lindley Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship Guidelines 

THE HAYNES FOUNDATION, which supports social science research into policy issues that impact the Los Angeles region, invites proposals for its 2014-2015 Haynes Lindley Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships (due date is February 20, 2014). The Fellowships are designed to encourage well-conceived and imaginative research into the economic, social, policy or political issues that impact Los Angeles.  Graduate students enrolled at institutions and programs awarding the Ph.D. in the social sciences in the greater Los Angeles area (i.e., the California Institute of Technology, the Claremont Graduate University, the Pardee-RAND Graduate School, the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of California, Irvine, the University of California, Riverside, and the University of Southern California) are eligible for the awards.  Grants will be made to the institution on behalf of the student for subsequent disbursement and graduate schools will be asked to waive tuition and fees for Fellowship recipients.  More than one student may apply from each institution; some institutions may receive more than one award, some none.

AWARD USE
Up to eight (8) awards of $20,000 each will be announced in April/May 2014 and available for one year of work toward completion of the dissertation (field work, research or writing may be covered).  Applicants must have had their dissertation proposals accepted and be working with their faculty advisors as of the date that the applications are due to be submitted to the Foundation.  The universities may add to these awards, but they should clearly be designated as “Haynes Lindley Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships.” The Fellowship awards are not renewable.  A 3-4 page report to the Foundation, outlining the recipient’s work during the period of the award as well as an analysis of the extent to which the completed work reflects the effort proposed in the original proposal is due at the Foundation office no later than August 1, 2015. The Foundation recognizes that, in many cases, the dissertation will not be completed by this due date.  Therefore, the Foundation requests that the recipient summarize the dissertation’s key findings in 1–2 pages and submit the summary by the due date, and follow up with a 3-4 page report when the dissertation is complete. Recipients are also invited to provide the Foundation with a link to an online version of the research.

EVALUATION CRITERIA
We are seeking proposals that address economic, social, policy, or political problems that impact the Los Angeles region, defined as the five-county area of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Ventura. A broader geographic scope will be considered if an important part of the research impacts the Los Angeles region.  We are open to a wide range of specific topic areas within that broad category.  Proposals can address either immediate policy concerns or can provide basic research that would underlie future policy efforts.  The criteria for selection are: 1) the relevance of the proposal to the mission of the Foundation, 2) the significance of the project for the scholarly field and its potential impact on public policy 3) the quality of the academic record of the applicant, 4) the applicant’s demonstrated ability to conduct research within set time frames, 5) the relevance of the project to the applicant’s future professional growth and success.  These attributes should be addressed in the description of the project and in the letter of recommendation.  The Foundation expects proposals to be clearly written, to the greatest extent possible without academic jargon.  Proposals should be written for the layperson, informed but not necessarily familiar with terms of art used only within fields and sub-fields of academia.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Five copies (formerly fifteen copies) and one PDF copy of the Dissertation Fellowship application must be received at the Foundation office no later than 3:00 p.m. on February 20, 2014.Each of the five application packets must include, in the following order:

  • A one-page cover sheet, setting out the title of the proposal, the PI/proposer’s name, mailing address, telephone, email, institution, and faculty advisor.
  • A six-page proposal, double-spaced in 12-point type face.  The proposal should state the research problem, the project goals and the methods to be used.
  • A one-page bibliography listing key sources of direct relevance to the dissertation topic.
  • A two-page condensed personal resume.
  • One letter of recommendation from the applicant’s faculty advisor, single-spaced in 12-point typeface.
    • The advisor should provide the advisor’s estimation of the dissertation completion date, and also serves as a written indication of institutional support. 
    • A copy of the letter of recommendation should be attached to each individual proposal. However, should the advisor choose to send it separately, the five hard copies of the letter of recommendation should then be placed in a single envelope and included in the application packet. The single envelope containing five copies of the letter may be sealed if that is the faculty advisor’s preference. The envelope may not be sent under separate cover.

Applicants should “bundle” these materials (including the letters of recommendation, as described above) in five separate packets with a cover page listing address, telephone number and email address where they can be reached.  Please do not staple or bind the materials in any way:  rather, separate the bundles with large paper clips.  In addition, a copy should also be sent electronically in both PDF and in Word formats.

