Established three years ago, the Fellowships Office is dedicated to helping driven and passionate students obtain competitive fellowships. Directed by Professor Alisa Rosenthal of the political science department, the office is dedicated to matching fellowships to students of all academic backgrounds and interests, from theatre to economics to English or biology.

In the past, fellowships were handled by different advisers in each department rather than in one central office. Given the amount of work that fellowship applications require on behalf of the student as well as the adviser, it was difficult for faculty members to adequately aid students in the application process.

A fellowship is a merit-based type of grant in the form of financial support awarded to an individual for some specific experience, generally chosen in a competitive context. The application process for fellowships tends to be complicated and lengthy, making the role of an advisor in the application process important for success.

“Not having an office in the past was difficult for several reasons. Students did not hear about fellowships, they did not know who to go to in help applying and so on. Establishing a fellowships office created an excellent resource here on campus that we should be very appreciative of. Professor Rosenthal works so hard and is extremely dedicated to the process,” Professor Jillian Locke, political science department chair, said.

In running the office, Rosenthal has two specific goals. The first is to help Gustavus students be as competent and successful as they can possibly be in competing for their fellowship. The second is to scout out and recruit good candidates and make sure they know that these opportunities exist.

“When particular scholarship opportunities arise, I contact members of the appropriate departments here on campus and ask if they can put me in contact with any students in their classes whom they feel really stand out. A lot of recruiting is done to ensure that worthy students do not miss out on these opportunities,” Rosenthal said.

While a number of students are matched to fellowships through the recruiting process, students are also encouraged to make the first step and contact Rosenthal if interested. While some fellowships have strict GPA requirements and cut-offs, not all fellowships do. The requirements for fellowships vary greatly and depend on its priorities.

“Fellowships are not necessarily limited to only the 4.0 GPA students, contrary to common perception. While some fellowships do have GPA cut-offs, others do not. If you are academically serious, come talk to me. You do not have to have a strong GPA, but to be realistic, having a strong GPA makes you more competitive,” Rosenthal said.

“Fellowships might inspire people to make academics a priority because you get to see what opportunities are available to outstanding students who work really hard. Fellowships are life-changing. They open so many doors and there are so many lifelong benefits of being a fellowship scholar,” Locke said.

As for meeting deadlines, Rosenthal recommends that students come in and talk to her as soon as possible. Preparing a competitive fellowship application takes an extensive amount of time and work. For example, juniors who are thinking about fellowship opportunities after graduation are recommended to come into the office in the spring. For senior applicants thinking about a fellowship directly after graduation, some deadlines may still be manageable but most deadlines may have either passed or would not leave enough time for the application process.

“At this time for seniors, there is not a lot to apply for. However, I do talk to and work with alumni so it is never something to rule out just because a student thought they were out of time,” Rosenthal said.

For the applicants who apply and compete for fellowships but are not selected, Rosenthal insists that the process is nonetheless entirely valuable.

“There is value in the process whether or not one wins. It is finding passion for a project and seeing oneself and where they will be in five years. I refer to this as ‘values clarification’—one determines who they are now, where they want to go, what they want to do, what is important to them, and what their goals are,” Rosenthal said.

Junior Political Science Major Eric Halvorson worked with the Fellowships Office last year in applying for a Fulbright scholarship and although he was not selected, he found the process profitable.

“It helped me learn about myself, write something I was really proud of and come to see new possibilities for myself. Normal homework does not teach you about yourself as much as applying for something that asks you to prove why they should choose you. It doesn’t matter that I did not get it, I was empowered by the process,” Halvorson said.

Junior Political Science and Geography Major Jasmine Porter, who became the first Gustavus recipient of the Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP) fellowship, found the office extremely helpful in applying and competing.

“The application process was a lot of work and took several months, but Professor Rosenthal was a phenomenal help with everything. She guided me all along the way and made sure I was meeting deadlines and doing it correctly. I could not have done it without her,” Porter said.

Other recipients of fellowships in recent years at Gustavus include Junior Biology and Environmental Studies Major Emily Seelen and Senior Bilogy Major Ethan Degner, who have both received fellowships with the EPA, Senior Chemistry ACS Major Steve Groskreutz was the 2011 recipient of the Barry M. Goldwater scholarship and alumna Angela Magnusson ’09 recently won the competitive Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Fellowship to study in India.

“Professor Rosenthal works very hard to find students and to match them with fellowships, but she cannot find everyone all by herself. Never hesitate to contact her directly,” Locke said.

If interested in learning more or competing for a fellowship, contact Rosenthal at the Fellowships office through the Fellowships office website, via email at GACfellowships@gustavus.edu, or by stopping into the office at Old Main 204H. Rosenthal indicates that the best starting point in the process is to fill out the “First Meeting Form” on the website which she will then receive and respond to.

“Winning a fellowship is pursuing a dream. If you have passion, drive and an idea of what you would like to do, even just a starting point, then talk to me and I will do my best to match you with the perfect fellowship,” Rosenthal said.