With support from NCES, AIR offers a fellowship program for graduate study leading to a career in institutional research. Current IR professionals are encouraged to apply. Proposal deadline is March 14, 2008.
View the list of the 2008 Fellowship recipients.
The Association for Institutional Research (AIR), as part of its contract to improve the quality of institutional research in U.S. postsecondary education systems and hence, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), offers a graduate fellowship program funded by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The fellowships are for graduate study advancing or leading to careers in institutional research, thereby increasing the national level of expertise of institutional research officers and the data that they produce.
Fellowship Overview
- The program awards individual fellowships for full- and part-time study for up to $10,000 annually for full-time study, $3,000 annually for part-time study.
- Award funds may be used for tuition, fees and other educational expenses while enrolled in a graduate program.
- There is a three year maximum for the fellowship.
- Support is contingent on satisfactory academic progress reports at the end of each academic term and suitable enrollment for the following term. Reports are made to the AIR office.
- Fellowships may be used at any regionally accredited U.S. institution. The applicant's proposal must make the case that the course of study is appropriate for preparing for a career in institutional research, by showing that the program addresses the core competencies of institutional research. See the list of core competencies below.
- Awards will be based on the judgment of a selection committee on the merits of a proposal including the demonstration of the capacity to engage in graduate-level study and institutional research work.
- Three levels of credit-bearing graduate work will be considered eligible for the awards: certificate, masters and doctorate.
- Currently employed IR professionals are urged to apply.
- Candidates must demonstrate knowledge and commitment to IR through work experience (current or prior) or previous coursework.
- The Fellowship Program will encourage recipients' integration into the IR community by encouraging and supporting participation in AIR Forum and Institutes.
- The Fellowship Program encourages recipients to learn the NCES datasets and analysis tools and to network with NCES data providers and analysts by requiring participation in the AIR/NCES/NSF National Summer Data Policy Institute before the beginning of the proposed final year of the fellowship.
- Part-time students must take at least one class each semester to ensure progress toward their goal.
- Proposals must state the applicant's goals, current core competencies, and demonstrate, beyond personal growth, the value added to the IR profession by receiving this award.
- Current graduate students must be taking IR-related courses or be able to demonstrate in the proposal that this will happen. The importance of IR core competencies should be stressed in the proposal.
- As well as describing a plan and the goals for the applicant's professional growth, it is extremely important for proposals to address how this particular course of study will result in achieving core competencies, and discuss how the applicant's professional growth will increase the applicant's contributions to the IR field.
Proposal Requirements and Core Competencies
Proposals will include:
- Most importantly, a narrative statement addressing in detail the applicant's IR core competencies and how those were attained or how they will be acquired.
Core competencies include:
- Analytical expertise and statistics
- Assessing and measuring student learning and development
- Institutional management (finance, budgeting, etc.)
- Technology skills and software expertise
- Decision support at the operational level and database management
- Effective communications and demonstrated writing skills
- Knowledge of state and federal higher education data, policies and issues
- Knowledge of research ethics
- An agreement that the final year of the fellowship is contingent upon participation in the AIR/NCES/NSF National Summer Data Policy Institute at some point before the final year begins. This requirement is to insure a thorough grounding in the federal higher education data sets. The Institute is offered anually. See http://www.airweb.org for details.
- A personal statement describing the student's future professional contributions to and participation in IR if the degree is completed, including a description of how this will affect current job and career aspirations and of the demonstrated value added to the IR profession.
- A statement of existing and pending support sources and amounts, including employment, and other grants and fellowships.
- A letter from the teaching institution verifying admittance to the program or conditional acceptance to the program, and including the name of the person who will verify enrollment, when enrolled.
- A transcript from most recent institution.
- GRE scores are mandatory for beginning graduate students only.
- A resume or vita. Previous or current IR experience, if any, should be documented in detail.
Fellow Selection Criteria
Biographic
Preference will be given to those:
- Who currently work in IR or who demonstrate their interest in pursuing a career in IR;
- Who commit to an internship and/or who have equivalent work experience; and
- Who have some postgraduate academic work.
Other Selection Criteria Information
- Prior academic record should be documented in transcripts
(most recent only).
- Prior achievements should be documented in a resume or vita and by references and letters of recommendation.
- Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
Proposal Quality
A quality proposal will be well-written and include:
- A sound plan of study that will allow the review committee to form a positive judgment of the probability of completing degree;
- An outstanding description of the ways in which the plan of study will address the required core competencies; and
- A sound plan and goals for the applicant's personal professional growth, that also addresses how the applicant's growth will add value to the IR profession.
Financial Information
Fellowships will be awarded for credit-bearing graduate study at various degree levels, with different levels of funding. The annual mix of proposals will determine how many of each will be awarded.
Full time doctoral students: maximum $30,000 over a three-year period ($10,000 per year). Full-time study is defined as enrollment for nine or more credit-bearing hours per semester funded. No full-time awards will be made to first-time graduate students with no IR work experience.
Part-time graduate students: maximum $9,000 over a three-year period ($3,000 per year). Part-time students could move to full-time and apply for an increased award. Part-time awardees may re-compete at the end of the three-year period.
Accountability
- Continuing support is contingent on documenting satisfactory academic progress at the end of each academic term and suitable enrollment for the following term. In addition, a narrative evaluative report will be made annually.
- Evaluative reports will address competencies achieved and courses completed and should be accompanied with a letter from the student's graduate advisor as well as a brief summary of the next year's plan. A report of any changes in status should be made at this time.
- Extensions will be granted in specific cases only.
- Progress reports will be reviewed administratively and a summarized report will be submitted to the review committee.
- Documents and reports are sent to the AIR Executive office.
How to Submit a Proposal
All proposals must be submitted using the online submission tool. All other questions regarding the submission process or the application deadline
must be directed to Bethany Sumrow, Project Manager,
at 850-385-4155 x105.
Transcripts or other materials sent from a third party may be submitted via fax or mail to:
AIR Executive Office
Attn: Bethany Sumrow
1435 E. Piedmont Drive, Suite 211
Tallahassee, Florida 32308
Tele: 850-385-4155 / Fax: 850-385-5180
The deadline for proposal submissions is 11:59 p.m. EDT, March 14, 2008.
|
