Jan Cauffman Fellowship

With the generous support of a Whittier alum and his spouse, Whittier College has established the Jan Cauffman Fellowship, which will enable one undergraduate student in any major to work with a faculty mentor to develop and implement a new or redesigned course in the digital liberal arts.

Fellows will work on a project identified by a faculty mentor who is planning to incorporate digital pedagogies or technologies into one or more classes. Students who are interested in applying should work closely with a faculty mentor to develop the proposal and should seek guidance from the Digital Liberal Arts Program.

Eligibility Criteria

Sophomore or Junior standing
A minimum 3.0 GPA
Open to students of any major or academic program

Selection Criteria

Demonstrated academic ability.
Demonstrated relevant skills and experience.
The ability to conduct and complete the proposed project.
Applications will be evaluated by the advisor in consultation with the Digital Liberal Arts Steering Committee.
Semi-finalists may be interviewed by the Steering Committee.

Program Benefits

An award of $4,000.00 (pending an annual review of available funds) that can be used as a stipend, tuition scholarship, or a combination of both. This will be awarded the year in which the redesigned course is offered at Whittier College.
The faculty mentor will also receive an award at the completion of the (re)designed course.

Applying to the Program

The application is due on the first Friday of March. Use this guide to help you gather your application documents. Request these items two weeks prior to the deadline.

A complete application consists of:

Unofficial academic transcripts (a PDF of your DegreeWorks)
Current semester Course Progress Report for each 3-4 credit course you are enrolled in.
Student Contract
Signed Mentor Agreement
A resume which includes relevant skills and experience
A written recommendation letter from the faculty mentor for the project.
A reference contact from someone outside of the applicants major and project’s area of focus. This can be a Faculty member or when applicable to the project a personal reference (e.g., employer, internship supervisor, volunteer coordinator).
A 500-word essay explaining why you want this fellowship opportunity, how you will benefit from the fellowship both personally and professionally, and what personal qualities (skills, attributes, and/or abilities) you possess that will ensure a successful fellowship experience.
An 800-word proposal identifying the specific course to be revised or invented and a description of the process, timeline, and goals of the project.
Selected semi-finalists may be interviewed.

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