Dorothy M. and Maurice C. Shapirto Traveling Fellowship

The Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research is pleased to announce the opening of the 2012 application process for GW’s Shapiro Traveling Fellowship.

This unique award, generously supported by the Dorothy M. and Maurice C. Shapiro Endowment, makes possible extraordinary experiences abroad.

Application forms are available below and online at the CUFR website - http://www.gwu.edu/~fellcent/opportunity/Shapirotraveling.cfm

If you wish to discuss a Shapiro Traveling proposal, please contact us at fellcent@gwu.edu .

DEADLINE: MONDAY, MARCH 5, 2012 - Deadline for student application materials and verification/organization letters.

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DOROTHY M. AND MAURICE C. SHAPIRO TRAVELING FELLOWSHIP

PURPOSE: The Dorothy M. And Maurice C. Shapiro Traveling Fellowship enables students to carry out original and substantial intellectual, cultural, artistic or humanistic projects that will generally (but not exclusively) require travel abroad, and which otherwise might be impossible to undertake. Eligible projects may range from public service, to independent or sponsored research and writing, to artistic endeavors. Eligible project may also involve, but should not be limited to formal study in a university. The Shapiro Traveling Fellowship especially encourages creative but serious proposals that may or may not fit the usual or traditional models for study abroad. The proposed plan will generally involve an international experience (which can involve more than one country), but outstanding domestic proposals will also be considered.

ELIGIBILITY:

· Graduating seniors and recent graduates of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Public Health and Health Services, or the Elliott School of International Affairs are eligible to apply.

· U.S. citizenship is required,

· A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.4.

Preference will be given to applicants with the least experience abroad. Applicants who have spent substantial time in the country/countries proposed in their applications will not be considered. Full- or part-time regular employees of governmental agencies are not eligible to apply.

DURATION: One academic year. Non-renewable.

PROPOSAL: Fellowship proposals will generally involve, but need not be limited to, innovative public service projects abroad, and/or substantial independent research abroad, and/or creative projects involving foreign or domestic travel. Formal academic study may form a part of the proposed project, but should not be the sole activity. The award may be used toward direct reasonable travel costs and living expenses, tuition, fees, or other expenses directly related to the purpose stipulated. The proposed plan will generally involve an international experience (which can involve more than one country), but outstanding, creative domestic proposals will also be considered. Innovative but serious proposals that may or may not fit the usual or traditional models should offer exceptional opportunities for the student's intellectual, cultural, artistic, humanistic, or personal growth and development. Proposals must include a detailed justification of the program or project.

AWARD: For the 2012-13 academic year, approximately $16,000 will be available to fund the Shapiro Traveling Fellowship, depending on the proposed cost of the project.

CRITERIA: Proposals are accepted from all disciplines, majors and fields within the Elliott School of International Affairs, the Columbian School of Arts and Sciences, and the School of Public Health and Health Services.

Three selection criteria are mandatory:

1) Proven academic accomplishments;
2) Demonstrated civic and/or public service commitment;
3) Evidence of leadership qualities.

Preference may be given to students with a clearly developed plan for applying for prestigious national fellowships - such as the Fulbright, Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell and/or Gates awards - subsequent to their Traveling fellowship.

DOCUMENTATION:

1) Application form, completed and signed;
2) Resume (must include any honors, scholarships/fellowships, internships, employment, professional training, and significant campus and community activities);
3) Transcript(s) of all university work (official or unofficial, including GW’s); no web-based transcripts please;
4) Proposal (page 5 of the application), a detailed outline of your proposed plan of academic study, public service, or research, or a combination of the areas;
5) Personal statement (page 5 of the application);
6) Two letters of reference;

[Please note – items 7-9 below require advance contact with your cooperating individuals and organizations - please be in touch with these at the earliest possible moment if you plan to apply for a Shapiro Traveling Fellowships]

7) Verification from a faculty member (in the US and/or abroad) that he or she will generally supervise research (not for credit) - (research proposals only);
8) Letter from organization(s) through which public service will be performed stating their willingness to place the Fellow and confirming that the Fellow cannot accept compensation - (public service proposals only);
9) Letter of acceptance from academic institution (academic plans only).

APPLICATIONS: Applications are available at <http://www.gwu.edu/%7Efellcent/Applications/Shapiro%20Traveling%20Application%202012%282%29.pdf>. An interview with the Shapiro Traveling Fellowship Committee may be required for applicants.

