We would like to invite you to apply for the Spark Program, offered by the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships. This virtual eight-week program will help to foster your spark of potential and engage with you on a number of topics, including: Learning about fully-funded graduate and gap year programs. Becoming involved in on-campus research projects and off-campus service projects. Identifying your strengths and how to use them in academic and professional settings. Networking with your peers, as well as faculty and staff. Most of all, you will learn how to apply for competitive fellowships and scholarships, and the resources available at UB that will help you do it!
Program Dates: Mondays, 5-6:30 p.m., beginning Feb. 14. Deadline to apply is Feb. 6.
A leadership development program that provides selected Fellows professional development opportunities, as well as resources and access to WNY business leaders. WNY Prosperity Fellows are awarded a paid summer internship; scholarship support awarded during the academic year up to $25,000 based on a student’s unmet financial need, and an enrichment fund of $1,000.
This fellowship program will assist undergraduate and graduate students who are actively preparing for careers that further economic development and growth, especially in the WNY region. Open to all undergraduate majors and graduate programs. Fellows do not need to be from WNY, however the Fellowship supports students committed to the WNY region.
Fellowship eligibility:
§ current sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students are eligible to apply;
§ should have minimum 3.0 cumulative UG GPA / 3.5 cumulative GRAD GPA;
§ have an interest in bolstering the WNY economy through job creation;
§ complete the 2022-2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the advised deadline. Please note that you may file a FAFSA using estimated income information and update your FAFSA once you complete your current tax return.
§ Fellowship Requirement: Only open to US Citizens or students holding permanent residency. Not intended for international students.
Undergraduate Students Paid Summer Research Programs — deadlines are fast approaching!
PathwaysToScience.org has a searchable database of 600+ summer research programs in all STEM disciplines. These are all FULLY FUNDED opportunities including programs sponsored by NSF, NASA, NIH, etc. We also have a selection of resources to help you strengthen your applications:
If you need help finding a program that’s a good fit, please feel free to email me at ldetrick@ibparticipation.org for assistance. You can also follow us on Facebook for program deadlines and updates.
Graduate Students
Search paid summer research programs for graduate students, travel grants, and fellowships – many deadlines fast approaching!
Fellowships and Scholarships Roundup: STEM Edition
Undergraduate Opportunities Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship What: Students who have outstanding potential and intend to pursue advanced degrees in mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering. Who: Sophomores and juniors planning to pursue a PhD in STEM, have research experience, and a 3.8 or higher GPA. Students must be a U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident. Deadline: November Learn more about the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship.
Morris K. Udall Scholarship What: This scholarship is for students who intend to become leaders in any field related to the environment, including policy, engineering, science, education, urban planning and renewal, business, health, justice and economics. The foundation particularly seeks to support future Native American and Alaskan Native leaders. Who: Full-time sophomore or junior with at least a 3.0 GPA and is involved in an area of study related to the Udall Scholarship. Deadline: December Learn more about the Morris K. Udall Scholarship.
Open to Undergraduates and Graduates National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships Program (NSF GRFP) What: Funding for students pursuing graduate degrees in mathematical, physical, biological, engineering, behavioral and social sciences. There are various award types available, see program website for all availabilities. Who: Graduating seniors or students in their first or second year of graduate school. Applicants must also have a high GPA and past research experience. Deadline: October Learn more about NSF GRFP.
Graduate Opportunities National Institutes of Health (NIH) F31—Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Fellowships What: Provides predoctoral individuals with supervised research training in specified health and health-related areas, with the intent of leading to a research doctoral degree (PhD). This award is also intended to promote diversity in the health-related research workforce. Who: Students must be enrolled in a research doctoral degree program and be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Deadline: Various Learn more about the National Institutes of Health (NIH) F31—Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Fellowships
Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program Tip of the Day The editing process is crucial. First drafts usually aren’t perfect, give yourself the time and utilize available resources to polish your application. The Office of Fellowships and Scholarships is always willing to review applications with students, and the Center for Excellence in Writing has an amazing staff that can help as well.
Are you applying for an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in this year’s competition? This will be a particularly good year to apply, as NSF has announced plans to increase the number of GRFP awards!
Sponsored by SUNY’s Office of Research and Economic Development and hosted by Professor Susan Brennan of Stony Brook University, SUNY Research Fellow for Innovation in Graduate Education (and former Program Director of NSF GRFP), this webinar series is designed to prepare rising junior and senior undergraduates as well as first-and second-year graduate students in STEM fields to apply to NSF’s prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP).
