3M National Student Fellowships
For many years, 3M Canada has provided scholarships and awards for college and university students across Canada. Recently, the company decided to consolidate and leverage its support by strengthening its partnership with the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE). A national award for students is not only a welcome complement to STLHE’s award programs, but it also marks an exciting beginning for students across Canada to distinguish themselves as part of a unique learning community.
Call for Nominations
The 3M National Student Fellowships will honour up to ten full-time, college and undergraduate university students who have demonstrated qualities of outstanding leadership and who embrace a vision where the quality of their educational experience can be enhanced in academia and beyond.
Nature of Award
Each of the ten winners will:
- Receive a $5,000 award to be spent at the discretion of the winner
- Be invited to join other award winners (their cohort) and the Program Coordinator at the annual STLHE conference
- Have the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with their cohort on issues that matter to them
- If they so wish, to develop a collaborative project that can enhance teaching and learning at the post-secondary level.
The award also includes the cost of travel to and accommodation during the STLHE annual conference. If a promising project is conceived during this time, depending on its nature and scope, some financial support may also be made available. All contenders should commit to attend the STLHE Annual Conference in Montreal, June 19 to 22, 2012.
Eligibility
The award is open to post-secondary, full-time, college and undergraduate university students. Candidates must have completed at least one full-time semester of study, however, they cannot apply during the final year of their degrees or diplomas. This time frame allows award winners to build on their relationships and strengthen the learning community. Over time, cohorts of Student Fellows will be encouraged to gather, reflect and grow at the national level.
NOTE—If the applicant answers “YES” to any of the following questions, the nomination will not be considered:
- Are you a part-time student?
- Are you in the final year of your program?
- Did you prepare your letter of nomination?
- Are you a graduate student?
Application Procedure
Applications shall not exceed fifteen (15) pages, including appendices, except where noted under “Academic Performance” below. An application in excess of 15 pages will not be considered. Applications must be submitted using 2.54 cm (1″) margins, double-spaced in a 12 point font. A high resolution (minimum 300dpi) digital photograph (head and shoulders) must accompany the application, but no video or web content, in support of the application, will be accepted.
Criteria
Since this is a student leadership award, the applicant’s greatest challenge will be to demonstrate evidence that highlights various aspects of the candidate’s leadership profile. In addition to the leadership profile, the application must also highlight perceived challenges in post-secondary education, transformational educational experiences, and any awards and recognition received. A record of academic performance, a letter of nomination and support letters must also be included. Each of these are elaborated upon below.
Leadership Profile
“Leadership” by itself is not a scientific term that has easily identifiable boundaries. For this reason, it is impossible to provide a precise definition. Nor do we pretend to quantify leadership activities by specifying an exact number of events, situations and experiences where the candidate played a leadership role. Nevertheless, it is possible to determine a leadership profile by considering different examples that would normally be expected to accompany the application.
Here are some examples an application might include:
- The difference an applicant has made to governance or to student life as a distinguished member of a student society, club, association, etc;
- The significant impact of an event within academia or beyond where the applicant had considerable involvement;
- The identification, contribution and/or resolution of important issues such as substance abuse, mental health, plagiarism, safety, residential life, etc;
- Participation in and commitment to volunteer activities, mentorship programs and/or community service learning.
These are examples of the types of evidence that might be included, however they are by no means to be considered a checklist that the selection committee would use. The selection committee is very much interested in applications reflecting the applicant’s creativity, distinctiveness and personality, and shedding light on an exceptional leadership profile. The nominator (see below) is encouraged to make a “case” for an applicant’s leadership profile by connecting the concrete evidence, compelling anecdotes, persuasive support letters, and the inspiring believability that the applicant is deserving of this Fellowship.
In addition to examples of leadership, a candidate must provide a brief statement of leadership in the context of his or her educational experience and beyond. This personal statement should include how the candidate perceives leadership activities, with examples drawn from his or her experience in post-secondary education. Applicants should also explain why they aspired to the leadership roles. This information will help to demonstrate how applicants’ initiatives have led, or have been part of leading a variety of events.
Challenges in Post-Secondary Education
The applicant should briefly describe the biggest challenge(s) in his or her institution based upon personal experience. What constrains and impedes learning? What are the possible solutions to these challenges?
Transformational Educational Experiences
The applicant is also encouraged to describe his or her experiences in learning environments beyond the classroom. Applicants should demonstrate the influence of these experiences on their academic performance and on their attitudes towards learning. They may also reference educational issues beyond their immediate environment.
Awards and Recognition
The applicant should describe in detail all academic and/or non-academic awards or recognition she or he has received.
Academic Performance
- An applicant must provide institutional transcripts for at least one semester of post-secondary education, plus all available grades in courses in which they have enrolled until the end of the current calendar year.
- College students who are enrolled in a two-year program may submit a written statement of their first term grades. This statement must then be notarized by an administrator of the college. These documents should be included as appendices to the application and will not count as part of the 15-page limit.
- Applicants must be in good standing academically (not on probation) and demonstrate an above average GPA in their programs and within their institutions.
- Applicants are also invited to provide statements contextualizing their academic performance and citing any challenges or barriers to academic learning. These statements should describe opportunities and experiences that have contributed positively to their post-secondary academic experience.
Nomination Letter and Letters of Support
The letter of nomination will come from a person of the applicant’s choice. This person (nominator) should provide an overarching and compelling case as to why the applicant deserves to win the award. The nominator should consider all aspects of the applicant’s file and connect the evidence that will help the selection committee to understand the applicant’s strengths. Self-authored letters of nomination will not be accepted. Effective applications will demonstrate the nominee’s excellence repeatedly, not simply assert it.
The number of letters of support is not limited, but the candidate should keep in mind the application’s page restrictions. These letters should complement the strengths of the applicant and not repeat what has already been said.
Selection Process and Publicity
The selection committee will consist of students, 3M National Teaching Fellows and the Program Coordinator of this award. The committee will consider an application as a unified whole, not simply as an assemblage of compartments. Each section of the application should therefore reinforce its overall unity. The application should reveal the applicant’s character and achievements, and each section adds substance and evidence, constructing, in the end, a compelling application file.
STLHE and 3M Canada are committed to publicize and celebrate this award at various points in time of a given calendar year. Public relations managers of the winner’s local institutions will be sent a brief profile of the award winner as well as information about the planned activities relating to the celebration of the award winners.
Submission Deadline
The competition is now closed.