DEADLINE: Applications (student application materials, letters of reference, and verification/organization letters) must be returned to the Center for Undergraduate Fellowships and Research at 714 21st Street NW by Monday, March 5, 2012.

REQUIREMENTS: All Shapiro Fellows will at the end of their fellowship period prepare two written reports drawing upon the experience and knowledge acquired during their Fellowship. The first report would describe the Fellow's experiences during the Fellowship period. The second would be on a topic of his or her choice, suitable in style and quality for publication.

McLarty Associates Internship Now Available

MCLARTY ASSOCIATES: OPEN INTERNSHIP POSITION (SOUTH ASIA)

International strategic advisory firm seeks undergraduate senior for paid internship position. The ideal candidate should have extensive research and writing experience; should be exceptionally organized; and should have an understanding of international politics, economics and culture. He or she should have a strong background, demonstrated interest, and experience living or studying in India or South Asia.

The internship includes the following responsibilities: providing administrative support (scheduling and correspondence) to the firm’s Director for South Asia; conducting extensive research of public policy and business issues; and attending and reporting on events of interest to the firm and clients. Interns are expected to commit to working at least 25 hours per week through the end of May, but they can work up to 40 hours per week if their schedules permit. The position may develop into a full-time Executive Assistant position this summer.

In order to apply, all candidates are asked to submit the following materials: a detailed cover letter (must indicate availability and relevant experience); a copy of their resume; and one or two short writing samples (no more than 3 pp.) on international politics or economics that demonstrate strong research skills and a concise writing style. Please send these materials to Caroline Stoga (cstoga@maglobal.com) and copy Aaron Melaas (amelaas@maglobal.com).

Taiwan Scholarship

The TUSA Ambassador Summer Scholarship Program is being offered again this year to U.S. college and university students who are interested in studying the Mandarin Chinese language during the months of July and August. The scholarship covers tuition, dormitory fees, four excursions and incidental insurance. Meals are not included and students must provide their own airfare to and from Taiwan.

It provides a quality Mandarin Chinese immersion program with emphasis on speaking... but also on listening, reading and writing.

In addition to studying at a first-rate university, students learn about Taiwanese culture and will visit several interesting sites to become more familiar with Taiwan and her people. The program has been created with special focus on students without Chinese/Taiwanese heritage, so prior knowledge or experience with the Mandarin language is not needed. Each U.S. student is paired with a Taiwanese study partner to assist in the language and cultural study program.

The application period is 1 January 2012 to 31 March 2012. Completed applications received prior to 15 February 2012 will be reviewed for early acceptance and reported to the applicant within 10 days of that date. All remaining applications, including those not awarded early admission, will be reviewed and reported by 10 April 2012. Please apply online
at:

www.taiwanusalliance.com.

Student Perspectives

New Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on Korea’s Horizons?

During the spring of 2011, I completed research on the agricultural regulations outlined in the then-proposed Korea-United States (KORUS) FTA. Much to my surprise, I was studying abroad in Seoul, South Korea this fall when the FTA finally passed. While researching, I inserted pictures of South Korean FTA protests in my paper, yet last semester, I was stumbling upon such protests in areas like Seoul Station and Gwanghawmun.


The opinions I heard from my Korean friends in Seoul were varied. While most I talked with stated concern for Korean markets, specifically the agricultural market, a few felt that the FTAs would ultimately make Korea more competitive in the global field. One group of friends happily remarked that the FTA would bring the US and Korea closer, although this was not a concern for most. I only wished I could have spoken to older Koreans about their stances, particularly those in the agricultural field.


With the KORUS FTA finally passed, my attention is turning to budding FTA negotiations between Korea and China. These preliminary talks have earned President Lee Myung-Bak the nickname ‘FTA President’ and have created more cause for concern among many Koreans. Korea’s FTAs with the European Union and the United States have already critically impacted Korean agriculture and small businesses.


Could these Korean markets withstand the impact of a Sino-Korean FTA? Can the government afford to keep prolonging the measures they put into place to lessen the blow, such as covering 90% of the loss on farming equipment and offering two million US dollars in loans to manufacturing businesses that report a 5-10% drop in sales? And how will the KORUS relationship fare if such an agreement is made? With Lee’s administration stepping down this year, it will be interesting to see where the next administration takes these talks.


With a return to Korea in mind, perhaps I haven’t seen the last of Korean anti-FTA protests.


-Kayla Howe
BA International Affairs, 2012
George Washington University




Students!

