POTUS Fellowship

STEM Fellows (Doctoral) serve as research and teaching assistants, produce scholarly works, and engage in professional development opportunities. The Fellowship benefits include:

• Full Tuition (Fall, Spring, Summer)*
  • Counseling Psychology POTUS Fellows Credit Hours Information: Title III will only cover up to 12 hours for both fall and spring semesters & up to 6 hours for summer semesters
• A monthly stipend ($3,000.00/month) *
• Travel to professional conferences*
• Increased academic enrichment
• Faculty and peer engagement
• Professional development
• Financial assistance for textbooks*
• Research supplies*
• Faculty mentoring

*Total estimated value is $50,000.00/year

Monthly stipends are paid directly to Fellows; however, all other funds are applied to their university accounts.

The Graduate Fellowships are for students pursuing their doctoral degree at TSU in STEM subjects. Fellowships are offered in Biological Sciences, Physical Therapy, Engineering, Agricultural Sciences, and Counseling Psychology. Additional requirements include:

• U.S. Citizen/Permanent Resident
• Unconditional admission to a TSU doctoral program
• Full-time enrollment
• Maintain a 3.0 GPA

Program Requirements

All POTUS Fellows are required to meet the following expectations every academic year:

• Attend mandatory in-person orientation meetings in Fall and Spring semesters.
• Attend monthly virtual CYouCMe meetings. Students can miss one meeting in an academic year with an excuse. Twenty-four (24) hours notice is required for missed meetings.
• Submit two (2) scholarly works in an academic year. Scholarly works include conference presentations, manuscript submissions, grant proposals, book chapters, etc.
• Attend eight (8) professional or personal development seminars or workshops in an academic year.
• Volunteer eight (8) hours to the community in a way that promotes STEM education or deepens your STEM experience or skillset. Examples include voluteering at local science fairs, tutoring in STEM subjects, donating therapy hours, educating the community on STEM topics, etc.
• Sign and return all requested documents, including contracts, offer letters, timesheets, expectation sheets, release forms, travel requisitions, etc by the stated deadlines.

Please note: Failure to meet any of the above requirements may lead to probation or dismissal from the POTUS Fellowship.

• Physical Therapy Application Period:
  • March 1st – March 15th
  • There will be no applications for physical therapy students accepted outside of this window
• All Other POTUS Disciplines Application Period:
  •  June 1st – June 15th
  • There will be no applications accepted outside of this window
• Fall Orientation Dates:
  • Always the Friday before Fall Classes begin
• Contract Lengths:
  • First Day of Fall Semester for Current Academic Status – The Friday After Grades are Due of Spring Semester for Current Academic Status
  • Summer Contracts for POTUS Students go mid-May to mid-August (exact dates change year-to-year)

Upon receiving unconditional admission to the TSU Graduate School and the department, prospective applicants should follow the instructions below:

First-time Applicants Link & Documents Needed:

• Application Link
• Documents Needed for Application:
  • Unofficial Transcript
  • Completed FAFSA
  • Personal Statement
  • CV/Resume
  • Letter of Recommendation
    • Current TSU students must submit a letter of recommendation from a TSU staff or faculty member
    • New students may submit a letter of recommendation from a non TSU staff or faculty member

Reminders:

• Application Form is only open during the application periods listed above
• You cannot go back and edit or save your progress to the form once started
• You must already be accepted into a graduate program before completing the application
• A fellowship committee will review applications and perform interviews, candidates will be ranked using a rubric
• Do not email or drop off any documents to the Title III Office, please upload all required documents to the online application
• Completed applications do not guarantee an interview. Interviews do not guarantee placement into the program.
• Space is limited in the program. Acceptance is based on availability and fundng.

Requests for extensions must be submitted no later than 90 days prior to the end of the current contract period. Students seeking an extension are required to formally present their request to the Fellowship Directors, their research advisor, and the appropriate Department Chair and/or Graduate Chair. The request should clearly outline the rationale for the extension and provide an updated plan for completion of remaining requirements. Extensions may be approved for up to one additional year and may be funded either fully or partially, depending on available resources and demonstrated need. The review committee will evaluate each request and determine which program requirements remain outstanding and must be completed during the extension period.

• Students are eligible for up to 4 years maximum of support
• POTUS Fellowship provides support and opportunities to empower students to excel academically
• Encourages students to take on leadership roles in academics and chosen careers
• Aims to develop the next generation of leaders through high expectations and accountability