Roy R. Charles Center

Monroe Scholars: Freshman Projects

Read about Monroe projects from previous years here

Guidelines for Summer 2008 Projects

The Monroe Freshman Scholarship program provide $1,000 each to approximately 50 first year James Monroe Scholars in the summer of 2008 to undertake projects that extend or build on topics that have been introduced in their freshman classes. Most of the current funding that is available for undergraduate research at William and Mary supports advanced research that upper-division students conduct in the areas of their declared majors. In contrast, these grants are restricted to first-year Monroe Scholars and they are explicitly intended to augment the pre-major, general education experience of freshmen.

1. Successful applicants will each devote a minimum of 2 full-time weeks to their projects (or the equivalent; e.g., 4 half-time weeks), although many projects may take longer than this and it is important that students propose a length of time that is sufficient to accomplish their stated objectives. Each successful applicant will receive a stipend of $1,000. Because the stipend is intended to buy the student's time for two weeks, applicants are not required to submit detailed project budgets or justify expenses.

2. Two (2) copies of the complete application (the required cover sheet and a 3-page proposal) are due in the Charles Center by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 19, 2008. In putting together the proposal, each applicant must consult with the instructor of the course that inspired the proposed project. The cover sheet has spaces for the name of this course and for the instructor's signature, confirming that this advising has taken place and that the professor endorses the proposal. This cover sheet is available on the Charles Center's web site.

3. Students may propose topics that are tied to either their Fall 2007 or Spring 2008 courses, but all projects must be specifically tied to one or more of the courses they have taken. For example, if a student has studied a film made by Alfred Hitchcock in a freshman seminar, he or she may propose to conduct a comprehensive study of all of the films made by that director. Similarly, if a student has studied volcanoes, or a specific statistical technique, environmental regulation, or religious practice in a freshman course, he or she may propose a project that extends or builds on this experience. The key criteria here are "extends or builds on": for example, a student who has not studied Japanese art in a freshman course may not propose a project on this subject for this scholarship. Please note that travel is not required.

4. Each successful applicant must submit a 3-5 page report describing the results of his or her work no later than Friday, August 29, 2008 and present their work in Charles Center Showcase of Summer Research (tentatively October 6).

William and Mary College Scholars are not eligible to apply for the Freshman Monroe grant.

 

Application Information

Two copies of the application, including the required cover sheet and a 3-page proposal, are due to the Charles Center by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, March 19, 2008. By this time, each applicant is asked to consult with the instructor of the course that inspired the proposed project. The cover sheet has spaces for the name of this course and for the instructor’s signature, confirming that this advising has taken place and that the instructor endorses the proposal. Please be sure to read the Guidelines above carefully before you begin the application.