Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a FSFP award, students must be enrolled in a degree program in the W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, and of sophomore standing at minimum.  Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA.  The proposed sustainability program or field study project must be credit-bearing.  Students that receive a scholarship through the Franke Sustainability Fellows Program may not receive a scholarship through Franke GLI program for the same experience.

Application Procedures

There are two application deadlines per year:  April 6 and November 6.  Students need to have all materials, including the letter of support from their faculty mentor turned in by these deadlines in order to be considered for a fellowship.  

Students should submit the following items via the UMBox link below:

A.  Personal statement (not to exceed one single-spaced page)

All applicants must submit a personal statement.  It should describe the applicant’s motivation and readiness to complete the proposed experience, including the steps taken to gain knowledge and skills needed to successfully complete the experience.  The applicant should also explain how the particular experience will help achieve career goals.  The personal statement should be submitted as a single MS Word file with a file name of ‘studentlastname FSFP personal statement.docx’.

B.  Study/research proposal

For both types of learning experiences (study abroad or field study/research), applicants should prepare a proposal (not to exceed three pages excluding budget) that includes each of the following components:

• Description of either the education program or field study with sufficient details about the program or project, its objectives, activities, syllabus if available, outcomes, and evaluative criteria and procedures for receiving a grade.
• Concise but comprehensive explanation of how this program or field study conceptualizes sustainability and purports to contribute to both students’ learning and the subject of sustainability itself.

Please combine items 1 and 2 of the proposal into a single MS Word file with a file name of ‘studentlastname FSFP proposal.docx’.

Successful proposals will demonstrate:

• a rigorous understanding of the concept of sustainability.
• understanding of the causes and possible solutions to fostering sustainability in specific places around the world.
• awareness of overarching forces influencing global environmental problems and sustainable solutions.
• Strong written communication skills.

C.  Budget

Applicants must provide a detailed budget and budget justification.  Allowable expenses include tuition, program fees, travel, supplies, and field study stipend.  Requests for family support while the applicant is away will be considered on a case by case basis.  The budget must be submitted as an Excel Spreadsheet with a file name of ‘studentlastname FSFP budget.xlsx’).

D. Faculty Adviser or Mentor Letter of Support

Applicants must arrange for a Letter of Support that addresses the applicant’s ability and commitment to complete the program or project. For field study/research experiences letters should also include a detailed letter of support from the student’s project advisor that states their willingness to serve as a mentor through the completion of the project, how the faculty advisor anticipates interacting with the student during the course of the activity, and also ensuring the student understands and receives training needed to live and work around the world with cross-cultural sensitivity, and to meet UM’s requirements for the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research.  Advisors should submit the letter via email to Keith Bosak (keith.bosak@umontana.edu) in a single MS Word file with a file name of ‘studentlastname FSFP facultylastname.docx.

Deadlines and Decision Dates

There are two application deadlines per year:  April 6 and November 6.  Students need to have all materials, including the letter of support from their faculty mentor turned in by these deadlines in order to be considered for a fellowship. 

The FSFP Committee will review all application packets, and students will receive notification no more than 30 days after submitting their application.  Be aware that the University of Montana Global Engagement Office has specific deadlines for study abroad programs occurring the following semester.  The committee will work closely with the Financial Aid office and applicants to ensure that awards are released at a time when they are compatible with students’ financial aid package.

Project Reporting

Within one year of the award, awardees must submit a final report to their faculty advisor/mentor and after it is approved, to the associate dean.  Students will also be expected to participate in an annual workshop that brings together all of our current fellows to share experiences and present results.