Thomas J. Watson Foundation Fellowship
»Æ¹ÏÊÓƵis honored to be one of 41 who nominate graduating seniors for The Thomas J. Watson Fellowship each year. The Watson Fellowship is a one-year grant for purposeful, independent exploration outside the United States.
The Watson Fellowship is a rare window after college and before you embark on a career to engage your deepest interests on a global scale. Fellows conceive original projects, execute them outside of the United States for one year and embrace the ensuing journey. They decide where to go, who to meet and when to change course. Fellows do not affiliate with academic institutions and may not hold formal employment during this year.
The program is intended to provide you with a year to develop personal insight, perspective and confidence that will hopefully shape the arc of fellows' lives. Begun in 1968, Watson Fellows comprise leaders in every field. The Watson Foundation has awarded over 2,500 fellowships, providing support to future global leaders in every field of experience.
»Æ¹ÏÊÓƵis invited to nominate four graduating seniors annually for this unique fellowship. Fellows have traveled in anywhere from 2 to 12 countries. Single country proposals are extremely rare. The Watson is not a research fellowship directed at data gathering or scholarship. It is not based on academic merit. Rather, the Watson Foundation seeks to find and support students of “unusual promise” to give them the opportunity to enhance their capacity for resourcefulness, imagination, openness, and leadership, and to foster their humane and effective participation in the world.
Selection is highly competitive. Students must be nominated by »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵto compete at the national level. The Watson National Committee then evaluates the national pool of nominees, and a select group of Fellows is chosen.
If you are interested in applying for the Watson Fellowship, contact the Career Center to be added to the Watson Canvas page for more detailed information.
Applicants are advised to start planning for their proposal in the spring of your junior year. Early preparation is essential for a compelling application. You will work directly with a »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵWatson advisor beginning in the spring and throughout the summer to guarantee you are presenting a high quality application that will be considered for »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵnomination. It is imperative that all applicants consult with Roy Jo Sartin in the Writing Center for help with writing their Watson proposals. All applications are due for »Æ¹ÏÊÓƵinternal review in August of each year.