Scott Kloeck-Jenson Fellowship

In memory of Scott Kloeck-Jenson, a scholar dedicated to global peace and justice, the Institute for Regional and International Studies annually offers two awards: the SKJ Pre-Dissertation Travel Fellowships to support overseas travel to potential field research sites for doctoral students and the SKJ International Internship Fellowships to support graduate students (working towards a doctorate) interested in undertaking practitioner internships.

Eligibility:

SKJ Pre-Dissertation Travel Fellowships are available to students of any nationality who are enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and are planning to conduct preliminary dissertation field research abroad.

SKJ International Internship Fellowships are available to students of any nationality who are enrolled in any graduate program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (working towards a doctorate) and are planning to spend a summer working as an intern with an organization abroad.

Those enrolled in terminal master’s degree programs are not eligible for either award.

Award Details:

Amount awarded will depend on the proposed destination and time spent abroad. Awardees are encouraged to spend approximately 10 weeks in the field (outside the United States) but are required to spend a minimum of 8 weeks in the field. Time abroad outside the summer months will be considered though applicants should address these circumstances in their statement and should have his/her advisor address them in their letter of recommendation as well. Projects should include a social justice component (see below).

Award amounts vary year-to-year, based on time spent in the field, and depending on destination but have averaged $4,500 over the past few years.

Due to a change in UW-Madison policy, awardees who have non-resident alien status will have taxes deducted from their award amount prior to payout. All other recipients will receive their awards through the Bursar’s scholarship system: if you have an outstanding balance on your student account all or part of your award may be used to pay that balance before being disbursed to you.

Also, please keep in mind that though changing proposed travel dates after receiving an offer is allowable; if that change results in a reduction in your time spent abroad, the award amount will be reduced proportionally.

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Applications for the 2023 awards are due Monday, February 20, 2022 by 10am. Letters of reference are due by the deadline as well.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

• Submit an application packet as a single pdf to skj@iris.wisc.edu. Your application packet should include the following:

1. cover sheet clearly listing the following: your name; campus ID; email address; department of study & current degree program; which award you are applying for (travel or internship); proposed destination; proposed departure and return dates (be specific); other sources of support received or applied for (for the proposed work); a brief statement of language competency (as appropriate); and the names, departmental affiliation, and email addresses of your two recommenders (see below), indicating which is your advisor;
2. a project statement (750-word maximum) – statements should clearly address the specific work applicants intend to undertake during their time abroad – pre-dissertation travel proposals should include how the proposed fieldwork fits your overall research plan, prior experience in the country/region, and itinerary (as appropriate); international internship proposals should include details of how an internship experience would fit applicant’s research agenda, future plans, the type of internship the applicant is pursuing (including an initial list of institutions or organizations that may serve as host, you do not need to have secured the internship at the time of application), and contributions the applicant plans to make to the organization/s;
3. a rough, proposed budget for the time abroad (including airfare, in-country living & travel expenses, research expenses, etc);
4. a brief (approximately 250 words) summary statement of how your proposed work will address and engage issues of social justice (guidance on what is meant by social justice can be found below);
5. a copy of your UW-Madison student record or transcript and, if appropriate, graduate transcript/s for courses taken at other institutions. Unofficial transcripts are fine.

• Arrange for two (2) letters of recommendation, one of which must come from the applicant’s advisor. We recommend applicants contact their references before listing them in their applications. Letters of recommendation should arrive as pdfs, on letterhead and signed, and be sent directly to skj@iris.wisc.edu.

Note on COVID-19:

Applications should be submitted under the assumption that travel will be permitted (though also cognizant of impacts the pandemic has had at the research/field site). Should circumstances dictate that awardees cannot travel we will work with them to find alternatives and/or carryover awards until travel is possible.

Social Justice:

Scott Kloeck-Jenson’s commitment to social justice in the broadest sense inspired the creators of this fellowship program to seek to support UW-Madison graduate students who share Scott’s belief that all research into the lives of disadvantaged persons or into the conditions that cause inequality and suffering around the world will form a part – large or small – of a cumulative process by which the world will become fairer and lives better. As such, many kinds of international research are about social justice by Scott’s own definition. We urge potential applicants to take Scott’s inspiration and this call for applications as an invitation to think through the social justice implications of their anticipated project and to apply for support whether their work is action-oriented and reformist (i.e., in the classic social justice tradition) or addresses in any fashion at all and in any discipline important problems faced by disadvantaged persons and communities outside the United States.

Important travel guidance:

UW-Madison Travel Policy precludes university-affiliated student travel to locations that are under a current U.S. Department of State (DoS) Level 3 or Level 4 advisory designation, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Warning Level 3 notice, and locations specifically designated as a “Travel Warning” location by the Provost. To read this policy and potentially request a waiver, see information on UW-Madison International Safety and Security website. Students hoping to travel to a location currently under a travel advisory are allowed to apply for a Scott Kloeck-Jenson Fellowship but it is the responsibility of awardees to secure any necessary waivers via the UW-Madison’s international travel policy. Notice that the above information applies to your planned travel if any part of your itinerary takes you through an area that is under a travel advisory. Also, please note that health insurance is required per UW policy and proof of coverage will be required of awardees. Questions regarding the UW-Madison travel policy should be directed to Ron Machoian, the UW-Madison ISSD, who can be contacted at ronald.machoian@wisc.edu, or at 608.890.2446.