Dwight Eisenhower/Clifford Roberts Graduate Fellowship

APPLICATION PERIOD

January 20 - February 7, 2025 at 11:59 PM CST

Eligibility

Each applicant must be a graduate student meeting the following eligibility requirements:

• enrolled in a Lawrence or Edwards Campus doctoral program,
• in good academic standing as determined by the Graduate Studies Policy on Good Academic Standing at the time of application,
• continuing full-time enrollment in their graduate program through the Fall 2025 semester and Spring 2026,
• studying and conducting research in fields such as history, government, economics, business administration, international affairs, or others that deal with the role of government in a free society, citizen public service, public policy, and improved understanding of America's role in world affairs,
• at an advanced stage of their doctoral candidacies, preferably at the point of preparing their dissertation.

Award Details

The Eisenhower institute will award each fellow with a stipend of $10,000, which will be disbursed half in September and the remaining half in January within the year it is awarded. KU will work with awardees regarding the arrangements for disbursement of the funds.

The Eisenhower Institute requires a brief progress report from the fellow's doctoral advisor no later than November 15 in order for the second half of the stipend to be disbursed by the Eisenhower Institute.

The Eisenhower Institute also requires receipt of the fellow's dissertation, once completed, along with an acknowledgement of the Institute's support of the work. 

Application Documents

Each application must include:

• The applicant's curriculum vitae.
• A statement, not exceeding 750 words, describing the nature and scope of the dissertation, including a timetable for its completion.
• A statement, not exceeding 750 words, of the applicant's career aspirations, with a focus on connecting research to professional/volunteer experience and/or career aspirations, as well as applications outside academia.
• A statement, not exceeding 500 words, describing how the applicant will use the funding (statement should outline how at least 50% of funding will be used for research-related activities, not living or general educational expenses).
• A 1-2 page writing sample, preferably on a topic related to the dissertation.
• Two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from the applicant's doctoral advisor.
  • These letters should be submitted via email to graduateawards@ku.edu and not seen by the applicants.
  • The letters must have been submitted prior to the student's application, as the form will require the student to confirm that this task has been completed.

The Eisenhower Institute seeks to support study and education dealing with the role of government in a free society, citizen public service, public policy, and improved understanding of America's role in world affairs. Therefore, recommendation letters should address the following:

1. Alignment between the applicant's work and the goals of the Eisenhower Institute.
2. Expected impact of the award on supporting the applicant's progress on their dissertation.
3. Applicant's career aspirations and their alignment with the goals of the Eisenhower Institute.
4. Applicant's qualities, skills, and/or competencies that distinguish them as an outstanding student.

All documents should be uploaded as PDFs through the application link below.

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by a committee comprised of faculty and staff representing the Dole Institute of Politics, the Office of Public Affairs, and the Office of Graduate Studies. Two (2) applicants will be nominated to the Eisenhower Institute on behalf of the University of Kansas.

The Eisenhower Institute's designated selection committee will then conduct a second review including nominees from different institutions and select the final awardees. Notifications of fellowships granted for the 2025-2026 program will be communicated in June 2025.

Timeline