1. F UNDING A DVANCED D EGREES Katharine Brumbaugh Gamble & Courtney Shell WE14 Conference, Los Angeles, CA October 23, 2014

2. O VERVIEW Terminology Types of funding Who gets funded What funding can provide How to find funding

3. G RADUATE S CHOOL T ERMS Graduate Staff Appointments (employment) Research Assistantships Teaching Assistantships Graduate Assistantship - Administrative/Professional * Fellowships (graduate scholarships)

4. R ESEARCH A SSISTANTSHIP Student employed by professor on a research project Terms/conditions set by professor within University regulations Contract for 9 months (academic year) or 12 months Annually renewed based on academic standing and progress made toward degree Usually aligned with your research project Usually covers tuition, pays a salary, some fees, may include medical insurance May be combined with TA or fellowship

5. T EACHING A SSISTANTSHIP Student employed by the school/department Terms/conditions set by department within University regulations Contract by the semester for 4½ months or 9 months Renewal of contract based on course need and performance TA obligation will be in addition to research project Contract may be renewed as often as each session Usually covers tuition, pays a salary, some fees, may include medical insurance May be combined with RA or fellowship

6. F ELLOWSHIPS Stipend: Term for a fellowship award Come in all shapes and sizes - award amounts vary greatly Terms/conditions are set by the provider of the funds Some may be combined with RA or TA Some may require you to TA May or may not include employment requirement (for the company) Most do not cover all expenses Funded by school, college, university, or independent source Usually cannot hold two full fellowships simultaneously Many can be deferred when other funding is available Application process: Some accept student applications; others rely on nominations Most require an application and/or essay and letters of recommendation Some are portable – can be used at the institution of choice Length of support varies

7. W HO G ETS F UNDED ? Fellowships GPA above average of other applicants High entrance exam scores Leadership experience a plus Contribution to organizations a plus Demonstration of research/outreach that correlates well with funding agency’s mission Research Assistantship Solid GPA Research or experience working with a professor helpful Teaching Assistantship Have taken the assigned class resulting in a good grade Grader experience helpful

8. H OW TO F IND F UNDING Talk to professors about RA positions (only after reading articles they have written and know details of their research!!) Talk to the Graduate Chair about information on TA positions Check out professional/honor organizations in your major area ( Tau Beta Pi, ASEE, SHPE, ASME, ASABE, NSBE, etc. ) Check out organizations which support your speciality area ( American Heart Association, Link Foundation, etc. ) Review the Fellowship Database on the Graduate School Web site or the engineering list Apply for every fellowship for which you qualify – no matter the amount SWE scholarships!

9. F ELLOWSHIP O PPORTUNITIES NameWebsiteDeadline SMARThttp://smart.asee.org/Dec. 14, 2014 NDSEGhttps://ndseg.asee.org/Dec. 12, 2014 NSF GRFPhttp://www.nsfgrfp.org/Varying Oct 29-Nov 4 NSF GK-12http://www.gk12.org/University/Dept. specific NSTRFhttp://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/strg/a rchives_nstrf.html#.VA-o_vmwKAI Hertzhttp://www.hertzfoundation.org/Oct. 31, 2014 Amelia Earharthttp://www.zonta.org/WhatWeDo/InternationalPr ograms/AmeliaEarhartFellowship.aspx Nov. 15, 2014 NASA Aeronauticshttp://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/d escriptions/NASA_Aeronautics_Scholarship_Prog ram.html#.VA-pkfmwKAJ Fulbrighthttp://www.cies.org/program/fulbright-nexus- regional-scholar-program Was April 1, 2014 GEM (racial minorities in engineering) https://www.gemfellowship.org/gem-fellowshipNovember 15, 2014

10. O FFER L ETTER Letter offering you financial support for enrolling at an institution – different from admission letter Pay attention to the details Type of support (RA, TA, Fellowship) Length of support (dates) Terms and Conditions (What do you have to do?) Coverage (tuition, fees, insurance, amount of support) Cost of Living in that area compared to the support Acceptance is a binding contract Tip: “If you’re paying for graduate school, you’re doing it wrong.” Tip: Be aware that TAing for multiple semesters may prolong graduation

11. O FFER L ETTER ( CONT ) With a fellowship offer, ask about:  Date of the first payment– be prepared to pay bills the first month of the semester  Is the fellowship paid in one lump sum or periodically?  Is the fellowship paid to your or the institution?  Are taxes deducted or do you need to pay estimated taxes?  If health insurance is provided, when is it deducted?  No caps for cost of living Other things to consider in any offer: Are parking permits available for graduate students? What is the Cost of Living in that area? Is public transportation available? Can you afford to live close to campus?

12. S UMMARY Graduate School terminology is specific. Several types of support are available. Obtaining fellowships gives you freedom and looks impressive on a résumé. Various resources are available to you. Consider more than funding in making a decision on which offer to accept. Ask questions and get details before accepting. Good planning prevents additional expenses.

13. Q UESTIONS ? Katharine Brumbaugh Gamble katharine.brumbaugh.gamble@gmail.com Courtney Shell courtney.e.shell@gmail.com Heather Wiest wiesthk@gmail.com Anne Rocheleau adr65@cornell.edu

14. Grad Student Related Sessions at WE14 Thursday Sessions Graduate School Networking, 11am, LACC Concourse How an Advance Degree Can Help You Reach Your Career Goals, 1:30 pm, LACC502A Fostering an Inclusive Environment for Graduate Students in a Growing Department – Lightening Talk 1:30 pm, LACC 502A Funding Your Graduate Education – Lightening Talk, 1:30 pm LACC, 502A Science, Technology, & Public Policy – How policy intersects with engineering and how to get involved – Lightening Talk, 1:30 pm LACC, 502A Career Planning with MyIDP – Lightening Talk, 1:30 pm LACC, 502A Tips on Finding and Being a Mentor in Graduate School, 4pm, LACC 511A Networking in Academic Settings, 4pm LACC 505 Fellowship Opportunities for Academic and Research Projects in Engineering outside in the US, 1:30pm, LACC 505 Friday Sessions Fellowship Opportunities for Academic and Research Projects in Engineering outside in the US, 1:30pm, LACC 505 Graduate Rapid Fire Session 1, 2:45pm, LACC 505 Engineers in Informal STEM Education: From Casual Contributions to Careers 4pm, LACC 501C Preparing Powerful Application Essays, 4pm, LACC 504 Graduate Networking Reception – hosted by Owens Corning, 5pm, LACC 405 Saturday Sessions Effective Writing for Graduate Funding, 10am, LACC 514 Strategies for Obtaining Your First Academic Position, 10am, LACC504 Graduate Rapid Fire Session 2, 10am, LACC 502 Tips for Teaching in STEM, 1:30pm, LACC 505 Building Support Networks in Graduate School and Beyond, 1:30pm, LACC 503 Industry and Academia – You Can Do Both, 1:30pm, LACC 405 Women in Academia & Grad Student Reception – 2:45pm-4pm, LACC 503 Get Involved & Stay Connected! Facebook: search “SWE Graduate Members” Blog: swegrad.wordpress.com