Graduate School Honors Fellowship Foundations Program Students

The Graduate School hosted more than 20 University Honors Programsstudents on January 30 to celebrate their completion of Fellowship Foundations, a series of virtual workshops held over winter break that prepare undergraduate students for the fellowship application process.

Ashley Staples, director of external fellowships and scholarly development, opened the event by outlining the program's goals and reinforcing its purpose. She expressed confidence in the participants, noting, "This program will prepare you to take the next steps in putting together essays and deciding on experiences to strengthen your future applications and help you grow as a well-rounded candidate."

Chloe Maloy, a senior studying psychology and history who has applied to multiple fellowships and earned finalist status, served as one of the student speakers at the event. She emphasized, "Learning how to share your experiences is an important skill as an applicant. My advice for you all would be to have the courage to apply. It never hurts to try, and building your application will allow you to expand your portfolio."

Jacqueline Yu, a recipient of the Gilman Scholarship and a second-year sociology student at Stony Brook, reflected on how early exposure to scholarship applications shaped her confidence. She shared that a high school teacher regularly required students to submit applications, an experience that helped her develop her voice and learn how to highlight her goals. When it came time to apply for fellowships, Yu felt well prepared and is grateful for the support and guidance of friends and past mentors.

Vernon Caldwell, assistant director of external fellowships and scholarly development, then facilitated the mock interviews featured during the session. Participants broke into small groups to practice their pitches and respond to sample interview questions, receiving guidance from faculty members across campus, including Sarah Jourdain, Jennifer Albanese, Kristina Lucenko, Molly Lotz, Grace Wivell, Eva Nagase, Karen Kernan, Heejeong Sohn, Margaret Hartofilis, Marina Fandaros and Jeanine Guillbeault-Leite.

Students also reflected on how the experience challenged them to step outside their comfort zones. John Huvane, a program participant, shared, "What began as simply saying yes to an opportunity in an email enabled me to write and advocate for myself in a way I hadn't tried before."

Another participant, David Silverman, highlighted the importance of feedback, saying, "Hearing from alumni who have received awards made Fulbright seem possible. Having the opportunity to receive feedback from members of the selection committees will be invaluable for constructing a successful Fulbright application." He added that learning about available resources through the University Honors Programsand the Office of External Fellowships and Scholarly Developmentwould be especially helpful as he continues developing his application materials.

Participants also valued the interdisciplinary connections fostered during the program. Madalyn McDowall reflected on the breakout sessions, noting, "The breakout rooms allowed me to meet new people and learn about their different interests. I typically meet students in my discipline of astrophysics, so it was really valuable meeting students from other programs with different experiences."

Faculty members echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the program's role in building student confidence and clarity. Jennifer Albanese, director of the Writing Center, affirmed that "Fellowship Foundations is an invaluable program to help students begin building materials for a range of scholarship opportunities. This is a confidence building moment that demystifies the process."

Catherine Sherman, assistant dean for University Honors Programs, highlighted the program's continued growth and impact as it enters its second year serving University Honors Programs students. As the facilitator of the partnership with the Graduate School, she congratulated participants on their commitment and emphasized that Fellowship Foundations prepares students not only for fellowship applications but also for future academic and professional endeavors, including graduate school, internships and employment opportunities.

"Fellowship Foundations provides the scaffolding for students to move forward in competitive award processes," shared Sherman. "Throughout the series, I encouraged students in the program to go for it. It is important for them to identify an award now and start working on that application. The steps they take along the way - from sharing their unique story to refining their project plans - are accomplishments in themselves."

The event concluded with a networking session for campus partners, where students connected with representatives from Study Abroadand Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URECA) to learn more about additional opportunities and resources.