Guidelines for Fleharty and Choate Fellowships
Support for graduate student education and research at Fort Hays State University is provided through the generosity of retired Professor of Biological Sciences Dr. Eugene Fleharty (along with his brother, Mr. Lyle Fleharty of Hastings, Nebraska), and the family of Jerry Choate. Additional funds have come from donations by other FHSU alumni (and matched by Dr. Fleharty for the Fleharty Fellowship). These funds held through the FHSU Foundation, along with support from the Graduate School, including a tuition waiver, are used to provide annual support for 4 graduate research assistantships.
A committee chaired by the current Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences and consisting of 3 other members of the biology faculty appointed by the department chair assesses applicants for these competitive fellowships. An annual review of applicants commences in spring and recipients are announced by 1 April for the following academic year. Applicants must be eligible for these fellowships during both the fall and spring semesters of a single academic year (the fellowships are not available during the summer session). As with other support administered by the FHSU Graduate School, graduate students are limited to 4 semesters of eligibility, which includes any combination of Graduate Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Curatorial Assistantships, and the Fleharty, and Choate Fellowships. Students can receive a fellowship more than one year, but most students typically receive it during their second year, after they have had time to develop their research proposal with their advisor and graduate committee.
To apply for the Fleharty Fellowship, you must provide the following information by February 12 (Charles Darwin's birthday) to: Fleharty Fellowship Committee, Department of Biological Sciences, Fort Hays State University, 600 Park Street, Hays, KS 67601.
- Completed and submitted FHSU Graduate School and departmental applications for admission into the Graduate School AND for an assistantship (which includes the fellowships).
- Two letters of recommendation specific to this fellowship; at least one must be from a member of the FHSU Biological Sciences faculty.
- Copies of all available undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
- A statement specific to this honorarium describing the applicant's "plan of action". For example:
- What will you accomplish with this opportunity?
- What will this honor offer you that another Graduate Assistantship will not provide?
- Include information in the statement on past experiences that demonstrate to the committee your potential to succeed as a Fleharty Fellow. If appropriate, include a section on your current research project, including results and any preliminary interpretation. The statement should not exceed 4 double-spaced pages in 10-point font, with 1" margins.
The committee might contact an applicant to clarify information in the application package and might request interviews with potential finalists. As with other graduate assistantships, recipients must meet and maintain academic expectations throughout the time they hold the Fleharty Fellowship.