NOTICE and QUESTIONS
Awards will be announced two to three months after the proposal due date. For general information, please refer to the list of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on the Foundation’s website. You may call or write William J. Burke, Administrative Director, The John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, 888 West Sixth Street, Suite 1150, Los Angeles, California 90017-2737, (213) 623-9151 or email at bburke@haynesfoundation.org, with a copy to info@haynesfoundation.org.

 

First Guest Blog of the New Year! From Panthea Heydari

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The Neuro-Person:
Story telling and Interviewing
 by Panthea Heydari

In. Getting in. Getting accepted. Getting the job. Proposing the deal. Inventing the thought. Telling the story.

My story.

It’s the beginning of spring semester at USC and slowly, but surely, students are getting into the flow of things. Campus eateries have re-opened from the holiday, the gym is as exciting as ever, and the parking lots (both on campus and at that aforementioned Expo metro rail) are becoming full. But along with the throngs of returning students this year, also come the hopefuls. Those vying for positions in sparkling labs, bright-eyed and bushy tailed, dreaming of making that Nobel Prize discovery…the hopeful prospective graduate student.

Welcome back, kids! It’s judging season. It’s application season. It’s interview season.

Recruitment weekends and interviews are starting to get planned for these prospective hopefuls and it feels odd to think that two years ago, I was here.  Reading and re-reading my resume, debating on what would make me seem more of a professional academic…do I go with the Hilary Clinton pant-suit? What about the spectacles? Or did I want to be the casual smart graduate student, rolling out of bed and nonchalantly teetering on an epic discovery? What do I even say at my interview? Do I only talk about my science exploits? Can I say I’m into running? What about animal versus human research? How much of that person do I involve alongside the neuro?


USC was not my first graduate school interview and by the time I stepped onto the HedCo Neuroscience Building, I had some idea of what I wanted my future colleagues to know about me. I wanted them to know my skills, my publication record, and my research capabilities but when I sat down to interview with my dream principle investigator (or, effectively, my boss), what I wanted, more than anything, was to have an actual conversation. Was to tell my story and see if I jived with this mentor.


Could I see myself popping into her office on a whim to discuss a thought? Would she be receptive to my inevitably, at first, naïve questions and, later, self-proclaimed novel associations? Those answers could only come from a genuine conversation, filled with my story and, at the same, listening to hers.

The interview is amazingly complicated and, yet, supremely simple. The concept of the neuro-person is emphasized most during this interview season and a conversation can go far. I encourage you prospective graduate students to allow your person-hood to come out during your interview…talk about what excites you! Get animated! Discuss your skills…and the things you could stand to improve on. Tell your story about how you got here but don’t forget that on the other end, there’s a story too. Ask about their story, what excites them, and see if you could imagine yourself getting enamored by the same things or enthralled enough to direct someone towards something new. That passion will serve you well in the marathon that is graduate school.

The story, your story, will continue to develop even after interview season, and to those of us going into our second, third, or sixth years, that story is still developing. The excitement of the story—the unwritten parts—well, that’s the cliffhanger that keeps you coming back for more. Ultimately, the interview to get into graduate school, the one that concludes your dissertation, that gets you to your post-doc, and maybe even the one that cinches for you the coveted tenure track position, it’s all a story about you. Your research, your interests, your personality, and your connection.

So, let’s hear it. Story time!

Send me your thoughts at pheydari@usc.edu

 

 

 

 

Attention, Master’s Students: USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship Program

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USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship Program

USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship Program seeks to attract outstanding young people who are interested in pursuing careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

More information attached and http://www.paynefellows.org/?areaid=2&contentid=941#

Deadline: Monday, January 27, 2014

The fellowship is awarded to 5 graduate students enrolled in 2-year masters programs in the following fields:

  • International Affairs
  • Development
  • Economics
  • History
  • Political Science
  • Public Administration
  • Communications
  • Public Policy
  • Business Administration Foreign Languages
  • Agriculture
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Urban Planning
  • Other related fields, excluding law

Fellows will receive up to $20,000 per year toward tuition and mandatory fees and a $15,000 stipend for each academic year for room, board, books and other education-related expenses.  Fellows will also receive up to $10,000 per year in stipend, housing, transportation and other related expenses for summer internships.

Students who successfully complete the Payne Program and USAID Foreign Service entry requirements will receive appointments as Foreign Service Officers with the U.S. Agency for International Development.  Fellows are committed to a minimum of three years of service as a USAID Foreign Service Officer.

