INFO SESSION FOR THE SOROS FELLOWSHIP FOR NEW AMERICANS

Where: Mt. Holyoke College, Career Development Center Conference Room

When: Friday, September 16, 2005 11:00am-12:00pm

Amherst College student interested in applying for the Soros fellowship are encouraged to attend this meeting. A foundation representative will be there to discuss the fellowship and the application process.

Directions to Mt.Holyoke College

Campus Map to locate the Career Development Center

Purpose: The purpose of The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is to provide opportunities for continuing generations of able and accomplished New Americans to achieve leadership in their chosen fields. The Program is established in recognition of the contributions New Americans have made to American life and in gratitude for the opportunities the United States has afforded the donors and their family.

Eligibility: Applicants must be green card holders, naturalized citizens, or the child of two naturalized citizens. They must be graduating seniors, holders of a bachelors degree, or enrolled in a graduate program (please note that individuals in their third subsequent year of the same graduate program are not eligible). Applicants must not be older than 30 as of November 1, 2005.

Applicants can apply from any academic discipline or professional field of study, including Fine and Performing arts, but must attend graduate school at any accredited university in the United States.

Applicants will need to demonstrate a capacity to undertake advanced academic work. A successful candidate should meet the following criteria:

• Creativity, originality, and initiative demonstrated in any area of life
• Accomplishment and activity that requires drive an sustained effort
• Commitment to the values of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights; this includes activity in the support of human rights and the rule of law, in opposition to unwarranted encroachment on personal liberty, and in advancing the responsibilities of citizenship in a free society.

Award amount and conditions: Winners receive half-tuition (up to $16,000 per academic year) for graduate school and $20,000 annually in maintenance.

Number offered: Thirty fellowships are awarded each year.

Deadline: Preliminary applications are due in the Office of Fellowships early in September.

Application materials/Deadline: This fellowship does NOT require institutional nomination via the Office of Fellowships. Applicants can apply on their own, although the application does include three letters of recommendation, one of which must come from a faculty member who is familiar with you as an undergraduate or graduate student. Applicants who have been required to take aptitude tests (GRE, etc.) for their graduate programs (or for programs they are applying to) must submit those test results as well. In addition, students who are still attending their undergraduate institution or are enrolled in a graduate program will need to have an institutional status form submitted on their behalf, confirming their enrollment. The rest of the application includes essay questions, a resume and examples of applicants strengths in the selection criteria, transcripts, and documentation of “New American status” (green card, or naturalized).

Applications must be submitted to the foundation by November 1, 2005. Institutional status forms, recommendation letters, and reports of aptitude tests will be accepted by the foundation after that date, but screening is conducted in November, so delay in getting these materials in can adversely affect the applicant’s chances of being considered a finalist.
More information and the application form are available online.

Official website address: http://www.www.pdsoros.org

For more information:

Denise Gagnon
Fellowships Coordinator
dmgagnon@amherst.edu
413-542-2536 Fax: 413-542-8555
The Office is located in
213 Converse Hall.

The mailing address is:
Office of Fellowships
Amherst College
Amherst, MA 01002

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