Assembling Your Team

First Things First

A fellowship application requires that you identify the issue(s) on which you intend to work in the future and the impact that you wish to have in that space. That clarity of purpose is crucial in helping the selection committee understand why they should invest in you.

Once you have defined the larger vision, you begin to develop your trajectory (what you’re selling) and your story (how you’re selling it). BUT fleshing out your trajectory and story development aren’t solo operations. It takes a team!

The Team

Keep in mind that you should— and are expected!— to ask for feedback and guidance throughout the process of developing your fellowship application. Well, who should you turn to when?

• Making sense of the process and how all of the pieces fit together: Intro to Competitive Fellowships Canvas Course and CRF guides
• Defining the problem and issue(s) on which you seek to work: faculty mentors, topical experts, and CRF guides
  • In your application, you need to demonstrate a deep familiarity with the issue(s) on— and the field in— which you intend to work in the future. Your faculty mentors and topical experts may not only direct you to the scholars, journals, etc., that you should be reading but also help you think through the emerging developments, questions, and challenges in your chosen field. Particularly for fellowships involving post-graduate study or research, it is the sophistication of thought that sets you apart.
  • See the section of this toolkit titled “More on Crafting the Personal Statement” to learn how to distinguish the problem and the issue.
• Understanding the fellowship experience: fellowship alumni
  • It’s important to articulate how this particular fellowship will be a critical next step toward achieving your goals. Insight into the particulars of the fellowship experience will enable you not only to demonstrate that you’ve done your research but also to make a stronger, more specific case for how this fellowship will be this critical step, given your experiences, interests, and goals. You will be better positioned to show that match.
• Selecting the best graduate program for your interests (for fellowships involving post-graduate study): faculty mentors and topical experts… in addition to your own research!
  • When applying to a fellowship involving post-graduate study, it’s important to consider the fit with the graduate program. Why is this particular program the one that will provide the best training, given your interests and goals? To answer that question, you’ll want to confer with your faculty mentors and experts in your field who can help point you to the strongest programs in your particular interest area. These conversations will also help you identify which programs and institutions have the scholars, resources, and centers/institutes that will be critical to your training.
  • If seeking to pursue graduate study in the UK, see our “Guide to UK Fellowships.”
  • If seeking to pursue graduate study in Asia, see our “Guide to Asia Fellowships.”
• Selecting recommenders: CRF guides
  • For a fellowship application, you need to determine which individuals will be best positioned to provide insight into your credentials, accomplishments, and interests as they relate to the particular fellowship. This is a strategic decision. Your set of recommenders may be different depending on the fellowship to which you are applying, so use the “Supporting Recommenders” section of this toolkit to take stock of potential recommenders and assess which individuals to ask.
• Feedback on essay drafts: faculty mentors
  • Writing is a process that doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Seek feedback early and often, and expect to go through multiple rounds of drafts. For statement of grant or research proposals, make sure to work closely with faculty mentors, who may provide disciplinary-specific feedback.
• Mock interviews (for fellowships involving interviews): CRF advisor, fellowship alumni, and faculty mentors
  • If you are invited to interview for a fellowship, be in touch with your CRF advisor immediately to begin mock interview training. Also practice with your faculty mentors, who may be able to help you work through the more technical questions in your field. Finally, talk to individuals who have been interviewed for the same fellowship before; they may provide valuable insight and advice.
  • See the “Interview Guidance” section of this toolkit as well for more tips.

A Note About Expectations:

Your team is invested in you and committed to helping you succeed. It’s important to understand, though, that your team can only help you to the degree that you allow them to help you. You must remain engaged with your CRF advisor, faculty mentors, recommenders, etc., throughout the process, keeping them updated and informed to ensure that everyone is on the same page.