RCAH Graduate Fellowships Call for Applications 

March 6, 2024

For fifteen years, the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) has been a leader in interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the arts and humanities with a strong commitment to social justice, community engagement, the visual and performing arts, and world languages and cultures. As part of our mission—and in collaboration with the Graduate School at Michigan State University (MSU)—RCAH provides fellowship opportunities for graduate students to develop their capacities to work in a liberal arts college setting within a large research university. RCAH announces three fellowship opportunities for MSU graduate students for the 2024-2025 academic year: 

1. RCAH Graduate Fellowships in Undergraduate Teaching and Learning
   The primary goals of RCAH Graduate Fellowship Program in Undergraduate Teaching and Learning are to provide a diverse cohort of graduate students committed to a career in interdisciplinary undergraduate education with professional development opportunities outside of regular classroom instruction; and to prepare Fellows to make meaningful contributions to the scholarship and/or design of teaching and learning in areas important to RCAH. RCAH Graduate Fellows will be supported in disseminating project results in peer-reviewed journals and venues, at conferences, and will present at year-end symposia.
2. RCAH Cultures and Languages across the Curriculum (CLAC) Fellowship Program 
   Graduate Fellows in the CLAC Fellowship Program focus on the scholarship of teaching and learning in interdisciplinary, translingual, and transcultural settings. Representing multiple MSU colleges, Graduate Language Fellows participate in different components of the RCAH’s Cultures and Languages Across the Curriculum (CLAC) Program. Exploring pedagogical principles and practices of transformational teaching, Graduate Language Fellows may facilitate project-based language immersion sessions (Integrated Language Options) for RCAH undergraduates, collaborate with faculty to bring first-hand cultural insights about specific topics as guest speakers in RCAH courses, or create CLAC-related events for the wider community. Graduate Fellows will be supported in disseminating project results in peer-reviewed journals and venues, at conferences, and will present at year-end symposia. 
3. RCAH Arts and Community Engagement Fellowship Program 
   In Fall 2023, RCAH launched the Arts Living Learning Community (LLC). The Arts LLC will serve as the heart of the arts at MSU over the coming years and seeks to fully integrate the arts into the MSU undergraduate experience by creating a non-curricular, living-learning community focusing on socially engaged arts. RCAH Arts and Community Engagement Graduate Fellows will provide support to ongoing community engagement projects and community partnerships, arts programming, and other non-curricular projects, including workshops, co-curricular programming, and access to the University’s extensive arts exhibitions and performances. Graduate Fellows will be supported in disseminating project results in peer-reviewed journals and venues, at conferences, and will present at year-end symposia. 

Eligibility 

Eligible graduate students must be enrolled full-time in any MSU college, be in good academic standing, and be making progress toward a terminal degree in their field. Those applying for a CLAC Graduate Fellowship must also have (near) native fluency in any language other than English. Candidates with experience teaching undergraduates, experience working in the fellowship area to which they are applying, and whose work is likely to further RCAH’s mission and vision will be given higher consideration. 

Expectations 

Each fellow receives a stipend of $3,750/semester to help support research project expenses, professional development workshops, and/or travel to professional conferences. Graduate Fellowship Recipients do not receive benefits or tuition reimbursement as part of the award, but the award can be held in addition to other MSU assistantships. You must be enrolled during the semester(s) that you receive funding. Continuation of any fellowship is contingent upon fulfilling the responsibilities of the program that will be outlined in the first meeting of the academic year. Responsibilities include attending a weekly seminar/meeting that will meet, in-person, on Wednesday evenings from 5:30-7:00 PM in Snyder Hall throughout the academic year. Fellows are required to participate in several RCAH community events throughout the academic year, all fellows are required to attend RCAH’s Fall Showcase and present project findings at RCAH’s Spring Showcase. 

Given the community focused nature of all RCAH Fellowship Programs, fellows who are unable to attend in-person for weeks at a time will not be considered. 

For further information or questions, please contact Alyssa Briones (brione14@msu.edu) or Professor Torrez (torrezjs@msu.edu). 

Application 

Applications must be submitted via Google Forms: https://forms.gle/4vV91zCgzPJtF2jn9 

Fellowships Open Until Filled. The Selection Committee will begin reviewing applications on March 26, 2024, with preference given to applications received by March 16, 2024. 

Applications must include the following items: 

1. A completed application form that includes: 
   • The applicant’s information 
   • The fellowship program to which you are applying; 
   • The name and email of the applicant’s graduate advisor or department chair who will be providing a recommendation; 
   • PDF versions of the following (to be uploaded via the form): 
     • A curriculum vitae 
     • An essay (maximum 600 words) that explains 1) the fellowship program to which you are applying, 2) your reasons for applying, 3 your professional goals, and 4) how participation will help you achieve those goals. 
2. A Recommendation Form (see below) to be completed by the applicant’s graduate advisor or department chair and sent under separate cover to Alyssa Briones (brione14@msu.edu). 

 

---

 

Name:

Email:   

College:

Dept/School:

Year in Program:   

I am applying for the (check one): 

 

Applicant’s Waiver of Right to Access   

I hereby waive my right to access this recommendation and any related attachments that have been written by _____________________________ (name of recommender) on behalf of my application to the RCAH Graduate Fellowship Program indicated above. This waiver is effective insofar as the recommendation is used solely for the purpose of awarding fellowship.   

 

____________________________________________________ ______________________
Applicant's Signature                                                                       Date   

 

To the Recommender:   

The applicant named above has applied for an RCAH Graduate Fellowship. Graduate students selected for an RCAH Graduate Fellowship in Undergraduate Teaching and Learning, an RCAH Cultures and Languages across the Curriculum (CLAC) Fellowship, or an RCAH Arts and Community Engagement Fellowship will participate in and lead weekly seminars that focus on interdisciplinary teaching and learning in the arts and humanities situated in a liberal arts setting. Graduate Fellows should be able to work independently and collaboratively on projects that align with RCAH’s mission and commitment to social justice, community engagement, the visual and performing arts, and world languages and culture. 

 

Please complete this Recommendation Form and return to Alyssa Briones at brione14@msu.edu by March 26, 2024.  

  

Overall recommendation:   _____ strongly recommend    _____ recommend    _____ recommend with reservations    _____ do not recommend	Applicant’s research skills:   _____ outstanding (highest 5%)    _____ very good (highest 10%)    _____ good (upper 30%)    _____ average (30% - 50%)    _____ below average (lower 50%)
Applicant’s interpersonal communication skills:   _____ outstanding (highest 5%)    _____ very good (highest 10%)    _____ good (upper 30%)    _____ average (30% - 50%)    _____ below average (lower 50%)	Applicant’s collaborative skills:   _____ outstanding (highest 5%)    _____ very good (highest 10%)    _____ good (upper 30%)    _____ average (30% - 50%)    _____ below average (lower 50%)

 

 

___________________________________________________  ___________________  

Signature and Title                                                                    Date