April 4, 2024 Information Session Video Recording
The Gaudino Fellowship sponsors self-designed projects and travel for teams of students, in their sophomore year or above, to be completed during the Winter Study term. It is sponsored by the Gaudino Fund at Williams, which seeks to promote the teachings and methods of the late Professor Robert L. Gaudino. Students interested in the fellowship should familiarize themselves with the history and mission of the Gaudino Fund by exploring the essentials of Gaudino’s Pedagogy as well as the Fund’s website: gaudino.williams.edu.
The purpose of a Gaudino Fellowship is to provide teams of students (at least 2, at most 4) with the funding and resources necessary to complete a research project away from campus that is both viable and sustainable. In addition, such a project should, by its very nature, be designed to engage deeply with self-reflection as well as to prompt learning experiences that push students out of their comfort zones and challenge them to reflect on their lived assumptions.
In preparation for applying for a Gaudino Fellowship, students are required to attend an introductory meeting, led by the current Gaudino Scholar, offered in the spring term prior to each Winter Study period (note: see the above video link to view this meeting in spring 24). At this meeting, students will be given detailed information about the fellowship and provided with college resources intended to aid them in the development of their proposals. In addition to working with the current Gaudino Scholar, students are required to secure a faculty member as their project sponsor. This faculty sponsor should be able to provide academic guidance in the development of the proposed project and its research methods. They are not, however, responsible for helping to facilitate and coordinate the logistics of the project. Note: students who do not secure a faculty mentor willing to sponsor their project in advance of submitting their proposal will not be considered for the fellowship.
All students applying for a Gaudino must complete and submit an individual 99 application. This is partly to ensure that students who do not receive a Gaudino Fellowship will still be eligible for an independent project. Students should select “Gaudino Fellowship” on their 99 application form. The Gaudino Scholar will review those proposals using the criteria below. A complete application includes:
- A 2-3-page description of the research project, including: a clear presentation of the intellectual aims and goals of the project; an overview of the work that will take place (internships, field research, community engagement, volunteer work, etc.); the methods that will be employed in service of the project’s realization; and a description of the final product or culminating summary of outcomes of the project (paper, documentary video, etc.). In addition, you must include a brief statement regarding your preparedness for the intended course of study (please share details of any coursework or other relevant experience). If the project involves an ethnographic approach, or any work involving human subject research, please assess whether review by an IRB (Institutional Review Board) is needed. Note that the environment of a Gaudino project should include a deep immersive experience embedded in a safe environment. Please include an overview of the environment and the measures taken to secure it.
- In addition to the project proposal, each individual student must submit a 1-2-page explanation of how their project and its work will fulfill the aims of the Gaudino Fellowship. Please discuss how this project will endeavor to take each student, as an individual, outside of their learning comfort zone and provide a means of challenging their assumptions. Please also describe what methods of “self-reflection” you will employ as part of your project (journaling, etc.).
- A substantial and annotated bibliography, consisting of 5-7 sources or materials to be used and consulted in the research process, either before or during the course of the project.
- A proposed budget, with a detailed breakdown of items, including: accommodations, travel expenses, food, research expenses, etc. We reward a maximum grant of $4000 per person. Given our limited funding, we encourage projects with more modest budgets.
If awarded a fellowship, each student will receive an individual grant of up to $4000 to support their project, based on their specific need. Upon receiving confirmation that their proposal was approved, each student, in collaboration with the Gaudino Scholar, must align on the final location(s) for the entirety of the travel experience. That final determination is made by the Gaudino Scholar with input from the Gaudino Fund Board of Trustees.
For questions or to discuss your project and proposal, please reach out to Professor Amy Holzapfel, the current Gaudino Scholar, at [email protected]