The Gaius Charles Bolin Fellowships at Williams College are designed to promote diversity on college faculties by encouraging students from underrepresented groups to complete a terminal graduate degree and to pursue careers in college teaching.
The Bolin Fellowships are two-year residencies at Williams, and up to three scholars or artists are appointed each year. Fellows devote the bulk of the first year to the completion of dissertation work—or in the case of MFA applicants, building their professional portfolios—while also teaching one course as a faculty member in one of the Colleges academic departments or programs. The second year of residency (ideally with degree in hand) is spent on academic career development while again teaching just one course.
Gaius Charles Bolin was the first black graduate of Williams. The fellowship program was founded in 1985, on the centennial of his admission to the College. He was an active and influential member of his class who went on to a career as a lawyer. He valued education and worked against racial prejudice.
Eligibility: The Bolin Fellowships are awarded to applicants from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, those who are first-generation college graduates, women in predominately male fields, or disabled scholars.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who intend to pursue a professorial career in the U.S. Ph.D. candidates must have completed all doctoral work except the dissertation by the end of the current academic year. MFA candidates must be recent recipients of the degree; only those with degrees granted in 2012, or to be granted in 2013, are eligible to apply.
Terms: The annual stipend for the position is $36,000. The College will also provide health and dental benefits, relocation and housing assistance, academic support including office space and a computer, and an annual allowance of $4,000 for research-related expenses.
During the period of residence at Williams, the Bolin Fellows will be affiliated with an appropriate department or program and will be expected to teach one one-semester course each year, normally in the fall semester of year one and the spring semester of year two.
Candidates should apply via Interfolio (see below) before November 15, 2012 with:
- a cover letter with a description of your teaching interests; this letter should also explain how you fit the eligibility criteria for the fellowship;
- a full curriculum vitae;
- an official graduate school transcript and three confidential letters of recommendation;
- PhD applicants: a copy of the dissertation prospectus, preferably limited to 10-15 pages and a timetable for completion of the degree.
- Post MFA applicants: project description, as described below:
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- Writers: 2-3 short stories, 10-15 poems, or novel passages not to exceed 50 pages;
- Visual Artists: 20 images;
- Theatre Artists: sample of design portfolio;
- Musicians: complete list of works or significant performances;
- Choreographers/Dances: documentation of performance;
- Film and Video: links to works.
Williams College, a coeducational liberal arts institution, offers an outstanding undergraduate education to its 2,000 students. The college has built its reputation on a long tradition of outstanding teaching and scholarship and on the academic excellence of its students. Among the opportunities that Williams offers its students and approximately 260 faculty members are interdisciplinary programs and centers, including the Oakley Center for the Humanities and Social Sciences, the Multicultural Center, extensive library and museum collections, computer center and well-equipped laboratories.
Beyond meeting fully its legal obligations for non-discrimination, Williams College is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community where members from all backgrounds can live, learn, and thrive.