Fellows will participate in an orientation at Howard University in May.

Fellows will participate in two summer internships, one in Washington DC before the first year of graduate study, and the second overseas in a USAID Mission between the first and second years of graduate study.

Each fellow will receive mentoring throughout the duration of the fellowship.

Application eligibility includes the following:

  • Applicants must be US citizens
  • Applicants must be seeking admission to enter graduate school in the fall of 2014 for a two-year program at a U.S. university.  They can be in the senior year of their undergraduate studies, graduating by June 2014, or they can be college graduates.
  • Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale at the time of application.
  • Applications are due on Monday, January 27, 2014 electronically and include the following:
    • Background information (e.g., name, contact information)
    • A personal statement (in 600 words or less) that discusses the applicant’s reasons for applying, interest in foreign affairs, commitment to pursue a USAID Foreign Service career and any relevant experience or information.
    • A statement (in 400 words or less) from the applicant that discusses his/her need for financial assistance to attend graduate school, including an explanation of:
      • The financial assistance received during undergraduate studies
      • Overall education-related debt
      • Ability/plans to pay for graduate school independently
  • Two letters of recommendation:
    • One from a faculty member who is well acquainted with the individual
    • One from a community leader or other individual who can comment on the applicant’s non-academic accomplishments and his/her potential to serve as a USAID Foreign Service Officer
  • Proof of U.S. citizenship
  • Student Aid Report generated from the FAFSA form.
  • GRE or GMAT scores
  • Official Financial Aid Statement from your senior year, if you received financial aid.
  • Official Transcripts from ALL colleges and universities the applicant has attended for credit.

For more information including FAQs as well as tips for preparing a competitive application, please visit:
http://www.paynefellows.org/?areaid=2&contentid=941#

For all inquiries, please contact:
    Tessa Henry, Payne Program Officer
    (202) 806-5952 or Paynefellows@howard.edu

Fulbright-Clinton Fellowship – Deadline Jan 10, 2014

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Read on to find out more about the Fulbright-Clinton Fellowship, formerly known as the Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship.

The Fulbright-Clinton Fellowship provides opportunities for U.S. citizens to serve in professional placements in a foreign government ministry or institution in partner governments. Fulbright-Clinton Fellows build mutual understanding and contribute to strengthening the public sector while gaining hands-on public sector experience. The Fulbright-Clinton Fellowship also includes an independent academic study/research component.

Fulbright-Clinton Fellows function in a “special assistant” role for a senior level official. The goal of the professional placements is to build the Fellows’ knowledge and skills, provide support to partner country institutions, and promote long-term ties between the U.S. and the partner country. The U.S. Embassy, with the Fulbright Commission (where applicable), will identify host ministries and provide administrative support and oversight during the Fellow’s program.

Available Countries: African Union, Bangladesh, Burma, Guatemala, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Malawi, Nepal, Samoa, and Timor-Leste.

The program is currently accepting applications from candidates who meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Currently a U.S. citizen
  • Have a masters degree  (MA, JD, MBA, MPA, MPH, MSW, MSc, or other) with an area of focus that is applicable to public policy prior to September 1, 2014 or will be enrolled in a doctoral program prior to September 2014.
  • Have at least 2 years of full-time professional work experience in policy related fields. 

The Fulbright-Clinton fellowship deadline is January 10, 2014. Students are not required to meet with USC Fulbright advisors, but the Office of Academic and International Fellowships (information below) can assist if students have any questions. Applications must be submitted directly to Fulbright. Additional information, instructions, and tips are available at http://us.fulbrightonline.org/fulbright-clinton-fellowships

You can also take advantage of this brief tutorial video: http://tinyurl.com/c7p979u

From the Office of Academic and International Fellowships Noosha Malek, Director Martha Enciso, Associate Director Katie Calvert, Assistant Director http://www.usc.edu/aif GFS 227

Fellowship Resources for International and Undocumented Students

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We are pleased to share some fellowship resources for international and undocumented students. The first PDF document is a list of scholarships that do not require proof of US citizenship. Though most of the opportunities are for undergraduate students, there are a few graduate student prospects as well. The second list summarizes funding for international students.

