Deadline: January 6, 2009

Fields of study: Open (an independent project)

Adviser: Dr. John Hodgson • hodgson@princeton.edu • Ext. 8-5229

Description:

The Martin A. Dale ’53 Fellowship enables an outstanding Princeton senior to devote the year following graduation to an independent project of extraordinary merit that will widen the recipient’s experience of the world and significantly enhance his or her personal growth and intellectual development. The fellowship embodies the conviction of its donor, Martin A. Dale ’53, of the transformative potential of a year-long project of focused effort and self-discovery before a new graduate embarks on the next major phase of life and career.

The Dale Fellowship provides a grant of $30,000 to a current Princeton senior, which becomes available as early as July 1 following graduation; the Fellow must begin his or her project no later than September 1 of the same year. One half of the grant is normally paid at the inception of the fellowship, the other half midway through the fellowship year. (The grant is taxable and must be reported by the recipient as regular income.)

Criteria for Selection:

In evaluating applications for the Dale Fellowship, the selection committee gives particular weight to the well-defined focus and feasibility of the project as well as to the integrity and intellectual or creative talent of the candidate. The committee looks carefully at each candidate’s academic record, especially as it pertains to the specific nature of the intended project, the development of the candidate’s intellectual interests, and the ability of the candidate to conceive and carry out a sustained creative or investigative effort. At the same time, extracurricular accomplishments are considered insofar as they provide support for the particular proposal and evidence of independent initiative, resourcefulness, and responsibility. Candidates are measured by the potential impact the year spent working on the project will have on their own personal futures and, where relevant, on the future of American society or the international community.

Application Procedure:

Applications for the Dale Fellowship from members of the Class of 2009 are due on Tuesday, January 6, 2009, at the office of Dean Claire Fowler, 406 West College. Each candidate should submit five copies of the application, a curriculum vitae, an official Princeton transcript, and two letters of recommendation (at least one of which must be from a member of the Princeton faculty) assessing the candidate’s qualifications to carry the project to successful completion. Applications will be screened by a selection committee chaired by the Dean of the College and comprising Princeton faculty and administrators deeply engaged in undergraduate education and fully committed to the ideals embodied in the Dale Fellowship. Candidates selected for interviews will be notified by February 16, 2009. Interviews will take place on approximately February 20, 2009. The winner of the Dale Fellowship will be notified no later than February 27, 2009.

Dr. John Hodgson, Dean of Forbes College, is coordinating the selection process for the Dale Fellowship. Prospective applicants who have questions about the fellowship should contact him (phone 8-5229; e-mail: hodgson@princeton.edu).

Additional Information:

The Dale Fellowship project may involve travel, either in the United States or abroad. The winner is required to submit a travel waiver in accordance with the travel rules regarding University funds. Travel should not be to destinations listed on the State Department’s Travel Advisory. It should neither involve extended study in a formal program at an American or foreign university nor should it normally entail participation in a structured program sponsored by a public or private institution. Rather, the emphasis should be on a special, independent initiative of the recipient’s own devising.

Upon acceptance of the Dale Fellowship, the recipient will be expected to sign a statement promising to use the funds for the express purpose outlined in the proposal. The Dale Fellow is required to make a progress report halfway through the fellowship year; at the completion of the project, the Fellow must submit a written account of his or her experience and an accounting of the use of the Dale funds. The Fellow is also asked to participate in a banquet on the University campus in October of the year following the fellowship, at which recipients of the previous summer’s Dale Sophomore Awards are honored.

A PDF of the application is available at www.princeton.edu/pr/pub/pfg/08/dale/dale-form.pdf.

Advice for Dale Applicants:

The Dale is open to all kinds of work, but your proposal must be feasible and in the spirit of the fellowship.