[Plsgs] FW: Finding Time for Fellowship Applications

Thu Apr 5 09:54:05 MST 2018

From: gradfunding-request at list.arizona.edu <gradfunding-request at list.arizona.edu> On Behalf Of Hawthorne Smith, Shelley Lynn - (shellh)
Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2018 9:49 AM
To: gradfunding at list.arizona.edu
Subject: Finding Time for Fellowship Applications

[UAGRAD_OFCE_Logo_2018]

Dear Graduate Students,

In a statically unreliable, but interesting, survey of about 90 graduate students, I found that one of the top questions graduate students have about funding is how to find time to work on applications.

But here are a few tips that some graduate students have shared with me.

  1.  Double up

Fellowship applications are helpful in a multitude of ways. You will find, for example, that writing an application for a dissertation research grant will make your dissertation proposal a cinch. Figure out the points at which writing a fellowship application will help you achieve another goal. Also, if you are taking classes, you might ask a professor if writing a particular application could count as a class paper. Or, consider enrolling in a grant writing class in your department, if it is offered.

  1.  Create a schedule of applications

Be sure you have a file with a schedule of fellowships to which you want to apply. From my unbiased chair here in the Office of Fellowships and Community Engagement, I think all graduate students should write at least a few fellowship applications during their time as a graduate student; grant writing is a useful skill for just about anyone. For some grad students, applying for fellowships will be a minimal time commitment but you still need to plan to do it. For other grad students (hello anthropology students who are about to enter the dissertation stage), there will be times in your career when you need to commit a lot of time to grant writing. It is helpful if you can plan ahead for these times and make sure you have reasonable expectations for yourself.

  1.  Give yourself deadlines

Once you decide on the fellowships to which you plan to apply, create deadlines for yourself.  Give yourself deadlines for drafts, for discussing drafts with your advisor, and for rewriting.

  1.  Say yes to writing and no to something else

If you are in a position where you really need to apply for grants (for example, the year prior to your dissertation research), you might want to give yourself one month to write the bejeezus out of those applications. This will likely mean that you will have to cut something out of your life. You will probably still have to feed your toddler, but you may want to consider eliminating your early morning run for a month and using that time to write.

  1.  Find support

For some people, grad school is very competitive. However, the most successful graduate students I know manage to find their tribe. For various reasons, not all students can find support within their department. It will help you tremendously if you can find a group of people, or even one other person, who will encourage you to meet your deadlines and whom you can encourage, who will read your drafts and who will provide you with drafts for your comments.

Another interesting way to create support, preferably in addition to the people who encourage you, is to place money on your success in completing your goals. I have not tried this myself, but someone told me about it and I thought it was an interesting idea. You can check it out for yourself: https://www.stickk.com/tour

  1.  Be kind to yourself

Finishing a graduate degree in itself is tricky. Many of you are working full or part time. Some of you have small children or health issues. Make reasonable goals for yourself and if you miss a deadline, aim for the next one. It will be okay.

Good luck! Again, our Summer 2018 Fellowship Application Support Program is here to help you with just this issue. Feel free to have a look (https://grad.arizona.edu/ofce/summer-fellowship-application-support-program) and to email me with any questions.

The GradFunding Newsletter is a service of the University of Arizona Graduate College, Office of Fellowships and Community Engagement. You may reuse this article but please acknowledge Shelley Hawthorne Smith and the University of Arizona Graduate College Office of Fellowships and Community Engagement.

To subscribe to the newsletter, send an email to list at list.arizona.edu (link sends e-mail)<mailto:list at list.arizona.edu> with "subscribe (or unsubscribe) gradfunding FirstName LastName" in the subject line. You may send opportunities for posting or questions to address to the newsletter editor, Shelley Hawthorne Smith (shellh at email.arizona.edu<mailto:shellh at email.arizona.edu>)

-------------------------
Shelley Hawthorne Smith, PhD
University of Arizona Graduate College
Office of Fellowships and Community Engagement
University Services Building #204E
888 N Euclid Ave
Tucson, AZ 85721
520-626-0870
https://grad.arizona.edu/ofce/
Map to office: https://goo.gl/maps/cAXJfZZ56aC2

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