Williams in Africa/EPRI Post-Graduate Research Fellowship

Terms

The award provides a 14-15 month paid fellowship at the Economic Policy Research Institute (EPRI) in Cape Town, South Africa. The Fellow will work as a researcher with senior researchers at the Institute as well as with Williams students employed as summer interns or participating in the Williams in Africa program. The Fellow will work on quantitative or qualitative research projects focused on tackling poverty and promoting socio-economic progress in developing countries. This past year, Williams students have worked on projects including an impact assessment of South Africa’s child support grant, a quantitative evaluation of Mozambique’s food subsidy program, a review of social assistance programs in Africa, a micro-simulation model for socio-economic policies in Nepal and a policy brief for developing countries coping with the global economic downturn. The fellowship may include other international assignments, as EPRI currently has projects in eleven other countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. For more information on EPRI go to: www.epri.org.za.

The fellowship will run from mid-June 2012 to mid- August 2013. The fellow will receive $28,000-$30,000 plus the cost of travel to and from Cape Town. The cost of a travel health insurance plan will also be covered by the program.

Eligibility

Applicants must be graduating seniors or Williams alumni who have graduated in June 2008 or later.

Selection Criteria

Applicants must submit their materials to the Williams in Africa Committee via the Office of Fellowships.

Selection decisions are based on the following criteria:

• Academic record: a minimum GPA of 3.5 with coursework in government, history, economics, sociology or anthropology.
• Research experience, with quantitative skills and excellent writing ability providing strong advantages
• Two letters of recommendation: at least one should be from a professor in the student’s major.

Application Materials

Submit electronically, preferably in a single document, to the Fellowship Coordinator, Lynn Chick (mary.lynn.chick@williams.edu):

• A one- or two-page resume that includes extracurricular activities, work experience, specific quantitative, computer and other research skills, languages, and contact information.
• A submission of no more than five, double-spaced pages addressing the following topics:
  1. Why are you interested in the Williams in Africa/EPRI Fellowship Program? (Please limit the length to no more than one and a half pages.)
  2. Please describe the greatest intellectual challenge you faced and how you tackled it. (Please limit the length to no more than one and a half pages).
  3. For any developing country you choose, please write an essay supporting a specific policy reform for reducing poverty in the selected country. Draw on evidence to support your arguments. (Please limit the length to no more than two pages.)
• Two recommendations, at least one of which is from a professor in your major (may be submitted to the Office of Fellowships in hard copy or electronically to: mary.lynn.chick@williams.edu).
• College transcript(s), including study away programs, if relevant (may be sent electronically or submitted in hard copy, as above).

Resources

For more information, contact Committee Chair Paula Consolini or Professor/EPRI Director Michael Samson.

Important Dates

February 25: Application due to the Fellowship Coordinator. See below for details.
February/March: The Selection Committee reviews applications and chooses finalists for interviews by phone, skype or in-person.
March 16: Fellowship award is announced.
Mid-June 2012: Fellowship begins.
Mid-August 2013: Fellowship ends.