Category Archives: Research

Fulbright US Student Program 2022-23 Grant Competition Timeline

Are you interested in applying for a Fulbright US Student Program grant for the 2022-2023 competition?

The below checklist/timeline lists the national application deadline, October 12, 2021, 5 pm ET. Submission by the campus deadline, September 14, 2021, allows Chatham’s fellowship committee to provide applicants with feedback and applicants time to make final edits prior to the national deadline. There are suggested optional tasks to complete and check-ins throughout the summer to help applicants develop and organize required components of the application.

IIE has scheduled many webinars, panels and office hour sessions in the coming weeks and months on a variety of topics related to the Fulbright grants and the application process. Applicants can register for upcoming sessions and view past events here.  Please be sure to also review the resources at https://us.fulbrightonline.org/  and particularly the Getting Started tab which can answer many applicant questions.

Suggested tasks / deadlines:

March 31, 2021:

Online application opens.  View awards by clicking on specific countries at https://us.fulbrightonline.org/countries or use “Award Search” at https://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/

April-May 2021:

      • Thoroughly read Fulbright website and view tutorials at https://us.fulbrightonline.org/about/videos-tutorials . Participate in live webinars and/or view recorded sessions at https://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/information-sessions
      • Review differences between ETA (English Teaching Assistant) grants and Research/Study grants
      • Research your country and Fulbright commission (either grant). Carefully consider the profile of countries. Keep up with current events in the country.
      • Research your topic if you are applying for a Research grant; discuss your research topic with your academic advisor and department for ideas and input.
      • Begin networking and start looking for affiliations (names and universities) if you are applying for a Research grant. Make initial outreach to university/organization abroad. If you are unsure about how to approach universities, request assistance from your academic advisor, department and/or Fulbright Program Adviser (FPA)
      • Work on your language proficiency (register for summer classes and/or self-study)
      • Look for opportunities to strengthen your candidacy. Examples: volunteer, academic tutor, language partner for the English Language Program, participate in related research.
      • Be in touch with FPA to schedule advising appointments.

Summer 2021

      • Update your CV/resume
      • Start drafting statements for application
      • Fill out your personal details on the application
      • If needed, start looking for language reference writers; continue language study
      • Think about your recommenders and reach out to them.
      • Follow up contact with the university abroad as necessary, secure affiliation letter
      • Request university/college transcripts (unofficial is okay) from all schools attended in US and abroad
      • Share first drafts of your essays with FPA by July 16 (or earlier)

August 16, 2021, Deadline to share revised draft statements with FPA /Fellowship committee for feedback before campus deadline

September 14, 2021, Campus Deadline.  You must submit final drafts of your statements at this time and list your recommenders, language, etc.

September 20-24, 2021 Virtual and or on-campus interviews with Fellowship committee. (exact days/times TBD). Campus committee evaluation completed.  (FPA uploads form to Slate platform).

Applicants will be able to make additional revisions to application post-interview.

October 12, 2021, 5 pm EST.  Online application system closes at 5:00 P.M. EST.

Late January 2022. Semi-finalists announced.

March-June 2022. Fulbright finalists announced by country.

For more information:

Fulbright Program Adviser (FPA) Karin Chipman, kchipman@chatham.edu

 

Fulbright Canada Internship program

The application is now open for the Fulbright Canada- Mitacs Globalink internship program that will allow exceptional U.S. undergraduate students to do an internship in Canada during the 2021 summer semester.

 

This program will provide high performing students with the opportunity to be part of a 10 to 12-week research internship under the supervision of Canadian university faculty members in a variety of academic disciplines, from science, engineering and mathematics to the humanities and social sciences.

The application deadline is Sept 30 2020.

 Fulbright Canada – Mitacs Globalink program

 

Program Summary

  1. U.S. students will come to Canada to undertake advanced research projects.
  2. Projects will cover a broad cross-section of research topics including most academic disciplines.
  3. Students will spend 10 to 12 weeks (May – October) in Canada on a research project in their area of interest.
  4. Students will be placed at a Canadian university and undertake a supervised research project.
  5. Students will have extensive opportunities for cultural, social, and recreational experiences.

 

Eligibility

Participants in this program must:

 

  1. be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at an accredited university located in the United States ;
  2. be a United States citizen, and hold a valid U.S. passport;
  3. have at least one semester remaining in their program of study as of Fall 2021 (this program is not suitable for 1st-year NOR last year students);
  4.    ideal candidates will be in their third year in the 20/21 academic year;
  5. have a competitive grade point average;
  6. be available to spend between 10 to 12 weeks in Canada between May and August;
  7. apply by September 30, 2020 at 10 PM EST

 

Benefits

 

Students who participate in this program will have:

 

  1. access to the prestigious worldwide Fulbright network (the Globalink program will not impact the eligibility to apply for Fulbright Student programs);
  2. access to some of Canada’s top research facilities;
  3. the opportunity to gain valuable international experience;
  4. a rewarding experience combining academic research, professional skills, and personal growth; and,
  5. a grant in the amount of CAD$7800

To apply, students must provide:

 

  1. a completed application online form;
  2.     unofficial transcripts from their home university or college;
  3. a two-page Curriculum Vitae (CV);
  4. two letters of reference (to be submitted by Sept 30)- see submission details here;
  5. a one-page personal statement- no final project needs to be identified at this time.