Except for Webinar #1, which was conducted earlier this year, each webinar will begin with a presentation (recorded over Zoom in summer of 2020), followed by live Q&A and discussion.
Don’t worry if you cannot make the scheduled time for a particular webinar; you can view the pre-recorded presentation (about 1.5 hour) at any time and then join the scheduled webinar later, for live Q&A, or come to the scheduled office hours with your questions, strategic issues, or statement drafts.
Below are the links and passwords to access the webinar recordings and to register. Please email jacquie.spano@rfsuny.org with any questions.
WEBINAR #1 (For undergraduates only) Are You Ready For Graduate School? Finding Fellowship Funding
This recorded webinar was conducted live on April 28, 2021. Are you curious about or excited by the prospect of a career in research? Are you thinking about a career in a leadership role that involves science, technology, engineering, or mathematics? Are you wondering about the best time to apply to graduate school, and how to get someone else to pay for it? This webinar may help you decide.
WEBINAR #2 Applying to NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program Monday, August 2 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
This webinar will include all the basics about GRFP, such as the benefits, eligibility, parts of the application, the review process, and basic tips and strategies. Please bring your questions!
Webinar #3 Winning Strategies for GRFP (and How to Get Started) Wednesday, August 4 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
This webinar will include discussion of NSF’s review criteria (Intellectual Merit and Broader Impacts), how to maximize the impact of your planned research, and other winning strategies. Bring your questions and draft statements for comments!
Webinar #4 Write! (As if Your Career Depends on it) Thursday, August 5 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
This webinar will cover how to write about your research in an interesting and lively way, tailored to your audience (recommended for all fellowship and grant writers). Bring your questions and draft statements for comments!
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) Workshop Series This four-part workshop series is designed for first-year PhD students and rising seniors in STEM to learn about criteria for the NSF GRFP, what the review panels are looking for and how to write a strong research proposal.
Fulbright Application Development Workshops This three-part workshop for rising seniors and graduate students provides information about the Fulbright student grant, including country selection, affiliates and how to develop a strong proposal.
Fellowships and Scholarships 101 Summer 2021 Workshops
Weekly Sessions
Tuesdays at 2 p.m.
Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Join the UB Office of Fellowships and Scholarships for a 30-minute introductory workshop covering how to search for awards, apply for major external fellowships, find funding for graduate school, and become a more competitive applicant.
All workshops will take place via Zoom. Once you RSVP for Fellowships and Scholarships 101 using the form below, you will receive an email with the Zoom meeting information. Note: The last day of summer workshops will be Wednesday, August 25. If you cannot attend the sessions, check out our Fellowships and Scholarships 101 series on our YouTube channel and make an appointment with an advisor online to address any unanswered questions or concerns.
Each year, UB nominates one sophomore or junior to become a Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress (CSPC) Fellow. These fellows are fully funded to participate in three-day leadership conferences in Washington, D.C. during the fall and spring semesters, in addition to completing a research paper that is eligible for publication and awards.
Since 1970, CSPC fellows have traveled to Washington, D.C. to learn about leadership and governance, to share their outstanding research, and to explore careers in public service. While attending the conferences, the fellows participate in workshops where they present and receive constructive criticism on their research papers. The fellows also have the opportunity to engage with policy experts, government officials and leaders in the legislative process. In the past, fellows have had the opportunity to meet with speakers such as Federal Reserve Board Chairman Ben Bernanke; Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta; Deputy Secretary of Labor Christopher Lu; journalists James Kitfield, Ron Fournier, and Clive Crook; and defense experts Michele Flournoy, Frank Cilluffo and Capt. Eric Jones.
Criteria for students applying to become UB’s CSPC fellow:
GPA of 3.5 or higher.
Demonstrated interest in the American government.
Comfort with speaking, presenting and writing about the American presidency or Congress.
All academic majors are eligible although typically fellows are from political science, history, international studies, business, philosophy, economics, public health or journalism.
Requirements:
Attend two conferences in Washington, D.C. (one in the fall semester and one in the spring semester).
Undertake an original research project on a subject with direct relevance to the U.S. presidency and/or Congress. Write a 10-15 page paper based on this topic
Fellowships and Scholarships Roundup: STEM Edition 
