Watson Fellowship at Whitman

• Official Homepage: Please read all of the information there before applying.

• 2009-2010 Local Nomination Committee: charged with selecting 4 nominees from Whitman College to compete nationally for 40 Watson Fellowships.
  1. Patrick Frierson, committee chair (Phil Dept, Olin 151, x5243)

  2. Irvin Hashimoto, (English Dept, Olin 217, x5699)

  3. Kevin Pogue, (Geol Dept, Sci 154, x5955)

  4. Suzanne Morrissey, (Anth Dept, Max 331, x5250)

• Application: The Watson Fellowship application process has two phases. You first submit an application to the local Watson nomination committee and then, if you are nominated, submit an application to the Watson Foundation.

  The heart of your completed Watson application to the local nomination committee must include a 5 page project proposal, a 5 page personal statement (page counts are for double spaced, typewritten documents), official transcript(s) and two letters of reference at least one of which is from a member of the Whitman College faculty. In some circumstances a third letter is allowed, but only upon request of the committee.

  The application at the national level is all electronic, however, at the local level we require the completed paper application form:

  1. Local application form: Fill this form out completely and submit it along with your personal statement and project proposal to the Office of Fellowships and Grants (Reid 231) by 5pm Friday October 2, 2009.

  2. Instructions for people writing letters on your behalf: Direct people writing letters on your behalf to this form, or download it and email it to them as an attachment.

• Important dates (tentative):
  1. September 9, 2009 Informational meeting for members of the class of '10, Olin Hall East 135 (the former art wing) at 4pm.

  2. October 2, 2009 Completed applications for consideration by the local Watson nomination committee must be received in the Office of Fellowships and Grants by 5pm.

  3. October 15-22, 2009 Short list half hour interviews by the local Watson nomination committee are held.

  4. October 22-23, 2009 The final four nominees from Whitman are chosen by the Whitman Watson Committee and announced.

  5. October 23-November 5, 2009 The four nominees will pair up with local nomination committee members and refine their applications.

  6. November 4, 2009 Electronic submission of applications must be completed by 3pm Eastern Time.

  7. December 4, 2009 Nominees are interviewed at a time determined by a national Watson committee representative on Whitman's campus.

  8. March 2010 Watson Fellowship winners are announced.

  9. July-August 2010 Watson Fellowship winners embark on their travel.

• Travel Warnings: Your Watson itinerary must not include any countries that have an active US State Dept travel warning posted. Please visit the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings Page for a current listing.