Pathways-to-the-Doctorate Fellowships
The Graduate and Professional School at Texas A&M University is soliciting nominations by faculty, departments and interdisciplinary programs to enhance the recruitment and retention of high-quality doctoral students with diverse experience and backgrounds through partnerships and collaborations with other institutions. These partnerships may be funded through the Pathways to the Doctorate Collaboration grants, but other partnerships may also be considered.
Pathways to the Doctorate Fellowships are designed to support students who come to Texas A&M University as a result of a partnership and collaboration with another institution and are intended to promote mutually beneficial relationships between faculty, departments, and programs at Texas A&M University and other institutions. These relationships should foster meaningful collaborative partnerships that create a sustainable pipeline for students with diverse experiences and backgrounds to enter doctoral programs at Texas A&M University while providing adequate support to students to ensure retention, timely graduation, and career success.
Texas A&M University will award Pathways to the Doctorate Fellowships for incoming doctoral students in the fall semester. In some limited circumstances, fellowships may be awarded to incoming doctoral students in spring semesters.
Funding for these fellowships is provided by the Texas A&M University System, the Graduate and Professional School, and the Division of Research.
Eligibility
Eligible students will be entering a doctoral program at Texas A&M University in the fall semester. Nominees must advance the overall goals of the Pathways to the Doctorate Program.
Nominees may be affiliated with programs or activities currently or previously supported by a Pathways to the Doctorate Collaboration Grant. Nominees may also be affiliated with other types of activities or events associated with mutually beneficial partnerships with institutions that address the goals of this fellowship program. The activities or events may include but are not limited to recruitment visits; partnerships with Texas A&M University System Institutions, Minority Serving Institutions, or institutions with national programs with undergraduate research components such as Dept of Ed McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, NSF LSAMP Program, NIH Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program, etc; short- term disciplinary or interdisciplinary focused symposium, workshops, or meetings which target prospective doctoral students; and structured summer experiences at Texas A&M University.
Nomination packets should clearly identify and describe the nominee’s relationship to a funded collaborative grant or other mutually beneficial partnership that addresses the goals of the fellowship program.
Fellowship Benefits
Pathways to the Doctorate Fellows will receive financial support for four years of doctoral study.
Year One
During the first year, the Graduate and Professional School will provide:
- A 12-month stipend of $2,000 per month
- A one-time top-up stipend of $6,000
- Payment of tuition and required university and college fees for full-time enrollment - 9 hours fall/spring, 6 hours summer (if applicable)
- Fellows will be eligible to participate in a TAMUS insurance program and receive reimbursement from the Graduate and Professional School for 12 months of medical insurance at an amount equivalent to the cost of the employer contribution for the same premium category on the A&M Grad Plan. For fellows participating in a non-TAMUS insurance program, the Graduate and Professional School will reimburse the cost of medical insurance at an amount equivalent to the cost of the employer contribution for the employee only premium category on the A&M Grad Plan.
- $500 in professional development funds
Years Two-Four
The Grad School will provide:
- Payment of tuition and required university and college required fees for full-time enrollment - 9 hours fall/spring, 6 hours summer (if applicable)
- $500 per year in professional development funds
The student’s department, program, or faculty advisor will provide:
- Funding for a 9- or 12-month Graduate Assistant Teaching or Research position at a rate of no less than $2,000 per month.
- Except for the 60-day waiting period, the employing unit pays 12 months of employer contribution for the graduate student employee health plan.
If a fellowship recipient's funding is provided by a supervising faculty member and the supervising faculty member is unable to meet their financial assistance obligations to the student, then the student’s home department or IDP shall assume the responsibility for meeting the outstanding financial obligations.
Fellows' Requirements
Fellows must be in a doctoral program and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 for the first year, and 3.25 in subsequent years. Should a fellow falls below the required minimum, they will be given a one semester probationary period. Fellows must be enrolled full-time (9 hours in the fall and spring semesters, 6 hours in the summer if applicable) at Texas A&M University - College Station to receive their fellowship stipend and their payment toward tuition and fees.
Fellows are expected to work collaboratively with their research advisor and other members of their advisory committee. Pathways to the Doctorate fellows are required to participate in regular program workshops including Graduate Mentoring Academy programming, adhere to all Graduate and Professional School reporting requirements, and attend educational and social events organized by the Grad School for fellows, until completion of their doctoral degree.
Faculty Expectations
Nominations must be submitted through the InfoReady Portal. Nominations may come from individual faculty, a group of faculty, department, IDP or college (for college led programs). Each nomination packet should include:
- A statement of nomination (4-page maximum, single-space) with the following headings/descriptions:
- Academics/Awards/Experience (2-page maximum) that assesses the nominee’s academic record, awards and honors, relevant work experience, or any other important aspects of their personal biography that indicate the likelihood of success in a doctoral program.
- Connections to Partnerships (1-page maximum) describing specifically how the nominee meets the criteria of affiliation with a Pathways to the Doctorate Collaboration Grant-supported or other mutually beneficial activity or program.
- Personal Statement (1-page maximum) describing how the nominee enhances “the recruitment and retention of high-achieving doctoral students with diverse experiences and backgrounds.” by answering the following questions:
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How has your background shaped your life or lived experience, and impacted your development, motivation, academic interests and/or aspirations?
Have you encountered any unusual circumstances, challenges, or obstacles in your educational journey? If so, discuss how you persisted through them.
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- A copy of the nominee’s resume or CV.
- Acknowledgment by the department head, IDP chair, or college (for college-led programs) accepting financial responsibility under the terms of the fellowship.
- Acknowledgment by the prospective faculty mentor of their willingness to supervise this nominee and participate in the Faculty Mentoring Academy or the Graduate Mentoring Academy. In cases for which multiple faculty members will serve as mentors, only one faculty member must provide this acknowledgment.
- Nominees must have submitted an application and the program must have determined that the student meets admissions criteria. If a nominee is selected for a fellowship, the program must admit the student before the fellowship offer is extended.
Nomination Timeline:
February 15: Applications open, review of applications begins.
April 15: Applications close.
April 30: Decisions announced as selections are made.
Access the InfoReady application portal at the link below to complete the application. Applications will only be available during the submission timeline.