Ford Scholars

• Faculty
• Students
• Donors
• Gender Rights, Human Rights, Citizenship Rights: The Case of Yean y Bosico v. the Dominican Republic
• Project Abstracts
• Ford Scholars Symposium

Faculty

Ford Scholars Program-Summer 2007

Faculty Proposals Due: Monday, January 15, 2007

Since its inception in 1988, the Ford Scholars Program has funded collaborative research opportunities for Vassar faculty and students.  This past summer, projects were funded in the departments/programs of Art History, Economics, Education, English, Film, Music, Computer Science, Media Studies, Urban Studies, Religion and Political Science.  Each participating faculty member received invaluable assistance from a Ford Scholar whose work included primary research in the library and in the field, computer programming, statistical analysis, and editorial assistance.

Faculty Stipends: A $1,000 faculty stipend is provided for eight-week projects (prorated for shorter projects).  The stipend is not an award for scholarship, course preparation, or for related professional activities, but a compensation for the faculty member’s role as a mentor to his or her Ford Scholar.  Successful projects engage the faculty mentor in an instructional and supervisory role, both for the duration of the project and in the follow-up activities during the academic year.  If two or more faculty members participate in a collaborative project, co-mentoring a single Ford Scholar, then the faculty stipend is divided equally between the two mentors (or split otherwise as per their own recommendation).  Faculty mentors receiving outside grant support are asked to forego the Vassar stipend altogether.

The Ford Scholars Program is designed to encourage academic mentoring relationships between faculty and students through collaborative learning projects.  The program is especially committed to making this opportunity available to minority students.

Part 1 - Collaborative learning project (summer).

Part 2 - Teaching component:  an opportunity for the student to see how research is incorporated into the classroom or professional experience (academic year).

Project selection is made by the Program’s Advisory Board and will be based on the following criteria:

1. Faculty participants must be continuing members of the Vassar faculty (i.e., under contract for 2006-2008).
2. Projects must be in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
3. Preference may be given to tenured or tenure track faculty members.
4. Preference may be given to faculty members who have not previously participated in the Ford Scholars Program.

Although the projects are faculty-initiated, they must involve significant student participation and exposure to typical research methods of the discipline (i.e., not merely photocopying, word-processing or filing) with the idea to create a sense of ownership of the project by the student.  Faculty proposals must address the possible “teaching component” for the student.  This activity may take one of several forms:  leading a class discussion on the topic; preparing a lecture to be given on campus; presenting the research at a professional meeting; or, co-authoring a study.  Thus each component, which may vary according to the discipline, will help the student gain experience first-hand with the connection between research and teaching.

General Guidelines

1. Projects may involve research and/or curricular development.
    
2. Projects may involve more than one faculty member or student.  (Please note, however, that funding restrictions may permit only one student and faculty member per project).
    
3. Projects may last a maximum of eight weeks and may be conducted either on or off campus.  Faculty and student will be expected to work in the same location.  Projects conducted on campus should be completed within the 10-week time frame of Monday, May 28 to Friday, August 3. 2007.  (For example, an 8-week project beginning on May 28 would end on July 20).
    
4. Project stipends:

   Faculty:  $1,000 included in the July paycheck.  Faculty members receiving independent grant support are asked to forego the stipend.

   Students:  $3,200 paid bi-weekly, from which student pays room and board.

   Research Expenses:  up to $250 per project, subject to approval.

   Travel:  $500 for research or conferences, subject to approval.

5. Student Applicants: Graduating seniors (Class of 2007) are ineligible; preference will be given to qualified minority applicants.

Ford Scholars Program Timeline

Faculty mentors will receive a copy of each student’s application for their project and a current transcript.  In the past, the number of student applicants per project has ranged from two to twenty.  If no qualified student applies, the project will not be funded.

Click for Word Document of Application
If you experience any problems with downloading the application place Contact Christopher Roellke to have a copy sent to you via email.