Application Process
Interested students should use the links below to submit their applications to the Dean of Faculty Office by October 6 for Fall awards and February 9 for Spring awards. Students wishing to apply should share their proposals with their advisors and give them adequate time to prepare a statement of support.
The student proposal should include the following information:
- Project description. A detailed description of the project (approximately 1 page), including the intended objectives of the study, the anticipated procedures to attain those objectives, and a time-frame for completing the work. The description must be addressed to a non-specialist reader; failure to do so will negatively impact a student’s chances for receiving funding. Applications should also include a bibliography, if appropriate.
- Expectations and responsibilities. A paragraph clearly specifying the expected role of your supervisor in this project (frequency and purpose of meetings with supervisor, anticipated laboratory, studio, or field assistance, etc.), and a statement clearly outlining your obligations in this study (preparations for meetings with supervisor, paper type and length, lab notebook, portfolio or finished products, anticipated deadlines, etc).
- Evaluation. A statement clearly describing how the research will be evaluated (tests, papers, laboratory notebook, dance production or a talk, quality and quantity of art work).
- Budget. An itemized budget indicating total amount of request and demonstrating that the work could not be conducted without support. These awards are typically NOT used for equipment purchases.
- Because projects might involve cross-departmental collaborations, all projects requiring the use of campus resources (lab materials, studio space, etc.) must include a statement of support from the affiliated department chair indicating that the student has received permission for the project.
- Proposals for the Smallen Award should also outline how the student plans to share the products of work with the College community, with the work perhaps becoming a permanent part of it.
Faculty Endorsement. The faculty advisor of the project must provide a statement evaluating (1) the academic merits of the project, (2) the capacity of the student to carry out the project successfully, (3) the merits of the budget, and (4) a statement to confirm the degree to which the affiliated department or program can provide some financial support. Faculty should submit their confidential endorsements online through Interfolio. Note: when requesting a letter of reference in Interfolio, the request will only be associated with your general Interfolio profile (not a specific application). In order for your application to be complete, you will need to manually add that reference request as part of the application materials for this specific position.
