Dozens of opportunities are funded each year through the Sandy Maisel Student Internship and Research Grants. This is possible because of generous gifts from a group of alumni seeking to honor Professor Sandy Maisel, the Goldfarb Family Distinguished Professor of American Government and founding director of the Goldfarb Center.
This support allows Colby students to build on their classroom experience with hands-on opportunities throughout the United States and abroad. Awards are intended to encourage students to explore internship opportunities related to public affairs and public policy; funds may also be used to support research in public affairs, such as a senior thesis.
Please submit all materials according to instructions for each category as outlined below. Read more about the Franko-Maisel Prize here.
Administered in partnership with DavisConnects, funding for student internships is available to continuing, full-time Colby students and will provide (on average) $3,000 toward student expenses. Student Internship Grants are intended to fund otherwise unfunded internships. When preparing a request for funding, applicants may make the case for an additional $2,000 of lost work compensation. The Goldfarb Center advises applicants to carefully describe your circumstances in your materials. Before funds may be disbursed your internship must be approved to receive transcript notation.
Students apply to receive Sandy Maisel Internship Grants through DavisConnects. Applications that align with the purpose of the Sandy Maisel Student Grants are in turn forwarded to the Goldfarb Center for review and an award decision. Students receiving internship grants will be named Sandy Maisel Student Fellows for the academic year in which their work is completed and should include that designation on all work that results from this grant. Recipients are required to submit a brief report following completion of the internship summarizing the experience, as well as a detailed report of all expenses paid for by the grant money (including copies of receipts organized by date) must be submitted. Additionally, Sandy Maisel Student Fellows are expected to attend Goldfarb Center events throughout the year regularly.
Application Process
Applicants wishing to be considered for a Sandy Maisel Internship Grant will complete 3 application components:
1. Prepare and submit a General Application Part 1 through DavisConnects.
2. Prepare and submit a General Application Part 2 through DavisConnects.
3. Prepare and submit a short, supplementary essay-style application through DavisConnects that becomes available upon submission of the General Application Part 2 and includes the following prompts. Applicants should also be prepared to submit a resume, a copy of your transcript, and the name of one faculty reference.
~Why are you interested in an internship in the fields of public affairs and/or public policy?
~What specific skills or experiences are you hoping to gain through an internship in the fields of public affairs and/or public policy?
~What coursework of yours (if any) do you feel is relevant to this internship experience?
~What co-curricular, extra-curricular or job-related activities of yours (if any) do you feel are relevant to this internship experience?
~(Optional) What engagement (if any) with the Goldfarb Center have you had? How has any engagement with Goldfarb impacted your experience at Colby?
~(Optional) What engagement (if any) with DavisConnects have you had that you feel is relevant to this internship experience?
~(Optional) Is there anything more you’d like to say about how an internship in the fields of public affairs and/or public policy specifically fits into your plans for the future?
~Is there anything else you’d like to share that you feel is relevant to your application?
Note:
JanPlan ’24 Application Deadlines and Dates:
Application Opens: Monday, Oct. 2
Application Closes: Friday, October 13
Award Notifications: Wednesday, October 25
For questions about the grant process, contact Scott Lamer at [email protected].
For all other questions, contact Goldfarb Center Associate Director Erica Buswell at [email protected]
Students can apply to receive Sandy Maisel Student Research Grants to fund original research projects (including collaborative research) on topics related to public affairs or public policy. The Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs invites proposals from Colby students, regardless of major. A wide range of student research projects may qualify for funding under this program, however, preference will be given to students working on honors projects or independent studies or on extended class-related papers for which no other adequate funding sources are available. Students applying for research grant funding should provide a fully developed proposal to include a thesis statement, literature review, and plan for fieldwork; it must indicate your faculty advisor.
Grants are available to continuing, full-time Colby students. Grants will average $3,000, with maximum funding allocated to those grants that are either collaborative or for those that require international travel. Funds may be allocated to cover any legitimate research expenses including, but not limited to: the purchase of research materials, travel, food, and lodging expenses associated with data gathering. Students may not qualify for stipends under this program, except for unusual circumstances, which should be specifically documented at the time of the application. The center hopes to fund two or three projects from each round of applications.
Students receiving research grants will be named Sandy Maisel Student Fellows for the academic year in which their work is completed and should include that designation on all work that results from this grant. Sandy Maisel Student Fellows are expected to attend Goldfarb Center events throughout the year on a regular basis.
Application Process
Sandy Maisel Research Grant application and funding cycles track with DavisConnects process for funding research and other independent studies. Students will submit a general application as well as a supplemental application that responds to the following questions:
~Provide a brief abstract describing the project.
~What is the topic’s connection to the Goldfarb Center’s public affairs mission?
~Provide a brief literature review (consult with your faculty sponsor for examples relevant to your field) that indicates the significance of your research questions.
~Describe the methodology, including a clear indication of how data will be gathered and how variables will be defined.
~Please provide evidence that you have the skills necessary to gather the information in this way, usually indicated by significant coursework. Defend why this project is viable.
~What is your timeline for data-gathering and writing?
~Are you applying for funding from any source other than through Goldfarb Sandy Maisel grants? If so, indicate the source and how much you are requesting.
~If applicable, please explain any extenuating circumstances that may have impacted your academic record.
~If applicable, please explain any extenuating circumstances that may have an impact on your financial status.
~If the project involves human subjects, the proposal should simultaneously be submitted to Colby’s Institutional Review Board to the Goldfarb Center. Your project must be approved before we will disburse funds.
~Specify the intended end product for the project and at least preliminary thoughts on means of dissemination. Students receiving funding under this program will be expected to make presentations as part of the Colby Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Expenses/Reimbursement
You must keep all receipts and submit the originals in a timely fashion to the Goldfarb Center’s administrative assistant. The receipts need to show both what was purchased and how much (to keep both the accountants and IRS happy). You do not need to wait until the project is finished to submit your receipts (in fact, it is best to submit within 30 days of the expenditure). You should keep a log of all your expenses (an Excel spreadsheet is a good idea). It is a good habit to get into but, more importantly, ensures accurate accounting for yourself and the Center.
JanPlan ’24 Application Deadlines and Dates:
Application Opens: Monday, October 2
Application Closes: Friday, October 13
Award Notifications: Wednesday, October 25
For questions about the grant process, contact Scott Lamer at [email protected].
For all other questions, contact Goldfarb Center Associate Director Erica Buswell at [email protected]
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