Undergraduate Students: Next Generation Scholars
The Strauss Center launched the Next Generation Scholars (NGS) program in 2010 with the goal of providing new research and mentorship opportunities for promising UT undergraduate students interested in careers in international security and law. Through a partnership with the RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service, this program now also includes a focus on civic engagement, expanding the reach of the program by engaging more students and involving faculty members on a wider range of local, national, and international policy issues. Involving undergraduates in international affairs and civic engagement early in their career is an important part of the Strauss and RGK Centers’ missions to prepare the next generation of leaders to help develop solutions to the most pressing public policy challenges.
This one-year program includes two key components: First, students will take a 3-credit research training and professional development course, taught in the Fall of 2017. This course is designed to introduce students to policy work, including basic skills in policy research, analysis, and writing. Students will be trained on designing research strategies and proposals, conducting policy analysis, writing resumes and statements of purpose, crafting op-eds and blog posts, and planning for the steps in their career development. This course will be led by Dr. Kate Weaver, Associate Professor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and a Strauss Center Distinguished Scholar.
Second, in the spring semester, the Next Generation Scholars will work closely with Dr. Weaver on a collaborative policy report and blog site. Students should expect to maintain weekly contact with Dr. Weaver and the NGS coordinator and also meet biweekly for short meetings to assess progress on research and writing. The exact schedule for the spring will be determined at a later date to work around students’ course schedules. Students will also be awarded a stipend of $500 for the spring semester. Students may use this stipend for independent research, travel to a study abroad program or summer internship, travel to a professional conference, or other experiential and scholarly pursuits approved by Dr. Weaver. Funding permitting, and contingent on positive performance evaluations, students may have the possibility of continuing as research interns at the Strauss or RGK Center after the year-long Next Generation Scholars program concludes.
Please see the attached documents for application information. The application deadline for both the Brumley Next Generation Fellows and Scholars programs is March 28, 2017. For more information about the programs, please contact Anne Clary at anneclary@austin.utexas.edu.