In Pursuit of Meaningful Experiences
Applications for scholarships that fund graduate study at some of the most prestigious universities on the globe are due in October. UND has one student applying to Oxford (Rhodes), one applying to Cambridge (Gates-Cambridge), and two applying to Stanford (Knight Hennessy). Some graduates seek other international experiences abroad. Four students hope to receive Fulbright Scholarship to teach English in Norway, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and North Macedonia. These students have spent hours drafting and redrafting personal statements that require them to discuss the dreams they have for their future. October is one of the most exciting and busy months of the scholarship year.
Easily overlooked, however, is the wickedly competitive nature of these prestigious scholarships. Successful applicants must compete with a dose of healthy perfectionism that drives their high (but not unrealistic) standards, a capacity to find joy in the process of applying, and an internal motivation to understand and improve how they face challenges. They risk failing in pursuit of meaningful experiences.
For October, where tensions can run high as due dates loom and exhaustion sets in, I would like to offer a fun and funny reminder about healthy perfectionism and introduce the "Museum of Failure," a museum in Helsingborg, Sweden that catalogues history's biggest failed products. The museum, founded by Samuel West, is meant to teach its visitors about the role of failure in innovation and progress: Museum of Failure. One thing that many of these "failures" have in common, however, is the fact that they took the hit, got back up, and later achieved tremendous success. Remember that Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor felt he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas."
In recognition of a team with great imagination and good ideas, I want to congratulate the departments of Modern & Classical Languages & Literatures and Geography & Geographic Information Science for receiving a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (S-I-R) Grant to host a Fulbright Scholar in YR 2023-2024. The S-I-R team leading this effort includes Dr. Melissa Gjellstad, Dr. Douglas Munski, and Dr. Ryan Zerr.
In this issue, you will find a list of scholarships and their open and close dates and an update on campus scholarship activities. I also check in with Taylor Roehl, a spring 2022 graduate with degrees in Forensic Science and German Studies. She won a 2022 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange-Young Professional Scholar award and is currently studying in Germany. The backdrop of this newsletter is a picture of the Kölner Dom in Cologne, Germany that Taylor shared with me. Enjoy.
Yee Han Chu PhD MSSW
Academic Support and Fellowship Opportunities Coordinator
Taylor Roehl, 2022 CBYX-Young Professional Scholar, in Cologne, Germany
I have known for a long time that I wanted to do some kind of study abroad program, but because of the requirements of my degree programs and COVID, it just didn’t work out for me to do so during the four years of my undergraduate degree. I wanted to spend time in Germany, in particular, to see the country I had been learning about since high school and improve my German language skills. When I found out about the CBYX for Young Professionals scholarship, I quickly realized that this scholarship would provide the unique opportunity for me to pursue both those goals and my future career goals at the same time. As part of the CBYX program, I would get to take intensive German language classes, study at a German university, and pursue an internship in the career field of my choice. This sounded like a program made just for me, so I knew I had to apply.
What are you doing now?
I arrived in Germany at the beginning of August, and I have spent the last two months taking intensive German language courses and living with a host family in the city of Cologne. My language classes just concluded at the end of September, and the next step of the program is to move to my final placement city to start attending university classes. In fact, I am writing this on the train to my new placement! My final placement is in Munich, Bavaria, and I will start attending classes there at the Technische Universität München in the middle of October. My program there is Sport and Health Sciences, and I’ll be taking my classes primarily in German.
The CBYX program provided my cohort with a lot of information about the cultural differences between Germany and the United States before we left home, so I wasn’t too surprised about most aspects of life in Germany. However, knowing about the differences beforehand didn’t eliminate the challenge of adjusting! One of the biggest differences that I’ve had to learn to navigate is the public transportation system in Germany. I’m so used to being able to get in my own car and go anywhere at anytime back in North Dakota, but owning a car in Germany simply isn’t as necessity because of the public transport system and excellent walking and biking infrastructure here. This has been a huge adjustment for me! Another big adjustment has been the business hours of operation here – stores and restaurants close much earlier in the evening, and most aren’t open at all on Sundays. On multiple occasions already, I’ve realized that I need something from the store, only to remember that it’s a Sunday and nothing is open. In general, I’ve just had to be patient with myself as I’m learning to navigate these new aspects of my life. I’m typically a perfectionist, but I’ve had to accept that I’m not going to be able to do everything right on the first try here.
