UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The University Fellowships Office will host a dual Graduate School and STEM theme week Oct. 2-6, with programming available to undergraduate students from a wide variety of academic disciplines.
“Although the STEM-specific information sessions are geared toward students in those fields, the graduate school-related events are open to students in any field,” said Caitlin Ting, interim director of the UFO.
“We hope that pairing the discussion of STEM fellowships with graduate schools will encourage all undergraduates to think about what they want to do after they graduate and how they will achieve those goals.”
The fellowships spotlighted throughout the week include:
- The NIST Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF), which provides students with the opportunity to work at the National Institute of Standards and Technology Laboratories in either Boulder, Colorado, or Gaithersburg, Maryland.
- The Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship, which provides students with funding for their education and prepares them for employment with the Department of Defense after graduation.
- The Astronaut Scholarship, which awards up to $10,000 to outstanding sophomores and juniors conducting engineering, math, or natural or applied science research.
- The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, which awards up to $7,500 to outstanding sophomores and juniors conducting natural science, mathematics or engineering research.
Monday, Oct. 2:
- An overview of STEM fellowships will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in 106 HUB-Robeson Center.
- A faculty panel — representing diverse academic backgrounds — will address the benefits and key considerations of attending graduate school from 4-5 p.m. in 101 Osmond Lab.
Tuesday, Oct. 3:
- The NIST-SURF and SMART fellowships will be the focus of an information session slated from 4-5 p.m. in 323 Boucke Building.
Wednesday, Oct. 4:
- An information session on the graduate school application process and funding mechanisms is scheduled from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in 103 Bank of America Career Services Building.
- An information session geared toward writing compelling personal statements for graduate school will be held from 4-5 p.m. in 103 Bank of America Career Services Building.
- A graduate student panel — representing diverse academic backgrounds —will discuss critical factors in deciding to attend graduate school from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. in 103 Bank of America Career Services Building. Panelists will offer firsthand graduate school experiences, as well.
Thursday, Oct. 5:
- A graduate school fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Alumni Hall and Heritage Hall in the HUB. Representatives from wide-ranging graduate schools and programs will be in attendance.
- The Astronaut and Goldwater scholarships will be highlighted during an information session from 4 to 5 p.m. in 106 HUB.
Friday, Oct. 6
- Drop-in advising will be offered from 10 to 11 a.m. in 321 Boucke for students interested in pursuing STEM fellowships.
The complete Graduate School and STEM Week schedule can be viewed here.
To learn more about fellowship opportunities, visit the UFO website.
The University Fellowships Office is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education, the academic administrative unit that provides leadership and coordination for University-wide programs and initiatives in support of undergraduate teaching and learning at Penn State. Learn more about Undergraduate Education at undergrad.psu.edu.