BSP Graduate Fellowship

The Bailey Scholars Program is offering the opportunity for graduate students (Master’s and PhD) in any discipline to apply to be a Graduate Fellow with the program to further their development in the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The Bailey Scholars Program is offering the opportunity for graduate students (Master’s and PhD) in any discipline to apply to be a Graduate Fellow with the program to further their development in the scholarship of teaching and learning. Please see the information below for further information about the fellowship. If you have any questions, please contact the Program Director, Jennifer (Jeno) Rivera (jeno@msu.edu). Please feel free to check out our website (https://www.canr.msu.edu/bsp/) for more information about the program in general.

BAILEY SCHOLAR PROGRAM GRADUATE FELLOWS

The Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program (BSP) is an integrated learning and leadership community at Michigan State University (MSU). It was established to foster a diverse learning community where students grow with and from one another while practicing self-directed learning. The program is guided by a series of program principles focused on individual scholars, a collaborative learning community, and forward-focused radical influence. You can access a listing of the program principles at this Liberty Hyde Bailey Scholars Program Principles document.

The fellowship exposes graduate students to a learning community focused on innovative teaching and learning practices. There is one primary convener roles available for fellows in the 2022-23 academic year: Teaching & Learning Convener. ALL graduate fellows will be part of a research learning community, where they conduct a team research project 2022-23  academic year.

TEACHING & LEARNING CONVENER

Graduate fellows spend each semester paired with a seasoned BSP faculty convener in the classroom where they learn about the pedagogy of a learning-centered organization. There are three core-courses in BSP. ANR 210 is an introductory course to the Bailey community process, ANR 310 is a continuation of the scholars’ learning journey, and ANR 410 is a problem-based learning experience. This is not a traditional Teaching Assistantship. In the Bailey classroom, you are positioned as a convener and co-learner and not an instructor. It will challenge your notions of power, encourage you to consider ways you can design opportunities for student self-empowerment, and ask you to reframe what assessment looks like, making the experience of being a Teaching Convener truly unique.

ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENER

Graduate fellows spend their time as a participant observer of the ‘behind-the-scenes’ processes involved in running and sustaining an MSU minor-granting program. Day-to-day responsibilities of the Administrative Convener includes assisting program directors with the BSP website management, assisting with social media strategy, and management of the BSP social media platforms in collaboration with BSP student leadership. Additional experiential opportunities may include shadowing the BSP advisor in their daily recruitment and advising activities, managing and processing BSP student forms and learning allowance applications.

ALL CONVENERS

All graduate fellows will be part of a learning community, where they will work together on a team research projects related to the Bailey Scholars program. These projects range in topic and scope, but all fellows get a unique experience in designing research projects, submitting to and attending conferences, and engaging in research project management activities. Throughout both semesters, there are bi-weekly team meetings. As the research project gains traction, fellows may be required to participate in small team meetings to work on deliverables for the research study. 

Fellows work closely with others to ensure they meet their personal and professional goals for the experience, and they are expected to engage in the BSP community to ensure they fully immerse themselves in the experience.  To keep up-to-date with the experience and program logistics, all fellows are required to meet once a month.

The selection committee encourages you to consider the descriptions of the two types of convener roles above, and select the convener type (Teaching or Administrative) that best suits your professional development goals. Although the program lies in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, familiarity with that subject matter is not necessary as the focus of the fellowship is on the process(es) of learning rather than content. A fellowship stipend ($2500), distributed in two amounts at the beginning of each semester (FS22/SS23), will be offered for the academic year with the opportunity for renewal.

***PLEASE NOTE: DUE TO THE COLLABORATIVE NATURE OF THIS PROGRAM, IT IS REQUIRED THAT THE GRADUATE FELLOW BE GEOGRAPHICALLY LOCATED IN THE EAST LANSING SURROUNDING AREA DURING THE FELLOWSHIP YEAR. FELLOWS WHO WILL BE GONE FOR WEEKS OR MONTHS AT A TIME (FOR RESEARCH FIELDWORK OR OTHER REASONS) WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. 

Deadline to apply is Friday, April 1, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.

Apply here:  https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6gmol7426IrmUya

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