Expectations

Fellows are required to participate in all MMUF programs and events, including:

• Regular meetings with their mentor
• Weekly meetings with the other fellows and coordinators during the academic year
• Periodic one-on-one meetings with coordinators
• Regional/national gatherings of MMUF Fellows
• Workshops (topics have included the graduate school application process, writing and research skills, presentations, the structure of academia, etc.), assignments (e.g., reading articles or writing brief progress reports), and special programs and events (e.g., lectures, cultural events, dinners, etc.)

Fellows are also expected to participate in and be open to feedback and evaluation regarding overall performance.

If fellows miss more than one activity per semester, their stipend may be withheld.  Repeated absences or general lack of participation and engagement in MMUF activities may result in being asked to leave the program. 

Fellows must demonstrate a serious effort toward academic excellence and continued academic progress. Although there is no established minimum GPA for participation in the program, fellows must maintain a solid academic record.

Fellows must also give evidence of attending to the achievement of postgraduate career goals.  If at any time during their junior or senior years, a fellow realizes that a postgraduate career in one of the designated fields is not for them, they should consider leaving the program so that someone else whose goals truly match those of the program may benefit from it. 

Deliverables and Due Dates

All deliverables should be submitted via email (in .doc, .docx, or .pdf format) by 5pm on their due dates to Dr. Tidmarsh, Vanessa, Joanna, and your mentor.

Semester 0 (Upon selection during the Spring Semester of Sophomore Year)

• Mid-April: Fellows must confirm with all three coordinators via email (1) who their mentor is; and (2) that they have had a conversation with their mentor about the IRB.
• Early May: Fellows should (1) provide their mentor with a transcript and discuss coursework for the next semester (including the possibility of taking relevant classes in theory, methodology, and the literature; as well as independent studies to facilitate writing and research activities); and (2) discuss any summer plans—mentors should provide guidance on what programs or internships will best benefit the fellow and her research project. If the fellow plans on pursuing a summer institute, the mentor should work with us to discuss securing course credit for it.
• Mid-May: New Fellows Orientation (during which fellows will create and submit a budget for summer funding, as well as a picture and a brief biographical profile for the website)

Semester 1 (Fall Semester of Junior Year)

• At the first meeting of the semester: Fellows will provide both oral (~5 minute) and written (~3-5 page) reports on their summer activities (research, internships, summer institutes, travel abroad, etc.) and how these activities contribute to her MMUF project.
• At the meeting before Fall Break: Fellows will submit a MMUF project proposal (3-5 pages), which includes (1) research questions and/or hypotheses, (2) a preliminary bibliography, at least partially annotated; (3) a brief section on methodology; (4) a tentative timeline for their research during the next two academic years, which also makes note of meetings with their mentors.
• After Fall Break: Fellows will meet with Joanna in order to discuss their MMUF project proposals.
• End of the semester: Fellows will provide their mentor with a transcript and discuss coursework for the next semester (including the possibility of taking relevant classes in theory, methodology, and the literature; as well as independent studies to facilitate writing and research activities).

Semester 2 (Spring Semester of Junior Year)

• Beginning of the semester: Fellows will meet with Joanna to talk about their projects, their coursework, and prospective summer plans (applications for internships, research and travel plans, etc.).
• End of the semester
  • End-of-year report: Fellows will submit a written report (~3-5 pages) that includes (1) a discussion of the status of their projects, including any changes to the topic, research question(s), hypotheses, mentor, timeline, or methodology; (2) an annotated bibliography; and (3) their relationship and meeting frequency with their mentor.
  • End-of-year meeting with mentor: Fellows should (1) provide their mentor with a transcript and discuss coursework for the next semester (including the possibility of taking relevant classes in theory, methodology, and the literature; as well as independent studies to facilitate writing and research activities); and (2) discuss any summer plans—mentors should provide guidance on what programs or internships will best benefit the fellow and her research project. If the fellow plans on pursuing a summer institute, the mentor should work with us to discuss securing course credit for it.
  • End-of-year meeting with Joanna: Fellows will meet with Joanna before they depart for the summer in order to discuss (1) their status report; (2) their summer plans; (3) their planned coursework in the fall; (4) any plans to apply to graduate school; and (5) their mentor relationship.
  • Summer funding proposal: Fellows will submit their budgets for summer funding to Vanessa as soon as their summer plans are confirmed, by mid-May at the very latest.
  • The advisory committee will meet to recommend continuation in the program for the second year. 

Semester 3 (Fall Semester of Senior Year)

• At the first meeting of the semester: Fellows will provide both oral (~5 minute) and written (~3-5 page) reports on their summer activities (research, internships, summer institutes, travel abroad, etc.) and how these activities contribute to her MMUF project.
• After Fall Break: Fellows will meet with Joanna to discuss (1) the status of their project; (2) their relationship with their mentor; (3) any help they need regarding the graduate school application process; and (4) any help with the senior thesis research and writing processes.
• At the meeting before Thanksgiving: Fellows will be required to prepare a statement for graduate school, pursuant to a meeting in which they participate in a workshop on how to do so, regardless of whether or not they are applying to graduate school during that application cycle.
• End of the semester
  • End-of-semester report: Fellows will submit a written report (~3-5 pages) detailing the status of their project, including (1) any changes to the topic, research question(s), hypotheses, mentor, timeline, or methodology; (2) an updated annotated bibliography; (3) their relationship and meeting frequency with their mentor; (4) any writing done for the senior thesis.
  • End-of-semester meeting with mentor: Fellows will provide their mentor with a transcript and discuss coursework for the next semester (including the possibility of taking relevant classes in theory, methodology, and the literature; as well as independent studies to facilitate writing and research activities).

Semester 4 (Spring Semester of Senior Year)

• Beginning of the semester: Fellows will meet with Joanna to talk about (1) their projects and (2) their postgraduation plans.
• End of the semester
  • Final Project: Fellows will turn in either (a) a 10-15 page paper that is a distillation of their MMUF project/Senior Thesis, or (b) the senior thesis with a brief description of how the Mellon program contributed to development of the topic. 
  • Final Presentations: Fellows will make a public presentation (10-20 minutes) of their MMUF project with the other Bryn Mawr fellows.
  • Exit interviews: Students will participate in a 45-minute exit interview with Vanessa during Senior Week.

Specific dates for proposals and reports will be posted on the MMUF calendar page.