The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Global Fellowship 2016


 

For the summer of 2016, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Foundation at Adams House plans to offer grants to support summer undergraduate field-research, experience or study in the areas of international relations, international trade, economic affairs and development, global governance and affairs, international languages, humanities, sciences or global medicine, to be guided by the spirit of FDR’s Fourth Inaugural Address: 

“Today, in this year of war, 1945, we have learned lessons—at a fearful cost—and we shall profit by them. We have learned that we cannot live alone, at peace; that our own well-being is dependent on the well-being of other nations, far away… We have learned to be citizens of the world, members of the human community. We have learned the simple truth, as Emerson said, that, ‘The only way to have a friend is to be one.’”

Participants will be known as Franklin Delano Roosevelt Fellows. The Foundation will award 1-2 grants this year of up to $7,000. The size of the grant will vary depending on the country of destination, length of stay, and type of program in which the recipient will be participating, as well as on the applicant’s individual budget and financial need. Current Harvard College freshmen, sophomores & juniors are eligible to apply from across the College; some special consideration will be given to Adams House residents when judging equal proposals of similar substance.

Program Award Criteria
The Foundation prefers candidates who:

1) Take an active role in a program that leads to some tangible, quantifiable result. This result can be either intellectual (such as a research paper clarifying chemical reactions in lithium batteries; or teaching nutrition to underprivileged children) or physical (helping to produce a working prototype of a $10 tablet computer) but the result of the grant time should measurable in some finite way, and must be directed towards improving the human condition.

2) Come from a household whose household income is below 50K.*

3) Would otherwise have had to work during the summer to provide needed term-time income.

4) Participate in a single program of at least 8 weeks duration.

5) Have demonstrated communication abilities to help promote the FDR Global Fellowship at Harvard to both students and alumni, as well as to help raise awareness of the program domestically and abroad.

6) Apply to multiple sources of funding. Though the Foundation pledges to provide award candidates up to $7000 for program costs/work stipend, the Foundation encourages applicants to apply to multiple funding sources. In the event of an outside award, the Foundation will step back to provide the balance of funds required. Part of the Foundation's award may be predicated on the candidate working dorm crew and commencement after term ends, which typically can yield 1500K or more and largely make up for the candidates required term-time finanical contribution.

7) Are NOT applying to fund general thesis work, unless the thesis work relates to some practical result as specified in 1. above.

8) Begining in 2016, preference will be given to proposals that expose the applicants to experiences that are not necessarily within their chosen academic/career track, but rather allow the applicant to experience new environments and new ways of thinking. Put another way, we are interested in expanding the creative thinking abilities of our fellows, not in providing out-of-the box professional school application experiences. Note: students chosen as FDR Global Fellows may NOT engage in ANY commercial activity during the period covered by their award without the express prior written permission of the Foundation. This means any sort of internship, paid or unpaid, or any commercial relationship of any kind which results in benefit or remuneration to the awardee. Exceptions to this rule will only be granted should an awardee require additional funds to support their proposal. Students found violating this agreement will be required to return their reward with a 10% penalty with 30 days of notice.

• Note: Maximum family income levels are approximate; students whose family income moderately exceeds the limit are still encouraged to apply. Applications are available here and are Due March 5, 2016