Do you have any more interesting personal stories related to Asian affairs that you want to share on our blog? Then, we would like to hear from you! Please submit your stories to:

asia@gwu.edu

Live Conference Streaming

Don't forget to join us this morning for our conference, "India as a Global Power: Contending Views From India," happening this morning at 9:30.

Please click:


http://elliott.gwu.edu/news/events/2012/india-global-power.cfm

Live Streaming of India As A Global Power Conference

On Monday, January 23, 2012, around 9:30 am EST, there will be a live conference streaming of India As A Global Power: Contending Views From India sponsored by The Sigur Center for Asian Studies' Rising Powers Initiative at the Elliott School and The Center for New American Security.

This session includes prominent speakers:

ManMani Shankar Aiyar, Member of the Indian Parliament in Rajya Sabha (Council of States)

Bharat Karnad, Research Professor and Author of Indian's Nuclear Policy, and Future Imperiled: India's Security in the 1990s and Beyond

Lalit Mansingh, Diplomatic Advisor to the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman for the FICCI India - U.S. Policy Group.

TN Ninan, President of the Editor's Guild of India, and Chairman and Chief Editor of Business Standard.

Join us monday morning for the topic discussion of Indian Views on National Security by clicking the following link:

Live Streaming

Career Development Fellowships

Career Development Fellowships

Deadline: April 2, 2012

Purpose:

Career Development Fellowships are intended to assist students who are working/interning either full- or part-time and are pursuing or wish to pursue graduate (Master's level) study at GW to enhance their knowledge and skills. Assumed is that these students will add the dimension of real world experience to the classroom and that they will, in turn, employ the new knowledge and skills from their courses at GW in the workplace.

Eligibility:

Employed full- or part-time in a position (job or internship, paid or unpaid) directly related to the student's degree program. (GW employees are not eligible) In accordance with University policy, full-time students may not have full-time jobs. Current or incoming GW graduate students with a minimum 3.4 GPA who have been accepted to one of the Master's degree programs listed below and who will be enrolled for the 2012-2013 academic year (Fall 2012 & Spring 2013). (Students enrolled in off-campus locations are not eligible)

Note: These are not simply areas of study, but are specific Master's degree programs. Students who are not in one of these specific programs on the Foggy Bottom campus are not eligible to apply and will not be considered, regardless of whether their area of study is related.

Click here for the complete list of accepted Master's programs

Registration Requirements:

Priority will be given to students who are studying full-time, but a limited number of awards will be given to students who are studying part-time (and may be employed full-time). Full-time students must be registered for at least three courses (9 credit hours) per semester. Part-time students must be registered for two courses (6 credit hours) per semester. These requirements do not apply to students in their last semester who need only one or two courses to complete their programs.

Award:

Awards will cover 50% of tuition (excluding fees) (does not count towards Spring 2012).

Required Documents:

Application Form

Essay

The essay will be the most heavily weighted factor in your application package. Therefore, it should be thoughtfully written with concrete, detailed examples of the impact your studies have on your work and VICE VERSA. (Essays which cover only one aspect will severely hamper the applicant's chances of being awarded a Career Development Fellowship, regardless of other qualifications.)

This essay should not be more than two pages, double-spaced, and should include your academic and professional interests. The essay should explain, in detail:

-how your current professional position will enable you to make a positive contribution to your academic program

-how your academic program enhances your skills and knowledge for your current placement (job or internship) and is relevant to your future career goals.

Transcripts

Current full-time students with at least 9 GW credit hours completed and part-time students with at least 6 GW credit hours complete are only required to submit GW transcripts. If you do not meet this requirement, you must submit undergraduate transcripts. Incoming students must submit undergraduate transcripts.

Resume

Your resume should include relevant work and internship experiences, degrees earned, honors and/or awards, and community service activities.

Recommendations

Two recommendations are required. One must come from the employer or internship supervisor and one from a professor. If you have not yet begun your internship or job, you may submit a recommendation from a current or previous employer.

