Announcement
Children’s Bridge Fellowship
Wayne State University’s Children’s Bridge and the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute are pleased to announce the availability of the Children’s Bridge doctoral graduate fellowship for the recruitment of talented students who are interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in an area related to urban children’s issues. The Children’s Bridge will grant two 3-year fellowships for the entering graduate class of 2009.
Each fellow will receive a 12-month stipend of $23,000, 20 credits of tuition, health benefits for each of three years, and a housing allowance the first year. During the second and third years of the fellowship the fellow may be awarded either a teaching or research assistantship. It is expected that faculty sponsoring the applicant will be affiliated or seek affiliation with the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute. Students who reflect the diverse nature of the university’s campus are especially encouraged to apply.
In this third year of the program, the field and discipline are open to all schools and departments with Ph.D. programs. Fellows must be admitted to an appropriate Ph.D. program in order to receive this award. Application materials must be submitted by the program’s posted application date.
The WSU Children’s Bridge and the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute (MPSI) promote interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty throughout the university to address the many interrelated challenges facing today's children. Wayne State University is uniquely qualified to conduct research relevant to urban children, and this fellowship program builds upon the university’s strength in four areas: language and learning; health and health disparities; violence, abuse and trauma; and children at risk.
MPSI is an interdisciplinary institute dedicated to the improvement of family life and human development through research, education, and service. As part of the fellowship program, Fellows are expected to participate in the MPSI Predoctoral Training Program, which provides a range of mentored educational, professional development, community outreach, and research opportunities for a small multidisciplinary group of WSU doctoral students.
Application process:
Graduate Admissions Committees, schools and departments can submit up to three nominees to the selection committee in the WSU Graduate School by Monday, March 2, 2009. Only one nominee will be selected from any given department. Applicants will be notified on or before April 1, 2009. Fellowships will begin in September 2009. The departments should submit the following on behalf of their nominated applicants:
(1) A completed application to the Ph.D. program by the published deadline dates as indicated above. See www.gradadmissions.wayne.edu;
A nominating letter from the Chair of the Department (or Dean of the School in non-departmentalized programs) in support of the applicant and describing the research interests, primary advisor(s) identified to work with the student and how the student will be affiliated with the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute. The nomination letter must include the department’s commitment to provide two additional years of funding as a graduate assistant.
(2) A curriculum vita, including educational background, publications and professional experience;
(3) A brief outline of applicant’s research interests (not to exceed 2 pages); and
(4) Three letters of recommendation
Materials should be submitted to The Children’s Bridge Fellowship, Ms. Cindy Sokol, 4012 Faculty Administration Building, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202.
For more information about the Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute see: http://www.mpsi.wayne.edu, and for the Children’s Bridge visit http://wsuchildren.wayne.edu.
