Support for Experiential Learning

This year, several offices at Fletcher worked together to create a single resource for “Support for Experiential Learning.”  The resulting webpage serves as a clearinghouse of grant and fellowship opportunities offered to current Fletcher students by research centers and administrative offices to support independent research, conference participation and attendance, and other professional development opportunities.  These grant funds are separate from summer internship funds that are offered by the Office of Career Services (and generally won’t be used to support summer internships).

Along with the information resource came a new financial resource: The Fletcher Educational Enrichment Fund, administered by the Admissions Office, which provides grants of up to $3,000 to pursue research, scholarly or professional events, and other similar activities throughout the academic year.  Other experiential learning resources currently offered are:

• The IBGC Student Research Fund, which provides up to $2,000 to support travel and research directly relevant to international business, inclusive growth, and emerging market enterprises.
• CIERP Travel Grants, which award travel fellowships (maximum $1,000 in an academic year) for students working with the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy to conduct research, travel, or attend relevant conferences.
• The Feinstein International Center awards summer research grants of up to $3,000 for overseas positions and up to $2,000 for U.S.-based positions related to complex emergencies, humanitarian assistance, refugees and migrants, natural disasters, and food security issues.
• The Hitachi Center for Technology and International Affairs provides summer research grant funding.  Projects must have some technology component and be for a capstone or dissertation.
• The IHS Fellowship supports Institute for Human Security doctoral students with grants and fellowships up to $15,000.
• The ISSP Sarah Scaife Foundation, administered by the International Security Studies Program, provides tuition assistance and research support to MALD and PhD students.

Together, these funding sources make it realistic for students to pursue learning opportunities they might otherwise need to forego and further expand the definition of a Fletcher education.