This program is specifically designed to help Ph.D. graduate students in LSA who for a variety of reasons may be stalled in completing their dissertations. Participants will be required to attend the Sweetland Writing Center for at least six hours each day during the eight weeks of spring term. They will be supplied with a dedicated computer workstation and work space where they can leave books and other scholarly materials. Fellows will be expected to participate in the group discussions, where they will share their writing and receive feedback. In addition, a Sweetland faculty member will be available for writing consultation.

This Writing Institute is for graduate students:
1) whose research is complete or nearly complete;
2) who have conceptualized the principal elements of the dissertation; and
3) who have already begun to write the dissertation. Applicants will be asked to submit an accepted chapter.

LSA Department Chairs and Directors are asked to nominate up to three advanced graduate students who they believe will benefit by participating in this program by Friday, March 7, 2008. Students will then be contacted by Sweetland and asked to apply. Students will be asked to write a letter describing their dissertation, its current state, and why and how they would benefit from the Writing Institute. They will also be asked to provide a recommendation from their dissertation advisor.  Nominees applications will be due Friday, March 21, 2008. Fellows may not hold another position during the eight-week period of the fellowship. They must work fulltime on their dissertations during this time. Rackham, LS&A, and the Sweetland Writing Center will support each graduate student selected with a stipend of $3,000.

Please submit nominations to Laura Schuyler, schuyler@umich.edu.