This component of the Dow Sustainability Fellows Program includes a select group of full-time graduate students pursuing terminal master’s and other professional degrees at U-M – Ann Arbor (e.g., architecture, arts, business, engineering, environment, health, law, medicine, policy, social work, urban planning, etc). Each year, fellows are selected from a pool of candidates nominated by schools and colleges throughout U-M. Each cohort begins in January and concludes in December of the same year.
Stipend
In addition to receiving a $20K stipend ($10K per semester), each master’s/professional fellow participates in collaborative engagement activities and a substantial interdisciplinary team project. Co-curricular programming consists of monthly seminars and workshops involving a diverse array of sustainability practitioners in addition to other activities. To meet program requirements and be eligible for funding, fellows must participate in these co-curricular offerings.
For the project requirement, master’s/professional degree fellows form interdisciplinary teams (4-6 fellows each) to draft a persuasive report (ideally for a client) that develops a comprehensive stance or an analysis of options on a particular sustainability challenge of the team’s choosing, or a comparable deliverable approved in advance by the program director.
Schools/colleges are encouraged to match degree requirements to the interdisciplinary project outcomes, if feasible. For example, a fellow could earn independent study credit in their home unit for project work completed through the program.
Field Work Project Examples
See the Dow Global Impact Series
Nominations
The 2018 Call for Nominations is complete and notifications have been released. Please look for the 2019 Call for Nominations during the upcoming fall term.