I think that some of the only non-negotiables for living abroad are an open mind and a willingness to make mistakes and learn from them. It’s a new environment where misunderstandings are bound to happen – especially if there’s a language barrier – and it’s important to see these occasions as learning opportunities. You also need to be willing to put yourself out there to meet new people! This is one of the most rewarding aspects of living abroad.
So far, my favorite parts of the CBYX experience have been getting to know so many different people of different backgrounds and getting to explore the beautiful country of Germany. In the last two months, I have made some amazing friends from among my American CBYX cohort, I’ve developed a great relationship with my Cologne host family, and I’ve met many other interesting and accomplished people from around the world at the language school in Cologne. I’ve also had the opportunity to spend my free time exploring the city of Cologne and the surrounding area, and it’s been such a dream to be able to learn about this region of a country with such a rich history and culture.
Gilman/Gilman-McCain DUE 10.6.22
Megan Wilmot, Assistant Director of the Benjamin Gilman International Scholarship Program at IIE, visited the UND campus last month. Emily Dougherty, Study Abroad Emily Coordinator, and Allison Johansen, Study Abroad Advisor, organized a campus visit for Megan Wilmot to meet Career Services, TRIO, Aviation Academic Advising, and Political Science faculty, and National Scholarships.
Gilman Eligibility:
- A citizen or national of the United States;
- An undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States (including both two-year and four-year institutions);
- Receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship;
- In the process of applying to, or accepted to, a credit-bearing study abroad or internship program. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
- Applying for credit-bearing study abroad programs in a country or area with an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System, or is on the list of approved Travel Advisory Level 3 countries/areas.
The 2023 PPIA Junior Summer Institute Application now OPEN & DUE 11.1.22
The PPIA Fellowship Program aims to help students prepare to pursue a master's or joint degree in public policy, public administration, international affairs, or a related field. The organization does this through the intensive study provided by participation in a Junior Summer Institute (JSI), partnerships with universities across the country, and an alumni network that provides opportunities to connect with nearly 4000 individuals with the same interest in public service.
PPIA's Mission - Cultivate the next generations of diverse public service and international affairs professionals by investing in their education, essential skills, and networks to effect domestic and global change.
PPIA's Vision - A thriving and equitable world uplifted by visionary, inclusive, and compassionate leaders.
Each year, PPIA seeks out high-potential undergraduate students from universities across the country to participate in an intensive seven-week Junior Summer Institute (JSI) before their senior year. During their program, fellows are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in graduate school and, ultimately, in influential roles serving the public good.
Once students have completed their JSI, they join an alumni network of leaders. In addition to the opportunities that this network provides for mentoring and career development, our alumni network has the opportunity to receive financial support for their graduate school education if they attend one of the programs in our Graduate School Consortium.
The deadline to apply for Summer 2023 is November 1, 2022
JSI Overview and Host Sites
JSI Eligibility and Benefits
Application Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you interested in learning a language that is critical to our engagement with the world? Cheyden Paulson, UND 2020 CLS Scholar, will talk about the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) and the CLS SPARK Scholarship that funds a summer study abroad to learn one of these languages. Topics includes a scholarship overview, eligibility, application and selection criteria, and tips for writing a competitive application.
Jonathan Sickler
Grant Hauschild
Grant Hauschild is the Executive Director at Essentia Health Foundation and is a Hermantown City Councilor. This fall he is running to represent Minnesota State Senate District 3. A Fargo native, Grant graduated from UND with a degree in Political Science. He earned his Master's Degree in public policy analysis from George Washington University. Grant has served as Senator Heidi Heitkamp's research coordinator and legislative aide.
Yee Han Chu PhD MSSW
Drop In Hours at the Chester Fritz Library-Knowledge Commons
Tuesday: 10-11AM
Or, Email to Make an Appointment
Email: yee.chu@und.edu
Website: https://und.edu/academics/national-scholarships/
Location: Columbia Hall, Room B307
Phone: (701) 777- 4436