Announcing the Fruman and Marian Jacobson “Bridges” Fund for Undergraduate and Graduate Students in Germanic Studies

Two or more awards of up to $5000 each will be made to undergraduate majors in the Department of Germanic Studies. (Recipients may be double majors.) The award will help support student engagement in a study or internship program (international or domestic) that will enable Germanic Studies students to further their academic or career interests in concrete and meaningful ways. Examples of possible programs are: the AATG (American Association of Teachers of German) Internship Program; a variety of Study Abroad programs in German-speaking countries (summer or semester-long study is eligible for support)*; approved intensive German language and culture programs in North America (such as programs at Middlebury College, the Deutsche Sommerschule am Pazifik und Atlantik, the Goethe Institute, etc.); approved mentored research work with a faculty member at an institution abroad or at a specific research site; etc. Funds may be used to cover program costs, travel, and living expenses. The program of study/internship may be undertaken any time between Summer 2016 and Fall 2017.

Students applying for an award must meet with a faculty member in the Department of Germanic Studies before turning in their application to make sure that the proposed program is approved by the department. The faculty member will also likely encourage applicants to seek help finding appropriate programs through UIC Career Services; the LAS office for internships; the Office of Study Abroad; the Office of Special Scholarship Services; the Office of Undergraduate Research; etc.

Applicants will submit the following materials by March 15, 2016:

1) personal information about applicant (name, UIN, major/minor, name of faculty adviser for application). Your proposal must be signed by the faculty member with whom you discussed your proposal; 2) proposed program; 3) dates of program; 4) program cost and rough estimate of travel and living expenses; 5) a paragraph explaining how this program is linked to your academic and/or work interests; 6) a paragraph explaining how your involvement in this program will contribute to your academic and/or work plans for the future; 7) if applicable, a paragraph addressing how financial/work constraints could be alleviated were you to receive this award

Note: You do not need to be accepted into your proposed program(s) in order to apply for the award. The award will, however, only be made available upon acceptance into an appropriate program.

Two or more awards of up to $5000 each will be made to graduate students (M.A. or Ph.D.) in the Department of Germanic Studies. The award will help support intensive research or internship work that will help students achieve their academic and/or professional goals. Examples of approved programs of study or work include: a carefully planned research trip to archives or libraries (i.e. the Library of Congress, the Literaturarchiv Marbach, the Herzog August Bibliothek in Wolfenbüttel, etc.); an internship or apprenticeship with an organization with direct ties to the student’s career goals (i.e. a museum, an archive, etc.); intensive, mentored research work with a faculty member at an institution abroad. Interested students will be required to work with a faculty member in the Department of Germanic Studies on their proposal. Students will be encouraged to make contacts in advance of their travel and carefully to craft their proposal to reflect projects that they will likely pursue in the future. Funds may be used for program fees as well as for travel and living expenses. The program of research/internship may be undertaken any time between Summer 2016 and Fall 2017.

Applicants will submit the following materials by March 15, 2016:

A 2-3 page proposal (double-spaced) including the following categories: 1) personal information about applicant (name, UIN, name of faculty adviser for application); 2) a paragraph detailing your research or work project; 3) your proposed course of study/work, including name(s) of archives, libraries, programs or organizations and particular collections of interest to you; 4) proposed dates for your project; 5) a rough estimate of costs; 6) a paragraph describing how this work will contribute concretely to your future academic and/or work plans.

Award recipients will meet with the donors and be honored at the Department of Germanic Studies Awards Day. Recipients will be asked to write a short report on their experiences upon completion of the program, and to discuss their experiences with members of the Department of Germanic Studies (students and faculty) and with the donors.

Please send completed applications by March 15, 2016 to Ms. Kaitlin Roelofs, Program Coordinator, School of Literatures, Cultural Studies and Linguistics (kroelo2@uic.edu; UH 1730; 312-355-0907).

Please contact Prof. Heidi Schlipphacke with questions about the application process (heidis@uic.edu; UH 1516).

Recipients will be informed of their awards by early April.

* Note: Awards may not be used for the UIC Berlin Summer Program. Undergraduate students interested in that program may apply for a scholarship funded by the Max Kade Foundation.

*Note: The exact amount of the awards for undergraduates and the manner of the awards’s distribution will be determined by the Office of Student Financial Aid on the basis of unmet financial need and other relevant factors.