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Fulbright Program for U.S. Students

Fulbright Program Adviser
Newsletter

Issue 38 | October 2009

Last Minute Tips
table of contents

 Program Updates

Polishing the Application


1. Make sure your student's application follows the instructions and is neat and easy to read.  A 12 point non-script font is required with one-inch margins.  Make sure that the paper copy mailed to IIE is on 8½ x 11" white bond paper only.

2. Be sure that the student's name, field and country are on each page of the application.

3. Students should not send resumes. They will not be passed on to screening committees.

4. Make sure that your student is not proposing a multi-country project that is not allowed, (i.e., across world regions, or between or among countries that do not allow multi-country projects).

5. Make sure that your student is not listing alternate countries as a 2nd or 3rd choice; this is not allowed.

6. If your student is applying for one of the English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) programs, be sure to have him or her select "Teaching Assistantship," code 5120, as their field of study.  Only applicants applying for an ETA program should use this code.

7. Please remind your student not to staple anything to the application.

8. Please ask your student to collate the application in numerical page order and fasten all pieces together with a paper clip or binder clip.  Do not staple the application.

9. Make sure your student has answered both questions asked in item #27 pertaining to felony convictions.

10. Remind your student to SIGN the application at the bottom of Page 1.

11. Please remember that all FPAs are required to enter the Campus Rating on the top right hand corner of Page 1.



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A Formula for Fulbright Success

by Suzanne Janney, Glenn Cuomo and Jeanne Ware, FPAs, New College of Florida

New College of Florida Fulbrighters, 2009 

NCF's 2009-2010 Fulbrighters - left to right: Melissa Jacobowitz (Ukraine); Evan Axelrad (Norway); Mackenzie Karp (Germany - ETA); Georgia Jungmei Kashnig (Switzerland); Adam Schafer (Spain - ETA); Claire Michelson (Germany); and Lee Ellen Reed (Germany - ETA).  Not pictured: Adele Fournet (Peru).

 
How does New College of Florida (NCF), the state’s public honors college, produce more Fulbrighters per capita than Harvard, Yale or Stanford?  We work to promote the program year round.  Additionally, our curriculum’s emphasis on close student-faculty interaction and independent research certainly helps.

The honors college naturally attracts academically talented students who have an interest in studying subjects in-depth: three month-long independent study projects are required as well as a year-long senior thesis for graduation.  Completing the independent project under faculty direction, usually in the January interterm, enables students to learn how to pose research questions, organize a realistic plan for answering them, outline needed resources and include a timetable for completion.  Faculty members will often invite students to work on projects connected with their own research.  This collaboration has an additional benefit to students by providing an immediate academic mentor.  Such training not only prepares our students for eventually tackling the senior thesis and graduate work, but is also useful practice for developing a viable Fulbright project at the graduating senior level.  In fact, our students often propose projects so sophisticated that we counsel them to demonstrate in their essays that they have acquired the appropriate level of expertise to complete the projects - even though they are graduating seniors.

 

David Axelrad, New College of Florida, 2009 
Evan Axelrad, 2009-2010, Norway, honoring the tradition of NCF's Fulbrighters sending photos of themselves during their grant periods. 
 
Our National Fellowship Team includes a representative from the President’s Office, the Provost’s Office and the faculty.  The latter two, Jeanne Ware and Professor Glenn Cuomo, are our official Fulbright Program Advisers (Cuomo since 1995).  We identify students as early as sophomore year to guide and mentor them in applying for competitive opportunities.  Often, an early discussion of students’ interests and long-term goals will result in them realizing how a Fulbright can help them in the future.  We keep the Fulbright “machine” humming all year long with campus-wide presentations, Fulbright alumni and recent awardees speaking to students, explaining the process and how strategic one should be about country selection, project choice and referees.

 

 

 

Adele Fournet, New College of Florida, 2009 
Adele Fournet, 2009-2010, Peru, in her home state of Arkansas standing by Senator J. William Fulbright’s plaque.  

About 24 percent of NCF's 800 students include an off-campus study experience.  This helps them to enrich their academic backgrounds and refine their interests.  More than half of the enrolled students volunteer in the community and many participate in student government activities.

These "Millennials" are comfortable using new media and we are constantly amazed at the ease with which they secure overseas affiliations.  We encourage students to begin thinking about Fulbright during freshman orientation, mentioning the importance of continuing foreign language study as a component of their academic programs and pursuing internships and volunteer work.  It’s all good general advice.  Interested third-year students meet in the spring and are asked to begin writing their Fulbright essays during the summer before applications are due.  We review their drafts and provide feedback.  In the end, it is the high academic achievement, rich research background and extraordinary enthusiasm for the Fulbright experience that shines through in New College students’ applications.

 



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Resources for Promoting the Fulbright U.S. Student Program


Below are several resources you can use to let your students know about the Fulbright Program:

Fulbright U.S. Student Program Applicant Blog

Applicants to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program are encouraged to regularly visit the new Fulbright U.S. Student Program Applicant Blog.  It can currently be found on us.fulbrightonline.org under MULTIMEDIA.  The blog features tips and advice on applying to Fulbright, student testimonials, a calendar with upcoming campus visits, a link for enrolled students to find their Fulbright campus adviser and links to resources, such as podcasts and YouTube videos.  New content will be posted at least bi-weekly, if not more often.

http://usfulbrightstudent.blogspot.com/

E-Newsletters

We are currently producing two newsletters each month:

Fulbright Grantee Newsletter:

http://newsletter.fulbrightonline.org/newsletter/index.php?id=155

FPA Newsletter:

Each issue will cover tips on how to assist U.S. Student Fulbright Program candidates and offers resources and best practices on how to promote the program.

http://newsletter.fulbrightonline.org/newsletter/index.php?id=153

Podcasts (available on iTunes)

Four types of podcasts are currently available:

My Fulbright Life: Interviews with current Fulbrighters talking about their projects and experiences overseas.

Applicant Podcast: Interviews with IIE Program Managers and others on how to complete a successful Fulbright application.

Fulbright Alumni Roundtables: Interviews with Fulbright U.S. Student Program alumni grouped by world region or type of grant discussing their experiences in applying and being overseas.

Fulbright Guidance Sessions: Presentations with Q&A sessions on applying to the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Webinars  

The webinars provide an online forum for Fulbright U.S. Student Program alumni to discuss their experiences with applicants.  IIE Program Managers moderate the discussions followed by question and answer sessions.  Study or research and ETA applicants are encouraged to attend the session related to their proposed country of application.  Check the us.fulbrightonline.org home page for dates and times.

YouTube

The Fulbright Program has a YouTube page where you can view videos of students and Fulbright staff members talking about the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Facebook

Encourage your students to join the Official Fulbright Group on Facebook to learn more about the Fulbright Program and connect with others.  Check the group page regularly for news, events, resources and upcoming webinar information.

Twitter

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is now on Twitter!  Students can receive updates at: https://twitter.com/FulbrightPrgrm.


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