Scholarships Don’t Require Proof of US Citizenship
Selected Funding Sources Open to Non-US Citizens

The following are opportunities that look promising for graduate students:

American Association for University Women – International Fellowships
http://www.aauw.org/fga/fellowships_grants/international.cfm
Full-time study or research to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Both graduate and postgraduate study at accredited institutions are supported. Deadline: December 1. 

Asian Development Bank (ADB) – Japan Scholarship Program
http://www.adb.org/JSP/default.asp
Citizens of ADB’s developing member countries to pursue postgraduate studies in economics, management, science and technology, and other development-related fields at participating academic institutions in the Asian and Pacific Region. The ADB-JSP provides full scholarships for one to two years.

Association for Women in Science Educational Foundation
http://www.awis.org/resource/edfoundation.html
Female students enrolled in a behavioral, life, physical, or social science or engineering program leading to a Ph.D. degree. Graduate fellowships in the amount of $1,000 are awarded each year. Deadline: January

Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship Program
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/policyfellows/
Designed to engage graduate science, engineering, medical, veterinary, business, and law students in the analysis that informs the creation of science and technology policy and to familiarize them with the interactions of science, technology, and government.

Environmental Research and Education Foundation
http://www.erefdn.org/scholar.html
This scholarship recognizes excellence in Ph.D. or post-doctoral environmental research and education. Deadline: August 1.

International Dissertation Field Research Fellowships
http://www.ssrc.org/programs/idrf/
Up to 50 fellowships to support social scientists and humanists conducting dissertation field research in all areas and regions of the world.

King Faisal Foundation Scholarship
http://www.kff.com/english/kff/ea/ss/bfullkffeass.htm
Funding opportunity for Muslim students in Medicine, Engineering, and sciences (Physics, Chemistry, and Geology) to study at an accredited European or North American university.

Smithsonian Fellowships
http://www.si.edu/ofg/fell.htm
Unless noted otherwise, all Smithsonian fellowships (graduate, pre-doctoral, post-doctoral, senior) opportunities are open to non-US citizens. Deadlines vary.

Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowship
http://www.spencer.org/programs/index.htm
Candidates for the doctoral degree at a graduate school within the United States are eligible. Deadline: November 1.

Guest Blogger Panthea Heydari Introduces “The NeuroPerson” Series

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The NeuroPerson:
A Quest of Science and Society

by Panthea Heydari

Graduate school, especially for scientists, is often considered a bubble from the real world. We student scientists are supposed to be blissfully ignorant to the life beyond our lab benches and outside the confines of mountains of highlighted Pubmed papers. We talk in scientific jargon and balk at the idea of press releases that do not include the full methods section of our carefully dissected experimental paradigms. But this is not really the mantra of the University of Southern California…of the USC Graduate School. USC prides itself on producing not only productive scientists but also well-rounded persons. In today’s age, that well roundedness is the golden ticket to Charlie’s Chocolate Factory where grants are free flowing, papers accepted, and science glamorized at the level of celebrity (which, for the record, I think it should be!).

Let’s talk about the theme and dichotomy of being a graduate student (and in my case, scientist) and a “person”. What does this mean? Is it some esoteric abstraction of wanting to live a complicated and deep life? In reality, should I forsake the day-to-day hubbub of Los Angeles and only be concerned with my own type of science, with no regard to my peers or to who decides on my funding?

Where do I draw that line between mad scientist and productive member of society?

At the risk of sounding like our forlorn great-grandparents, times are different and things are a-changing. The days of walking uphill both ways to school may have changed with the advent of the Culver City Expo Line but our generations of scientists (and graduate students) have challenges that fundamentally question our myopic points of view. Is our particular research really the only thing worth funding? Should there be a hierarchy of science? Does our home department, type of degree, or lab location matter? Are we so separate that from the public in our ability to pick up a Western Blot technique or analyze functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data?

The nature of our economy and the demands of society have (and should) force student scientists to become more integral members of the community at large. We cannot continue with science being an abstract notion for the elite few—instead, we need it to be more collaborative. Here, there is a shift and fundamental need to still live as a person while we continue as a graduate student. Today, scientists find themselves at an exciting crossroads where interdepartmental programs are becoming more prevalent, where cross collaborations are promoted, and where the view of the scientist drudging along in a lab without a sense of the world at large is diminishing.

