Dear Doctoral Students and Graduate Faculty,

I am pleased to announce that applications for the Provost’s Dissertation Year Fellowship for Historically Underrepresented Doctoral Students are now open through March 4, 2022. This fellowship was previously entitled the Provost Development Fund.

The goal of the Provost’s Dissertation Year Fellowship for Historically Underrepresented Doctoral Students is to support Underrepresented Racial Minority (URM)* students who are underrepresented in their field and whose racial/ethnic background contributes to the diversity of their program and field.

The fellowship provides dedicated time for doctoral students** to work full-time on finishing their dissertation during the last year of doctoral work. Students must have an approved dissertation proposal/overview before receiving the fellowship. The fellowship includes Full-Time Dissertation Study (FTDS) or tuition and a stipend of $12,500 per term for two terms (Fall 2022 and Spring 2023). This fellowship cannot be used in combination with any other source of financial support (e.g., fellowship/scholarship, grant, graduate assistantship, job at another institution/employer) without prior approval.

Required Application Materials

1. Competition Space Application Form
2. CV
3. Personal Statement (total = 1000 words maximum):

• Description of dissertation research (focus, research design, and significance to your field and society)
• Work plan/timeline
• Prior and future contributions to scholarship and society
• Prior and future work toward greater diversity, equity, and inclusion

4. A letter of recommendation from the doctoral advisor that includes:

• The student's preparation and qualifications for carrying out this research
• The value of the research topic to the specific field and to society
• The student’s prior and future contributions to scholarship and society
• The student’s prior and future work toward greater diversity, equity, and inclusion
• How long the student has been working on the degree
• Confirmation the student is on schedule to have an approved dissertation proposal by the application deadline
• How much work has already been accomplished on the dissertation?
• The likelihood that the degree will be completed by April 2023

5. A second letter of recommendation from another faculty member familiar with your research, such as a member of your dissertation committee or the director of your doctoral program. The second letter should address:

• The student's preparation and qualifications for carrying out this research
• The value of the research topic to the specific field and to society
• The student’s prior and future contributions to scholarship and society
• The student’s prior and future work toward greater diversity, equity and inclusion

All applications materials will be submitted through Competition Space:

Review Criteria

• Significance of research to the applicant’s field and to society
• Quality of research approach/design and feasibility of work plan
• Likelihood that the student will complete the doctoral degree by April 2023
• Applicant’s future potential contributions to scholarship and society, including work toward greater diversity, equity and inclusion

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  March 4, 2022

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR APPLICATION CONTAINS COMPLETE INFORMATION. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS OR APPLICATIONS THAT DO NOT ADHERE TO THE DIRECTIONS WILL NOT BE REVIEWED.

For questions, please contact me at VPGodley@pitt.edu

*The University of Pittsburgh uses the term Underrepresented Racial Minority (URM) to refer to students who identify as Black, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, or two or more races.

**Doctoral students from the following schools are eligible to apply: Arts and Sciences, Business, Computing and Information, Dental Medicine, Education, Engineering, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Public Health, Public and International Affairs, Law, Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work.