Raoul Wallenberg Fellowship

Inspired by the spirit of Raoul Wallenberg, the Wallenberg Fellowship is awarded in the spring of each year to a graduating senior of exceptional promise and accomplishment who is committed to service and the public good. The fellowship provides $25,000 to carry out an independent project of learning or exploration anywhere in the world during the year after graduation. The Fellow will engage in a self-designed and self-directed area of exploration or project of experiential learning. Through an active and immersive year-long experience, and by connecting in meaningful ways with the lives of other people and communities, the Wallenberg Fellow will prepare to make a difference in the world.

The Fellowship honors Raoul Wallenberg (B.S. Arch. ’35), one of the most illustrious graduates of the University of Michigan. At U-M, Wallenberg was recognized for the excellence of his academic work, his eagerness for knowledge of the world and for understanding others, and for his intrepid independence and resourcefulness. He left Ann Arbor resolved to be actively engaged in life. Ten years later, as a Swedish diplomat during World War II, Wallenberg coordinated the rescue of tens of thousands of Jews in Budapest. He disappeared after he was arrested by Soviet authorities. One of the great heroes of the 20th century, Raoul Wallenberg shows that even under the most daunting circumstances, one person can make a difference.

Eligibility and Requirements

Applicants must be in good academic standing and in their final undergraduate year at the time of their application and must graduate by the time the fellowship begins. Applicants may be of any citizenship. They should have an excellent academic record. They should show evidence of qualities necessary for successfully completing an independent year-long project, such as seriousness of purpose; interest in and openness to others; eagerness to learn and curiosity about the world; self-reliance, poise, and maturity; and creativity and resourcefulness. Fellowship support will start on August 15 in the year of graduation and last between eight and twelve months, ending no later than August 14 in the year after graduation.

Application (PDF)

Students must submit application materials as one PDF document, and must include the following materials:

  1. Application form
  2. Project proposal of no more than 1,250 words
  3. Project budget that details the costs associated with the proposed activities
  4. Personal statement of no more than 1,000 words
  5. Curriculum Vitae or résumé
  6. Unofficial UM Transcript, and any transcripts of other post-secondary study, including summer school.

Please see the Provost's Council on Student Honors for details about each of the required application materials. 

Letters of Recommendation

In addition to these 6 materials (PDF), students must also request letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation can be provided by faculty, advisors, or mentors, and must EACH be accompanied by the recommendation form. Applicants are responsible for requesting letters of recommendation and must ensure they are submitted by the due date.

Deadlines

The PDF materials and letters of recommendation must be emailed to Kimberly Smith (ksmithz@umich.edu) by 5:00 p.m. on March 15, 2013. 

Selection Process

Application is a two-stage process. Seniors must apply to the Raoul Wallenberg Fellowship (RWF) contact in their school or college. Students in the Program in the Environment can apply through the School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE). Members from the SNRE and PitE Scholarship Committees will review applications and may forward up to two nominations to the Wallenberg Fellowship Selection Committee, comprising representatives from the President’s Office, the Provost’s Office, Rackham, LSA, Engineering, and others.

Forms

Application form

Project budget

Recommendation Form (for letter writers)

 

For more information about the Wallenberg Fellowship or other International Fellowship Competitions, please visit the Provost's Council on Student Honors: http://www.provost.umich.edu/scholars/scholarships/wallenberg.html