Hamilton College International Summer Research Fellowship 2025 Call for Proposals

This fellowship program is designed to support Hamilton students who wish to conduct summer research in diverse settings outside of the United States, such as universities, government agencies, museums, archives, art galleries, archeological and historical sites, research libraries, laboratories, and field sites. Total awards vary based on project needs and cost of living in the research destination.

Eligibility

• Applications are invited from Hamilton students who will have completed their second year by the start of the research period but will not graduate before December 2025.
• International students are eligible.
• The fellowship is open to students working in any field.
• Students will not receive multiple awards from the college for the same project or in the same funding period.
• Applications are accepted for research in countries with U.S. State Department and CDC Travel Advisory Levels of 2 or below; students who wish to travel in countries with a U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory of Level 3 may be granted an exception by Global Learning upon review of the nature of the specific advisory as well as a review of additional global security information sources.

How to apply

Applicants must fill out and submit the preliminary form online by noon on February 17th, 2025 and email the full application form, along with the supporting documents, in PDF format to Dylann McLaughlin (dmclaugh@hamilton.edu) by February 28th, 2025. A committee of faculty and staff will review all applications. As faculty members outside of your discipline will review your application, it is important to write your proposal so it may be understood by this broader audience.

In addition to the preliminary form submitted online by noon on February 17, each application must contain the following documents:

• A personal statement of no more than one single-spaced page explaining how this project fits into your academic plan. For example, did it emerge from a course you took; is it related to your major; something you are doing to prepare for graduate school; or an interest that you haven't had a chance to explore yet? Please include a description of the background knowledge, skills, language and cultural preparation, etc. that you are bringing to the project that will help make it a success. After reading your personal statement, a reviewer should understand the context of this project within your intellectual and academic trajectory.
• A one-page resume
• A current unofficial transcript
• An estimated budget
• A statement of purpose of no more than two single-spaced pages. Depending on whether you are applying through the approved program track or the independent research track, there will be some different expectations for the statement of purpose.:
  • Approved program track:
    • A brief description of the approved research program and mentorship format
    • Relevance of the research to the applicant’s academic and personal goals and expected learning outcomes from this experience
  • Independent research track:
    • A summary of your research question and the significance of its outcome, written for an educated, non-specialist audience
    • Your methodology: What is your research plan? Where do you propose to conduct the research and why is the location significant for your research question? Do you have local connections or institutional partners that can provide research support? Include a project timeline, making sure that the project lasts a minimum of two full-time weeks
    • The deliverable from your research (article, play, photo exhibit, thesis proposal, etc.)
• If you are not applying for funding support for an opportunity offered through one of the institutions on the Global Learning approved list, you must submit a Project Risk Assessment Form.
• A letter of recommendation from a Hamilton professor who can attest to your abilities and potential for success in carrying out the proposed project and the quality and suitability of the affiliated institution and research mentor. Your recommender should email this letter directly to Dylann McLaughlin (dmclaugh@hamilton.edu) by the application deadline.
• For students applying to the independent research track, you should discuss the proposed research project with an in-country affiliate in order to ensure that all aspects of the project (research design, time frame, budget, safety, cultural preparation, living arrangements) are manageable. A letter of support from the affiliate (signed and on letterhead, where possible) is highly recommended. Consider including the following in the letter:

• A description of how you will be incorporated into their ongoing research (if the proposed project is that kind of research), and/or how they plan to assist you on your project.
• An assessment of the feasibility and validity of the proposed research.
• Background information, including the affiliate’s professional title/role and their area of expertise and their willingness to serve as your on-site mentor for the summer research period abroad.
• Contact information, including mailing address, email, and phone number.

In addition to Hamilton faculty, applicants are encouraged to work with staff members in the Global Learning and Student Fellowships offices and the Writing Center in preparing their applications.

Selection Criteria for research through an approved program:

• Significance of the research to the applicant’s academic and personal goals
• Qualifications and appropriateness of the research mentor and the affiliated institution
• Demonstration of appropriate foreign language competency to carry out the project
• Adequacy of health and safety provisions at the host institution

Selection Criteria for independent research projects:

• Potential significance and conceptual sophistication of the written research proposal
• Applicant’s grasp of the context and foundation for the research project
• Significance of the research to the applicant’s academic and personal goals
• Demonstration of appropriate foreign language competency to carry out the project
• Adequacy of health and safety precautions

Expectations of award recipients

• Registration with the Global Learning Office and participation in a Global Learning Office pre-trip orientation
• During the research period, maintaining a weekly journal / log that highlights
  • your research activities and accomplishments
  • your cultural experiences
• Participation in a post-trip debrief session with other award recipients, members of the selection committee, and other stakeholders
• Presentation of your research at the Fall Undergraduate Research Symposium or other event to which the campus community is invited