There is a need for integration of other disciplines, of social interaction at conferences, of talking the talk and expressing science to the public.  For example, take the Brain and Creativity Institute at USC, which, among many of their projects, investigates the relationship between music and the brain using neuroscience methods. Or the mind-blurring number rows upon rows upon rows of posters at the Society for Neuroscience Conference where Alzheimer’s disease Amyloid-Beta plaque analysis is presented alongside cognitive representations of the self and testosterone replacement levels in mice. Or the sold-out TedX Brain Conference at CalTech where neuroscientists, psychologists, and researchers parlayed their life’s work in 15 minutes. These are all examples of community involvement in science and scientists walking the line as a member of society.

I propose a blog to address these notions of the graduate student scientist versus the person. How do I work towards going to a collaborative conference to promote my work when I cannot fully fit into the bubble of one specific department? What does it mean to be a woman in science and should that even matter? How do I appropriately promote my science to the public, when for years I have been part of the science nerds that, by social norms, are the awkward kids that play with volcanoes and lack in social skills?  Where do I go for resources on how to be a “productive member of a society”?

I welcome you to my blog for The Graduate School, “The NeuroPerson”, and hope that in my attempt to become a “neuroscientist + person,” you start to question your own “person-dom” as well.

Send me your thoughts here!

 

Introducing The Graduate School Guest Bloggers for Fall 2013!

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We are excited to announce that eight graduate students are joining the Graduate School team this fall to blog about their experiences as USC graduate students. Our guest bloggers will discuss topics ranging from adjusting to graduate student life, to balancing studies and outside life, to preparing to enter the job market.

This week, Adam Feinman, a fifth year Ph.D. candidate in Biomedical Engineering, kicks us off with the introduction to his blog series, “Badges: Trials and Tribulations on the Road to Graduate/Professional School Success.” Check in regularly for more stories from our graduate student bloggers.

Have comments or questions about the guest bloggers’ series? Email evashenk@provost.usc.edu.

Join us in welcoming Adam!

 

Badges
Trials and tribulations on the road to graduate/professional school success

By Adam Feinman

I despise the days when new students arrive on campus. They are so bright-eyed and cheery. They are giddy with anticipation about what the future holds for them. They are excited to learn and discover (amongst other things). After 4+ years of working on my Ph.D., it can be a deeply painful reminder of how long I’ve been here, what I’ve had to struggle with to get this far, and how far I have yet to go.

But it also fills me with joy. I look at who I am today compared to who I was at the beginning of graduate school, and I don’t regret it. The hard years of attaining a professional or graduate degree are not merely the road to graduation. The process is itself the goal. It is important to attain knowledge in the process, but the struggles behind accomplishment are what shape us, personally and professionally, for the rest of our lives.

My column for this blog, “Badges” is about the process. It is about the struggles we all face in these school years, but more importantly, it is about the fulfillment created by facing those struggles and achieving greatness in the process. These stories can raise awareness of issues students face, but can also inspire us take pride in our own personal processes, past, present, and future.

My first post(s) will be about adapting to doing research in an unfamiliar area. Later topics may include such things as: being married (or a parent) in graduate school, dealing with stress and the potential emotional and mental issues that come that, adapting to a new culture, etc. If you have stories to tell of your graduate/professional school woes, how you felt through them, and how you have (or are currently) facing them, or if you have other topics you would like to hear about, please contact me at feinman@usc.edu. All names or potential personal identifiers will be changed in blog posts for privacy.

Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Arts Award

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The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is pleased to announce the launching of the 2014 Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Arts Award.  The purpose of the Graduate Arts Award is to help cultivate the next generation of great artists and writers.  This award, worth up to $50,000 per year, will recognize and reward the most promising artists and writers from lower-income backgrounds.

The Graduate Arts Award enables up to 20 students with artistic and creative merit and outstanding academic achievement to pursue a graduate degree in the fine arts, performing arts, or creative writing. The recipients receive funding for tuition, room and board, required fees, and books, for the length of the graduate degree program, up to three­­­ years.

For more information please visit our website at http://www.jkcf.org/scholarships/graduate-scholarships/graduate-arts-award/ and follow the Foundation on Twitter @TheJKCF for updates.

As a reminder, we are conducting two webinars; one for Graduate Arts applicants on October 8 and the other for faculty representatives on October 15.  Both webinars begin at 3:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).