Senior Research Fellowship and Senior Work Fund

Senior Research Fellowship

Overview: The Senior Research Fellowship is a competitive grant program designed to support research projects requiring an unusually high degree of financial support.  For the 2009-10 academic year, the College will award between fifteen and twenty Senior Research Fellowships.  Any student who needs more than $350 (the maximum amount available through the Senior Work Fund; see below) should consider applying to this program.  The upper limit for these grants will be $1500. 

Selection: Grants will be awarded on the basis of the project's merit, the quality of the application, the strength of the faculty recommendation, and the availability of funds.  Preference will be given to students who do not have access to funding in their major departments.  Fellowship proposals will be evaluated by a faculty and administrator panel.  Students who receive Senior Research Fellowships are not eligible for support from the Senior Work Fund.  Students who do not receive a Senior Research Fellowship will automatically be considered for grant support from the Senior Work Fund and do not need to resubmit their application. Please do not submit two separate applications.

Approved Expenses and Reimbursement: See below.

Additional Notes: Students who are working on a collaborative project should communicate with each other to avoid multiple requests for shared resources. If reimbursement for short-term overnight lodging is needed, consider reducing your funding request by contacting Middlebury alumni/ae in the area for assistance.

Deadline: The deadline for the Senior Research Fellowship is Friday, September 25, 2009.  Please note this is the only time during the year that we will be accepting applications for this program.  Second-semester juniors who plan to write their theses in the fall of 2010 and begin their research in the spring of 2010 may therefore want to apply for funding now. 

Application: Please click here.

Senior Work Fund

Overview: The Senior Work Fund was established to assist Middlebury College undergraduate students who are completing independent senior work such as theses, art portfolios, and performances. Often, students need modest support for photocopying, materials and supplies, or travel for interviews, fieldwork, or to use specialized library collections. While some faculty and departments have special funds for senior work, many do not. The Senior Work Fund is intended primarily to assist students who have little or no departmental budget support and/or support from faculty research grants. Support from the Senior Work Fund will be limited to a maximum of $350 per student.

Selection: Grants will be awarded on the basis of project's merit, the quality of the application, and the availability of funds. Associate Dean of the College Karen Guttentag will evaluate all proposals. Students may apply for support from the Senior Work Fund for theses, essays, and other independent projects in their major or minor departments or programs.   

Approved Expenses and Reimbursement: See below. 

Additional Notes: You may only receive funding once in your senior year from the Senior Work Fund.

Deadlines: Senior Work Fund applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis through the end of Spring 2010. Please note, however, that petitions involving retroactive reimbursement are strongly discouraged, as all expenses may not be reimbursable. Students will be notified of their outcomes within two weeks of the application's submission.  

Application: Please click here.

Approved Expenses for REIMBURSEMENT

The Senior Work Fund and Senior Research Fellowship are typically used to reimburse for the following expenses:

• Supplies needed to conduct research (some equipment purchased, such as books or media, shall remain the property of Middlebury College for future use by other students).
• Travel to conduct interviews or fieldwork (save all travel related receipts and keep track of all mileage —we do not reimburse for gas.  Mileage will be paid at the rate of .55 per mile)
• Travel for on-site use of research materials not available in the College library, through interlibrary loan, or through electronic access (save all travel related receipts and keep track of mileage — we do not reimburse for gas.  Mileage will be paid at the rate of .55 per mile for expenses through December 31, 2009; rates will be confirmed at that time.)
• Compensation of research subjects.  It is preferable for compensation to take the form of a gift certificate at a College facility such as the Grille or the College Store.  However, arrangements can be made to pay small cash stipends (up to $10 each) with the appropriate documentation. 
• Photocopying of research materials (not including thesis proposals or completed theses). Once approved, students may have their ID #'s entered into one of the photocopiers in either the new library or the Armstrong Library.  A receipt must accompany reimbursement requests for any other photocopy expenses.
• Please note that requests to purchase computer programs or technological resources that are already provided to students in College computer labs or departments are not generally granted.
• Because they are limited, these funds are intended to support the conducting of research, rather than the presentation of research results.
• Students looking for funding to attend an academic conference should apply to the Academic Conference Travel Fund.
• Please contact Dean Guttentag if you have reimbursement needs that are not listed above.
  

Reimbursement

Reimbursements for expenses incurred will require receipts and completed reimbursement summary form (see below). This form should be checked and signed by your adviser or the departmental coordinator, and submitted to Penny Deacon in the office of the Dean of the College, Meeker House.  You will only be reimbursed for activities that were reviewed and approved in your SWF/SRF application.  If you need to purchase items from any business, you will need to pay out of your own pocket and submit the receipts for reimbursement. All receipts must be attached to the Reimbursement and Summary Form. The deadline for submitting vouchers for reimbursement is Friday, May 14, 2010.

Questions

If you have any questions about the Senior Work Fund or the Senior Research Fellowship, please call or email Penny Deacon, Assistant to the Associate Dean of College, at extension 5771, or Karen Guttentag, Associate Dean of the College, at extension 2024.