Chappell Fellowships
Chappell Undergraduate Research Fellowships fund students' close collaboration with William and Mary faculty members engaged in summer research. The aim of this Fellowship is to give the student a significant research experience while at the same time providing the faculty supervisor with the services of an able research assistant. It is understood that the nature of the student's research experience will vary considerably from one field to another; however, in all cases it is crucial that the student's role go significantly beyond mechanical tasks such as data entry, photocopying, or library errands, while it may, of course, include tasks of this nature. The award to the student is $3000 for seven full-time weeks of research. Subject to availability, free W&M dormitory housing during the two summer sessions will also be included. Recipients must agree to blog about their research on the Process of Undergraduate Research (POUR) site at least five times and present their work at the Showcase of Summer Research in the Fall semester.
Early in the spring semester the Charles Center staff posts on the Charles Center website a list of faculty who have expressed interest in applying with students to the Chappell program as well as a brief description of their research project. You can see a list of faculty who have expressed interest in Chappell mentorship here. Note that students are not restricted to faculty members whose names are on the list and may approach any faculty whose research interests them. If a faculty member is approached by more than one student, the faculty member must select one student with whom to submit a Chappell application.
General Information and Application Components
The project proposal (max. 2 pages, single-spaced) must be the applicant’s own work, but the applicant should work closely with their faculty mentor as they are writing it. This should outline your proposed research project while addressing the following questions:
What is the question you’re hoping to answer with your research? / What coursework or other experience have you had that are relevant to this proposal? / Discuss your methodology in detail - how will you carry out your work? / What support do you have for the project (lab space, access to collections, etc.) / What are you going to produce? (article, play, website, etc.) / Why is this work exciting or unique? What does it contribute to the field and to the work of your Chappell advisor? / How will this research help further your own academic / intellectual development?
Use the personal statement (max. 1 page, single-spaced) to reflect on your intellectual influences and to examine what you hope to achieve both here and after graduation:
What led you to develop an interest in your field of study and the proposed research topic? As you reflect on what to write, be sure to consider your favorite authors, scholars, teachers or classes. Also consider what things you want to study, why you want to study them, and what you hope to learn about your area of interest. Finally, consider the contribution you want to make with your own research to our knowledge and understanding of your field.
Applicants must register both their recommender and project advisor as “recommenders” on the application. If the recommender and the Chappell project advisor are two different people, the Chappell advisor must submit the following:
A one-page summary of her/his summer research project that includes a description of the Chappell student’s potential contribution to the project. It is understood that the nature of the student's research experience will vary considerably from one field to another; however, in all cases it is crucial that the student's role go significantly beyond mechanical tasks such as data entry, photocopying, or library errands, while it may, of course, include tasks of this nature. Once the applicant registers the project advisor online, a message will be sent to theproject advisor with directions for uploading and submitting the summary.
The recommender must submit:
One letter of recommendation that attests to the applicant’s suitability for the project and with whom he/she has previously discussed the proposal. Once the applicant registers the recommender online, a message will be sent to the recommender with directions for uploading and submitting the letter.
If the recommender and the project advisor are the same person, he/she may submit all the required information above in one document.
Finally, the applicant must also submit a W&M transcript, which can be the unofficial transcript found through Banner.
There are no interviews. A committee of William and Mary faculty members reviews the applications and determines the recipients. The decisions of this committee are final. Results will be posted in the Charles Center and on the Charles Center website.
Travel Warning
Students wishing to petition for approval to receive international internship scholarship funds for travel to a country under a Department of State (DOS) Travel Warning should contact the Director of Global Education or the Vice Provost for International Affairs for additional information. International internship scholarships are subject to the W&M Travel Warning Policy. All petitions for summer 2013 international internship scholarships in a country under a DOS Travel Warning must be received by the Director of Global Education at the Reves Center no later than 5 p.m. on April 22, 2013. Decisions about such petitions will be made by mid-May.
