The Inclusive Excellence Graduate Fellowship Program is designed to provide students from underrepresented, first-generation, and/or disadvantaged circumstances with the opportunity to advance their professional development by being immersed in an office dedicated to making Marquette a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable place. Sponsored by the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion, the Fellow is mentored by experienced DEI professionals as they engage in meaningful activities that build their skills, knowledge, and leadership acumen.

 

Eligibility criteria

• Apply and be accepted to a program in Marquette University’s Graduate School
• Meet any of the diversity criteria below:
  • Be a member of a historically underrepresented group in higher education (African-American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, Asian-American, or Hispanic-American), and/or
  • Be a first-generation college student, and/or
  • Have a history of overcoming a significant disadvantage. This includes, but is not limited to being low-income or undocumented/DACAmented
• Demonstrated commitment to working toward a more equitable and inclusive world

*Note: as this is a fellowship and not an assistantship, candidates do NOT need to be eligible for work authorization in order to apply.

 

Benefits

• A full tuition scholarship
• A $20,000 annual stipend
• Extensive mentorship and professional development experiences through Marquette’s Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion.

These fellowships are for new students and will be awarded at the time of admission. As long as satisfactory academic progress is made, in accordance with our policy for merit-based aid, the awards can be renewed for a total of two years for students in master’s programs, or for a total of four years for recipients in doctoral programs. Please also note the Graduate School fellowship guidelines.

 

Application Process

Please send a letter of interest and a resume to Jacki Black, Director of Hispanic Initiatives and Diversity & Inclusion Educational Programming at jacqueline.black@marquette.edu. The letter of interest should address how the goals and activities of the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion dovetail with your own interests or passions, and how you might benefit from participation in this fellowship. Your application materials should also demonstrate your commitment to working toward a more equitable and inclusive campus, community, and/or world, as evidenced through your academic, research, co-curricular, volunteer, and/or community-based activities.

 

Important Dates

• March 1: Application materials due
• March 15: Award recipient will be notified
• April 15: Recipient must accept or decline the award no later than this date.

 

Fellowship Activities

Development opportunities are guided by the Inclusive Excellence Fellow’s professional interests and crafted in close consultation with OIDI staff. The activities in which you will be engaged during your fellowship are designed to allow you to learn and practice a range of skills that are needed in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Some possible examples of these hands-on learning experiences may include:

• Participating in/Leading workshops and discussion groups for students around issues related to implicit bias, microaggressions, and other critical DEI understandings.
• Facilitating college readiness programs that work with first-generation and underrepresented students of color from local high schools, such as the Encuentros mentor program – a partnership with Cristo Rey Jesuit High School.
• Supporting bilingualism on campus through the Café con Leche Spanish discussion series, Spanish social media, and engaging with Spanish-speaking stakeholders.
• Being guided through and participating in the organization of major OIDI programs, such as the annual Dreamers Gala and the Symposium on Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice.
• Contributing to the We Are All Marquette article series to highlight diverse stories.
• Participating in various diversity events, campus committees, and community events.
• Exploring and updating the interactive map of Marquette’s diversity and inclusion resources and efforts.
• Any number of self-directed projects, scaffolded by DEI personnel, that will bolster your capacity and confidence for DEI work.

Your experience will be shaped by your passions and supported by experienced staff. To learn more about this opportunity, please contact Jacki Black at jacqueline.black@marquette.edu. 

For more information on DEI efforts at Marquette, please visit the diversity website.