u New office helps students with fellowships and scholarships
By MOLLY HERBE
News Writer
Notre Dame has established a new office to assist undergraduate students and their faculty mentors in the application for fellowships and scholarships, including the Marshall, Rhodes and Fulbright.
The Office of Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Fellowships, which will be directed by Brad Gibson, associate professor of psychology, will provide a resource center for faculty and undergraduates and assistance in the application and interview processes.
"The emphasis of the Office of Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Fellowships is more than just processing application. One of our major focuses is to develop opportunities in which students may maximize their potential for these scholarships," Gibson said.
The Office of Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Fellowships was opened in August in order to meet the demand for a centralized office for the fellowships. Located on the first floor of O'Shaughnessy, Gibson hopes to establish a central network of support for undergraduate students within close proximity of the Office of Undergraduate Studies and the Institution for Scholarships in Liberal Arts. Although undergraduates from all the colleges apply for the fellowships, the majority of the applicants are in the College of Arts and Letters.
The directorship of the new center received an endowment for the University from Daniel Flatley of Basking Ridge, N.J. Flatley graduated from Notre Dame in 1975. He serves as a member for the advisory council for the University's College of Arts and Letters.
"Through the generosity and vision of Dan Flatley, this new office has been put on firm footing," said Father John Jenkins, senior associate provost and vice president at Notre Dame. The new center will hope to identify and encourage promising candidates for the fellowships early in their Notre Dame career.
Despite the recent establishment of the center, Gibson noted many students have already begun to take advantage of the resources available and hopes that will continue.
"The process for applying for a fellowship really enhances a student's education. Students think of their future and question what they want to do with their lives, enhancing the process of self-discovery," Gibson explained.
More information about the Office of Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Fellowships may be obtained by stopping by 99 O'Shaughnessy or by calling (219) 631-0371.
All News Stories for Wednesday, October 3, 2001