 

The program is highly competitive. Students will be evaluated on a combination of factors including:

  •  their record of academic achievement,
  • their personal statement,
  • their current skills and interests
  • fit to program
  • letters of recommendation

Further information:

Interested Chatham undergraduate students should reach out to the Office of International Affairs at internationalaffairs@chatham.edu with any questions and/or for application support. 

Fulbright US Student Program 2019-2020

The Fulbright 2019-20 US student program is open! Please see https://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/getting-started

Through this program, recent graduates can researchstudy or teach abroad.  There are over 2,200 awards available for 2019-20, an increased number of English Teaching Assistant (ETA) placements and an increase in Master’s degree program placements.

If you have graduated (undergraduate or graduate study), or will graduate by spring 2019, you can apply. To help you get started, please review the archived information sessions available at  https://us.fulbrightonline.org/applicants/information-sessions

Chatham’s on campus Fulbright application deadline is September 10, 2018.  Please see the below timeline and checklist for further information.

April 2018:

Online application opens.  View awards by clicking on specific countries at http://us.fulbrightonline.org/countries/regions

April-May 2018:

  • Thoroughly read Fulbright website
  • Review differences between ETA (English Teaching Assistant) grants and Research/Study grants
  • Research your country and Fulbright commission (either grant). Carefully consider the profile of countries. Keep up with current events in the country.
  • Research your topic if you are applying for a Research grant; discuss your research topic with your academic advisor and department for ideas and input.
  • Begin networking and start looking for affiliations (names and universities) if you are applying for a Research grant. Make initial outreach to university abroad.  If you are unsure about how to approach universities, request assistance from your academic advisor, department and/or Fulbright Program Advisors (FPAs)
  • Work on your language proficiency (register for summer classes and/or self-study)
  • Look for opportunities to strengthen your candidacy. Become a language partner for the English Language Program.
  • Be in touch with FPAs to schedule advising appointments.

Summer 2018

  • Update your CV/resume
  • Start drafting statements for application
  • Fill out your personal details on the application
  • Start looking for language reference writers; continue language study
  • Think about your recommenders and reach out to them.
  • Follow up contact with the university abroad as necessary, secure affiliation letter
  • Request university/college transcripts (unofficial is okay) from all schools attended in US and abroad
  • Share first drafts of your essays with FPAs by July 16 (or earlier)

 August 15, 2018, Deadline to share revised draft statements with FPAs /Fellowship committee for feedback before campus deadline

September 10, 2018, Campus Deadline.  You must submit final drafts of your statements at this time and list your recommenders, language, etc.

September 17-21, 2018 On campus interviews with Fellowship committee. (exact days/times TBD). Campus committee evaluation completed.  (FPAs upload form to Embark system).

Applicants will be able to make additional revisions to application post-interview.

October 9, 2018, 5 pm EST.  Online application system closes at 5:00 P.M. EST.

Late January 2019. Finalists announced.

March-May 2019. Fulbright winners announced by country.

If you are interested in applying for a Fulbright grant, and for support in the application process, please get in touch with Karin Chipman, kchipman@chatham.edu or Chris Musick, cmusick@chatham.edu.

Supporting International Student Success: Five Research-Based Recommendations

Linh Phung, English Language Program Director

Debra Wolf, Associate Professor of Nursing

International students studying abroad in the United States have been found to face numerous challenges, including linguistic, academic, social, and cultural challenges (Kuo, 2011, 2013; Wang, Andre, and Greenwood, 2015). While linguistic barriers have been well-documented, there is limited research exploring challenges associated with specific language skills and academic assignments. To better understand what challenges Chatham international graduate students faced with the English language, the strategies they used to overcome challenges, and what support services they found helpful, a mix-methods study was conducted to explore these areas.

Preliminary findings revealed that students found writing and listening the most difficult because of the linguistic demands of the writing and listening tasks and their unfamiliarity with the academic writing style. Reading was found the least challenging because of their prior exposure to reading and the time they could spend reading independently using various resources. Perceptions of speaking were mixed as speaking tasks and situations varied. Interestingly, speaking was found to be a source of quite a few mixed emotions: anxiety, shame, embarrassment, and also satisfaction and joy.

Strategies used to address the challenges varied. Notably, their use of social strategies (consulting peers, tutors, and professors) increased over time. Participants found many of the services offered at Chatham (English workshops, tutoring, and conversation hours) very useful, but recommended more speaking opportunities for future international students.

Based on the preliminary findings, the following recommendations are offered to support successful international programs and further improve student experiences.

  1. Organize opportunities for students to communicate with students from the U.S. These opportunities will not only help them improve their spoken English, but also contribute to positive feelings of success, satisfaction, and joy.
  2. Formalize opportunities to have ESL instruction as well as ESL and academic tutoring to develop students’ academic English skills and assist them with academic assignments during their first few weeks or first semester.
  3. When lecturing or talking to international students and non-native speakers, instructors, staff, and locals should consider the listening difficulties and the feelings of inadequacy that these students might have as a result of lack of understanding. We recommend speaking slowly and in short sentences/phrases so they can comprehend thoughts being communicated. Be patient and check comprehension before extending the conversation.
  4. Faculty should explain assignments, grading rubrics, and expectations clearly and explicitly with examples. What is clear to local students may not be clear to international students.
  5. Studying abroad in a cohort has its own advantages as the students have access to a supportive network of peers in their studies as well as in their daily life. Just as important is social support from faculty and university staff. Together with this support, students’ use of social strategies will assist in their transition to a new culture, a different academic environment, and life in a foreign country.