Nomination Deadline:  February 20, 2012

The Provost’s Office provides funding for the Faculty Diversity Initiatives (FDI) Program to increase the culture of racial and ethnic diversity at OSU and to promote positive changes to the academic climate at OSU. A component of these initiatives is designed to advance inclusiveness in graduate education, to enrich the academic environment by embracing a broad range of perspectives, and to prepare students with career objectives in university teaching and research for their future roles in diverse university settings. The Graduate School is pleased to invite nominations for the 2012-13 Diversity Advancement Pipeline Fellowship program.

Objective: Graduate students are the pipeline to the future professoriate. This program is intended to create support opportunities which enhance campus efforts to recruit and retain meritorious domestic graduate students from divergent and/or nontraditional backgrounds who have an expressed interest in a career in university teaching and/or research. The fellowship, in combination with its matching component, is designed to provide a financial foundation sufficient to support academic success and degree completion.

Eligibility: Eligibility will be established in two parts:

Part A – Nominees must meet all of the following criteria:

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident;

• meritorious academic achievement and leadership potential as reflected in grade point average, GRE or other test scores, publications, presentations, awards/honors, and/or other professional activity; and

• expressed interest in a career in university teaching and/or research.

Part B – In addition to Part A, nominees must meet at least two of the following diversity enhancement-based criteria:

• previously participated in a TRIO Program (Educational Opportunity Center, Talent Search, Student Support Services, Upward Bound, McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program);

• previously participated in a College Assistance Migrant Program ( CAMP);

• previously attended a minority-serving institution;

• primary language is other than English;

• documented financial need (based upon FAFSA application process) with consideration of low income status;

• first generation to attend a university;

• previously participated in a summer research opportunity program for underserved undergraduates;

• demonstrated engagement with communities that are underrepresented in higher education and an ability to bring this experience to the learning environment;

• interest in using the diversity of human experience as an educational resource in teaching and research Fellowship Details: Fellowships will provide one-year stipends up to $25,000. Award levels will be aligned to the standard full-time graduate assistantship stipend provided by the nominee’s academic program. Typically, this is an appointment at 0.49 FTE, but in some cases, slightly lower FTE will be considered. At a minimum, all requests must show a stipend level valued at no less than the 9-month 0.49 FTE equivalent listed in the prevailing Graduate School Stipend and Appointment Guidelines for the year in which fellowship funds are sought. Requests for stipends in excess of existing departmental stipend levels must be substantiated in the nomination letter. The fellowship will provide full tuition remission through the Graduate School’s Targeted Graduate Tuition Scholarship program if tuition support is not otherwise provided through other concurrent means of support. Subsidized health insurance will also accompany the fellowship.

Matching Requirements: When used for recruiting purposes, academic programs presenting nominations must agree to provide equivalent support (stipend, tuition remission, and subsidized health insurance) for at least two years after the Diversity Advancement Pipeline Fellowship is awarded. Fellowships awarded for the purpose of retaining graduate students will require the nominating program to show evidence of at least two prior years of equivalent support (stipend, tuition remission, and standardized health insurance coverage), or a combination of one prior and one subsequent year of support.

Nomination Procedures: Departments and/or graduate programs may submit only one nomination and must provide complete nomination packets containing all materials listed below (including transcripts) Incomplete nominations will not be reviewed. Nominations of former FDI fellowship recipients will be given lowest priority.

Please submit 4 copies of the following materials:

1. a letter of nomination from the department head or chair or graduate program director demonstrating the candidate’s merit and promise for the future, and which outlines:

• specific details of matching support for the nominee as outlined in the “Matching Requirements” section of this announcement;

• dollar value of the standard full-time stipend level (typically expressed as 0.49 FTE) for doctoral students within the program. Requests for fellowships exceeding standard departmental stipend levels must be substantiated;

• basis for which the Diversity Advancement Graduate Pipeline Fellowship is being sought (i.e., relevant criteria in Part B above); and

• how the award will contribute toward an inclusive graduate community within the department/program.

2. two additional letters of recommendation; 3. the nominee’s curriculum vita or résumé; 4. the nominee’s statement of academic and career goals, which articulates his/her interest in collegiate level teaching and/or research; and 5. copies of all post-high school transcripts, including OSU graduate transcript if appropriate. [Note: transcripts must be provided by the nominating department or graduate program.] Nomination Deadline: Nominations must be received in the Graduate School by February 20, 2012 to be given priority consideration. Initial awards will be announced by February 29, 2012. After the initial deadline, nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis until all funds have been awarded.