Please submit completed applications and all supporting materials to:

The Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships

2121 Eye Street, NW, Rice Hall 302

The George Washington University

Washington, DC 20052

For more information, please contact:

Eileen Lavelle

Fellowship CoordinatorGraduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships

The George Washington University

2121 Eye Street, NW, Suite 302

Washington, DC 20052

Phone: 202-994-6828

Fax: 202-994-8845

Web: www.gwu.edu/~fellows

Taking Advantage of Short Term International Opportunities

Theodore Ho, '12 | MA International Affairs, Asian Studies and US Foreign Policy

One of the things that I regret not doing often enough as a first year student at GW was not taking full advantage of all of the numerous resources offered by the GSCD office and the Elliott School Career Connection (ESCC) website. GSCD sends informative emails directly to students about jobs, internships, and opportunities, and they always contain hidden gems like the program that I attended during the Summer of 2011. Many might know about Short Term International offerings that GW hosts, such as Econ 280 with Professor Suranovic in Shanghai, but there are also a number of non-GW led short term opportunities that Elliott School graduate students can take advantage of. In my case, it was through these emails that l found out about the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership's US Future Leaders Program, which turned out to be a life-changing experience.

According to GSCD, I was the first GW student to apply for this even though it was the third year the program was offered. Therefore, I would like to share as much as I can with you about this particular experience so that I won't be the last! I found out about the opportunity through an email sent by GSCD Director Angela Griffin informing us of this opportunity (which was also posted online on the ESCC website). The application was straightforward and required a cover letter, resume and letter of recommendation, and GSCD was available to help me with these materials.

Now completed, this short-length program was one of the most valuable experiences that I have had. I spent ten days traveling around Japan talking to experts in a variety of international relations-related fields ranging from international development to Japanese finance. I also conducted research for an extended group paper on International Security. The individuals that I met while on this exchange were all high level Japanese government officials, and academics that I would otherwise never had had access to as a graduate student, or as a foreigner. Being able to interview them and network with them was thus incredibly valuable as it gave me insights into Japanese career opportunities as well.

While, these experiences are competitive, I believe that they are by no means out of reach to GW graduate students. I think a critical aspect to securing internships like this is being able to relate your own experiences with what the program was offering. When I applied to the program, I was afraid that I was not a competitive candidate because I did not speak any Japanese and had little experience with Japan, despite a strong interest in it given my academic focus on US-China relations. It turned out it wasn't a problem. As my genuine interest for understanding Japan showed through in my cover letter, I believed it played a big part in their decision to admit me to the program!

As the saying goes, "opportunities are like sunsets, if you wait too long you miss them." Don't miss the opportunity to join a short term international opportunity!

More on Ted. . .

Ted is a second year student pursuing a Master's degree in International Affairs with a concentration on Asian Studies and US Foreign Policy. in addition to traveling to Japan for the US Future Leaders Fellowship, Ted recently expanded his studies by spending a semester in China, and worked for the Foreign Commercial Service at the US Embassy in Beijing. "The time I spent growing up in Honolulu and Singapore, [and] studying in Beijing and the United Kingdom has contributed to my desire to study US Foreign Policy and Asian Studies..." he says. He seeks to pursue a career as a US Foreign Service Officer or as a consultant in the US or Asia.

For more information about The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership's US Future Leaders Fellowship Application, or interested in having a conversation with Ted on February 3rd at the Elliott School, please visit the ESCC website or contact GSCD to find out more information.

From: THE GSCD INSIDER, January 2012 Issue

Announcing Summer 2012 Sigur Center Grants for Field Research and Language Study in Asia!

Applications and recommendations for the Sigur Center's Summer 2012 Grants are now available on our website. This summer's grants include the following selections:

Sigur Center Grant for Chinese Language Study in Taiwan

Sigur Center Grant for Korean Language Study in Korea

Sigur Center Grant for Asian Language Study in Asia

Sigur Center Summer Grant for Asian Field Research

To see what last year's summer fellows did while they were abroad, check out some of their blog posts.

Applications are due on Friday, February 17 at 5:00PM. Please be sure to submit your application and ALL supporting documents by that time. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Josie Keller at jhkeller@gwu.edu or 202-994-5874.

Chinese Language Opportunity

GWU is in the process of applying for the establishment of a "Confucius Institute" to increase opportunities for Chinese language learning in the DC area. While most of the 60 Confucius Institutes established in the U.S. partner with elementary or secondary schools to achieve this purpose, the GWU Confucius Institute proposes to focus on providing inexpensive Chinese language instruction that would be particularly targeted at graduate students and area professionals (in government, business, the policy community, etc.). These language courses would be non-credit courses with a nominal fee, and would be offered in the evenings or on weekends.

If you might be interested in taking Chinese language classes under this program, we would appreciate it if you would fill out this survey, which attempts to gauge the level of interest in this initiative. Please pass this survey along to anyone else you know who might be interested.