The Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program

Application Deadline

The 2014 Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program application deadline is Thursday, March 13, 2014 at 12:00 pm (noon).

Award

Typically around $2,500 (could be more or less) depending on number of applicants/amount of funding available. In 2013, 20 students applied for Weinberg funding for domestic internships and 15 students received some level of funding. Additionally, five students applied for funding for international internships and all received the fellowship. In 2011, 19 students applied for Weinberg funding and 11 students received the fellowship. Application submission does not guarantee funding.

Purpose

This program, supported by Marshall Weinberg, was established to enhance the practical experience and professional development of graduate students in SNRE (and is not meant to support master's projects, thesis preparation, research or similar activities of a purely academic nature).

Eligibility and Requirements

  • Preference will be given to students who plan to return to SNRE for classes upon completion of the internship. Internships proposed by students graduating in April, May, or August will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • Preference will be given to students who have created an internship with a non-profit or government sector employer. Internships with a private sector employer (small start up or small firms) may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
  • Funding cannot be used to support an internship at another University or School. Students cannot work with a group of faculty/staff on research. However an intern can work in a Center of Excellence associated with a University or School on a non-research project.
  • Internships that focus on a research project will not be supported.
  • Students may not receive Weinberg funding more than once.
  • PhD students are eligible to apply.
  • Preference will be given to students who have never had a professional experience in their field of study.
  • The Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program is intended to be the sole source of funding for an internship experience. Students may not combine funding sources (ie. Sussman, Doris Duke, Erb Institute, Wyss, Ford School, funding provided by the employer, or other types of funding) for this internship. Please note that students can apply for the Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program and the Edna Bailey Sussman Fund through SNRE. If you are selected for both Sussman and Weinberg funding, you will only be allowed to accept one of the funding awards. The students who are selected for both awards will be notified of at the end of April or early May on which award they will receive.

PLEASE review additional information on how internship applications are evaluated by SNRE.

Application Requirements

A complete set of proposal materials must include:

    • A completed Weinberg Fellowship application (500 words total).
      Be concise and to the point. It should be written in layman's language, no jargon, be original, and should be understandable by non-experts. download the application template [Word Doc]
    • A proposed budget download the budget template [XLS] (students will not be allowed to change or update a budget after it has been submitted)
    • Letter of Support on letterhead from your sponsor organization's internship supervisor. This letter should:
      • Name of supervisor.
      • Description of what you will be doing (what goals you will accomplish).
      • Description of how the internship will be supervised.
      • A description of how the intern, the organization, and the environment will benefit from the intern's work
      • Exact start and end dates.
      • Indicate the amount and type of compensation (if any) student will receive if no compensation will be given, be sure to specifically mention that it will be unpaid.
      • For an outline of a letter of support, click here
    • Undergraduate and graduate transcripts (OAP will provide)
    • An up-to-date resume' (current, single-sided, one page)
    • Organization Supporting Documentation (if possible not required) limit one page front
      and back, including:
      • Organization's mission.
      • Date the organization was founded.
      • Number of full-time employees.
      • Annual budget.
        -Please include this information if the organization is not well-known.

    PLEASE MAKE ONE COPY OF ALL PROPOSAL MATERIALS to retain for your records. Please note that no changes can be made to the application after the application deadline.

    Submit a copy of the complete application and supporting materials via email to Michelle Burdick burdickm@umich.edu (Microsoft documents preferred) and drop off a hard copy to the Office of Academic Programs (1520 Dana) by Thursday, March 13, 2014 by 12:00 pm (noon).

    Please come into OAP (1520 Dana) to see examples of past student Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program applications.

    Student Requirements and Additional Considerations

    If you are selected for the Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program, you must submit a thank you letter to Mr. Weinberg by submitting it to Michelle Burdick. Instructions for what to include in the thank you letter and the thank you letter due date will be provided to those that receive this prestigious award.

    Please note that if you are selected for the Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program, you must use the funding for the internship that you specified in your application. If you choose to complete a different internship or do not complete your internship, you must decline/return the Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program funding.

    At the conclusion of the internship, you will be required to submit a 2-3 page report covering the various aspects of your internship. This report should be suitable for inclusion in an SNRE newsletter, SNRE Internship Website, and for review by the donor, Marshall Weinberg. This report should include the name of the organization where you worked, an overview of the work/research that you did, and a brief explanation of how the internship aided you in your professional development. Complete details for this report will be sent to you when you are notified of receipt of the award.

    If you are selected for the Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program, your internship host will be notified via email of your expected start and end dates, the number of work hours you specified, and the amount of your internship stipend. The internship host is under no obligation to provide any additional funding for the work dates/times that you specified in your proposal. You will also be carbon copied on this email. If the internship host decides to supplement your internship stipend, that is between you and the internship host.

    Internship Host Requirements

    Internship hosts are responsible for helping interns clearly define the duties expected of them, provide a work station, provide a professional setting for their interns, provide appropriate supervision, and are responsible for submitting an evaluation of the student to SNRE upon the conclusion of the internship. Internship hosts typically do not provide funding for interns. If an organization or agency has a paid internship position already figured in their budget, Marshall Weinberg Fellowship Program funding cannot go toward that internship.

    For Assistance

    Contact Sondra Auerbach sondramr@umich.edu if you need any assistance.