The SJU Fellowships Office will advise you on summer internships but not on an internship during the academic year. The Career Development Center supports students in landing internships through providing 1:1 support and key resources. Check out their website here to begin your personalized internship search. They are located on the Marcy Dugan Wolfington Campus behind the Maguire Wolfington Welcome Center (Undergraduate Admissions).
Yes, there are such websites. You can consult the websites of some major American universities and look under their fellowship links for lists of such websites. One website that is recommended is that of The Foundation Center, which lists grants and fellowships. Just click onto their website: The Foundation Center.
The best way to begin the process is to consult the reference books in SJU's Drexel Library (see tab to the left of each page of this website). In addition, you are advised to check out the links for the various fellowships / scholarships / summer internships as listed on this website. Each one will give you the exact information you need for considering and applying of a specific grant. Do as much private homework as possible, particularly by using search engines, and gathering as much information as you can. After that, visit with appropriate the SJU Resource Person, as listed after the description of each fellowship / scholarship/ summer internship. Then contact the SJU Director of Fellowships, Rev. Patrick Samway, S.J., and talk about your particular interests. He will be able to share with you the non-confidential parts of applications from previous years. Reading the essays of previous applicants will be helpful in formulating your own, though, of course, your own approach to writing an essay will always remain of paramount importance. No need to be intimidated by what others have written. In particular, Dr. Daniel will shepherd you through the application process, making sure that you have followed all the directions. For scholarships, such as the Marshall, Rhodes, or Fulbright, which involve study or travel abroad, it is important to research as much as possible the designated countries, institutions, and degree programs involved. Finally, Father Samway keeps a typewriter in his office for those who need access to one.
Applying for even just one fellowship / scholarship can take considerable time and energy, especially in soliciting letters of recommendation and making sure they are submitted on time. But there is really no reason not to apply for a second or third at the same time, once you have written an initial proposal. Those who have written letters of recommendation on a word processor can easily adapt them to a second application.
Normally there is no problem waiting until after graduation to apply for a fellowship / scholarship. You just need to read carefully the eligibility requirements of the particular fellowship / scholarship. Sometimes taking a year off to work or continue studies in one way or another sharpens the focus of what you would like to do.
The first place to begin answering this question is to consider carefully your aspirations and goals. And then talk to an SJU Resource Person and Father Samway, both of whom can give you advice and make important suggestions. You should realize that your past academic performance will determine to a great extent your eligibility.
Major fellowships, such as the Churchill, Hertz, Mellon, and National Science Foundation, require the general test and, in some cases, the subject area test. Check (and double-check) this requirement on the appropriate fellowship / scholarship website, so that you can take the test early enough to have your scores submitted on time by the fellowships deadline. If you wish, you can consult the GRE website, which provides all the necessary information about this exam.
The SJU Fellowships Office will assist you in making sure that your application is
- Correctly filled out
- Submitted on time in the form requested.
Naturally, this is an applicant's worst nightmare. Everything should be done to make sure this does not happen. First of all, check the instructions on the application form. It is best to have all letters of recommendation delivered to the Fellowships Office at least 10 days in advance of the application deadline. It is the duty of the applicant to remind the recommender of the necessary deadlines:
- Deadline for submission of the letter of recommendation to the Fellowships Office, and
- Absolute deadline for the submission of the complete application. Offer to pick up and deliver such letters, if that would be helpful. If it is requested that the letters of recommendation be sent directly to a specific fellowship / scholarship office, then the applicant should type out an envelope to that office, put the return address of the recommender in the upper left-hand corner, and affix the correct postage. A recommendation that arrives via email or fax is normally not acceptable, since it does not have the requisite signature. The applicant is ultimately responsible for knowing the progress of any letter of reference he/she has requested.
Actually, some fellowships / scholarships, such as the Rhodes and Rotary, accept applicants from citizens of other countries. In addition, a naturalized resident or child of naturalized parents may apply for a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. In each case it is best to consult the information about eligibility. The SJU Fellowships Office will assist those who are not U.S. citizens in gathering information about fellowships from other countries.
Official and unofficial copies of transcripts can be obtained from the SJU Student Service Center (Barbelin #121).