Inspired by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Burch Fellows Program, the Stuart R. Givens Memorial Fellowship was initiated by friends of Dr. Givens to honor his passion for student learning. The Fellowship recognizes resourcefulness, imagination, and significant ability among Bowling Green State University undergraduate students by supporting self-designed, off-campus experiences that will enable them to pursue a passionate interest in a manner not otherwise possible through an academic program, regular summer job, enrichment program, or organized study abroad program.

To remain true to the spirit of the Givens Fellowship, students will be encouraged to think broadly in shaping their projects; that is, to look beyond activities that relate to their field of academic study. It is expected that the experience will make a demonstrable difference in their lives and help them grow both personally and intellectually. Up to two Givens Fellows will be chosen annually. Each will receive a grant of up to $6,000 to support the projects they have developed.

PREPARATORY APPLICATION

Please neatly print or type the following information

Name: _____________________________________ BGSU ID #: _______________________

Local Address: ________________________________________________________________

Email Address: _________________________________________ Phone: (_____)__________

Birth Date: ____/____/_______ Major: ___________________ Minor: ___________________

College/Program: __________________ Expected Date of Graduation: ____/____/______

Street Address City State Zip Code

See Fellowship Website for Eligibility & Deadlines: http://www.bgsu.edu/givensfellowshipThe College of Arts and SciencesBowling Green State University702 Administration BuildingBowling Green, Ohio 43403

Please read the “Eligibility and Criteria” and “Application Process” information on the website carefully. Afterwards please sign and

date the “Terms and Provisions Agreement.”

S T U A R T R . G I V E N SMemorial Fellowship

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APPLICATION PROCESS

PERSONAL STATEMENT & FELLOWSHIP EXPERIENCE PROPOSAL

To be considered for a Givens Fellowship, a student fitting the above criteria must submit a personal statement and proposal describing the self‐crafted off‐campus experience. The experience described in the statement and proposal must, first, reflect the applicant’s own ability or experience in, and passion for, the chosen project.

Second, the experience, as described in the statement and proposal, must be concrete and coherently planned. Givens Fellows must have a clear vision of their project and what it entails, as well as the means by which they can organize and accomplish their chosen project; they must have a down‐to‐earth and reason-able understanding of resources and permissions needed, contacts to be made, necessary arrangements for travel and local transportation, etc.

Third, the statement and proposal must demonstrate that the student’s experience possesses a definable beginning and end. These self‐created projects must be well‐structured and have a definite start date, dura-tion, and endpoint commensurate with the nature of the project itself.

ELIGIBILITY & CRITERIA

In order to qualify as a Givens Fellow, the applicant must be a full‐time undergraduate student in good academic standing with Bowling Green State University and, additionally, must have completed at least two semesters at BGSU before applying. The student must also expect to return to BGSU for at least two semesters before graduating (including the student teaching semester, if applicable) following the fellowship experience.

Additionally, a student awarded a Givens Fellowship is recognized as exhibiting a number of important personal qualities. Fellows must demonstrate that they possess significant creative, intellectual, and/or civic ability and promise – they are accomplished and engaged, representing the dreamers, thinkers, and builders of the rising generation.

Resourcefulness and imagination are also necessary traits for a Givens Fellow to exhibit: the ability to think around corners, and to see new possibilities in what already exists are qualities that will not only serve Fellows in planning their chosen fellowship experience, but also throughout their academic career and their life beyond the University.

Furthermore, a Givens fellow must display commitment. Applicants must demonstrate that they are indeed invested in their self‐crafted off‐campus experience; that this is a project that they will see through to the end, which allows Fellows to immerse themselves in the world in a manner beyond their regular academic and personal pursuits, and support their continuing intellectual and personal growth.

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Fourth, applicants must specify how their chosen project will significantly affect their lives. How will this project contribute to your continuing personal and intellectual growth? This may be an experience that could, for instance, fulfill a lifelong dream or goal; that would allow the applicant to take on challenges or experience possibilities normally out of their reach; to create, to aid, or to make a difference in one’s own life or another’s; to interact with individuals, corporations, governments, or environments usually unavailable to the applicant; or to address an issue that the applicant deems is deserving of his or her talents and effort.

Each personal statement and fellowship experience proposal should be approximately one thousand (1,000) words in length. All projects must be feasible under the terms of the fellowship program and within University rules, policies, and procedures.

The Fellow must acknowledge and accept the responsibility of making the arrangements for their experience. Initial research on, and contact with, integral persons and/or entities required for the completion of the expe-rience are encouraged.

BUDGET FOR FELLOWSHIP PROJECTApplications must include a realistic budget proposal for the chosen fellowship experience. The applicant should be detailed, rational, and conscientious in the drafting of their budgets. Costs should not exceed $6,000.

LETTERS OF RECCOMENDATIONThe applicant must submit two letters of recommendation from individuals in a position to assess their ability to undertake the chosen project.

CURRENT RESUMEThe applicant must also submit a current resume, including significant past and recent activities, awards and employment.

CURRENT TRANSCRIPTA copy of the applicant’s current University transcript must also be provided.

PROPOSAL WORKSHOPAll prospective applicants should participate in a proposal workshop, to be held in mid-February (see Givens Fellowship web page for date and time). Plan to bring well-constructed drafts of your personal statement, project proposal, and resumé, as well as a provisional budget. College of A&S staff with extensive grant writing and fellowship experience will offer constructive feedback on your documents. The workshop will give all applicants, including those who are not finally selected as Fellows, a more concrete sense of how to strengthen a funding proposal.

PERSONAL INTERVIEWFollowing the submission and initial review of applications, the applicant may beasked to interview with the Givens Fellowship Advisory Committee as a finalist.

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TERMS & PROVISIONS AGREEMENT

I hereby indicate that I have read and understood the preceding rules and regulations of the Stuart R. Givens Memorial Fellowship Program, and that all information I have and will submit is accurate and truthful to the best of my knowledge. Furthermore, I hereby indicate that, if selected to become a Givens Fellow, I agree to abide by all rules and regulations associated with the Fellowship.

SIGNATURE:______________________________________________________ DATE____/____/_______

FELLOWSHIP EXPERIENCE COMPLETIONFellowship experiences are to be completed within one calendar year of the awarding of the Fellowship. Fellows are also expected to make a formal presentation on their experiences in a public forum, open to the campus community, following the conclusion of their project.

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