KathwarI Graduate Fellowship

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE,
INTERNATIONAL, and CAREER STUDIES

Apply for the Fellowship

The Fellowship

Kathwari FamilyThe Kathwari Graduate Fellowship, generously funded by the Irfan Kathwari Foundation, is designed to support WestConn graduate students’ academic and professional growth, providing them opportunities to reach their full potential. The Fellowship is open exclusively to alums who completed their undergraduate studies at WestConn and provides financial support and professional development opportunities to enhance their educational experience. 

Eligibility

The Kathwari Graduate Fellowship is a merit-based award, not dependent on financial need, and is contingent upon the following criteria:  

  • The Fellowship recipient completed their baccalaureate program at WestConn.
  • The recipient is enrolled in or accepted to a graduate degree program at WestConn.
  • The recipient does not hold other university-supported positions (e.g., graduate student worker, graduate assistantship assignments with more than 10 hours per week, teaching assistantship, resident advisor, graduate intern, or adjunct faculty) while holding the award.

Stipend and Expectations

Fellows will receive a stipend in the amount of $4000 per year or $2000 per semester, for a maximum of four consecutive semesters. The Fellowship provides graduate students with experiential learning opportunities through on-campus Fellowship appointments. Kathwari Graduate Fellowship recipients will commit 7 hours weekly to their Fellowship appointment, including research, teaching, or administrative duties. The Fellowship appointment will align with the Fellowship’s experiential learning goals, and the nature of the position and will be pre-approved by the Dean of the School of Graduate, International, and Career Studies.

Applying

Graduate students who wish to nominate themselves for the fellowship and mentors who wish to nominate a graduate student can use this form to do so. Mentors who wish to request a fellow without nominating a specific student can also use this form.

The application deadline for Spring 2025 is January 6, 2025.

Assignments

Fellowship assignments include 1) Teaching responsibilities, 2) Research and Scholarship responsibilities, or 3) administrative responsibilities. 

A teaching fellowship is ideal for an enrolled graduate student with the academic ability and commitment to assist in classroom teaching under the supervision of a faculty member and who desires to work professionally in the classroom. Responsibilities may include planning and preparation, curriculum design and development, organization and direction of group activities, preparation of presentations, and/or tutoring and individualized instruction.

A research / scholarship fellowship is suited for a matriculated graduate student with some experience conducting research at the undergraduate level and who desires to conduct professional research. Responsibilities may include data collection and analysis, operation and maintenance of equipment, dissemination of research findings, conducting and supervising experiments, reviewing literature, preparing manuscripts or scholarly work, and/or problem-solving and supervising other personnel.

An administrative fellowship is designed for a student with strong organizational and communication skills and the ability to support various administrative functions within an academic department or unit.  This Fellowship provides valuable experiential learning that helps the student develop administrative expertise and practical skills applicable to future professional roles. Specific responsibilities and projects will be determined by the needs of the office and must be approved by the SGICS Dean. Responsibilities may include assisting with the coordination and execution of events and meetings, managing records, including filing, data entry, and document preparation, providing support for faculty and administrative staff in day-to-day operations, assisting with budget tracking and basic financial reporting, preparing reports, presentations, and other documents as needed, handling scheduling tasks, including arranging appointments and maintaining shared calendars, supporting student services activities, such as onboarding and information dissemination, monitoring and responding to routine correspondence, including emails and phone calls, and/or ensuring compliance with university policies and procedures during administrative processes.