Photogeographic Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Good luck this week to everyone still waiting !!! I don't know if the anticipation could possibly be any greater at this point !
catsushi Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Long time lurker, checking in and looking for some advice. I am a hopeful SSA research grant and, although Fulbright remains my first choice, I was also selected for a teaching assignment with a different program in the same region that I intend to do my research with Fulbright. I remain ecstatic to have been selected for my teaching assignment, but this was more of a back-up plan in case I did not get my Fulbright grant. The dilemma I face is my teaching assignment needs to know whether I accept this position by the end of next week. Looking through the spreadsheet, SSA has been consistent for a few years in sending notifications after mid-April. However, I have noticed a consistent trend that many regions are being notified slightly earlier than in previous years. I am not much of a risk taker, but this seems to be a justified risk with Fulbright. The risk is even more worthwhile since my research with Fulbright directly relates to my career aspirations whereas my teaching position is a place holder and an opportunity to build more experience and contacts within the region. In brainstorming, I have considered contacting administration with my teaching position and asking for a week (or two?) extension on the deadline. I also wonder if there is precedent in accepting the teaching position, but--in the case I am selected for Fulbright--reneging on my teaching position agreement. This is a distant option since this reflects poorly on my character. A better option I have considered is to send a formal and polite email to the Fulbright regional director to get a better grasp on the notification timeline and (possibly) whether turning down the teaching assignment and rolling the dice with Fulbright is worth the risk. Although I do wish (as most of us probably do) that there is more certainty on a precise date of notification, I also don't want to give the impression that I am impatient and potentially a bad fit for the research position. Am I overthinking this? Any advice from you all would be greatly appreciated. I think you already got advice on this but pitching in my two cents--if this teaching opportunity slides by because you're waiting on Fulbright, I'm confident you'll be able to find another opportunity that's similar in that country again. The Fulbright is an opportunity I think that is a little more rare, so I say it's worth it to wait and find out. Asking Fulbright for a notification timeline I think is futile since the person you're contacting may not necessarily have control over your decision (ie might be waiting on someone else who's waiting on someone else). You might have already done this, but asking the teaching opportunity for an extension I think is your best bet. Also, I COMPLETELY sympathize with your dilemma. So hard to plan around an opportunity that *MIGHT* or *MIGHT NOT* happen (coughFulbrightcough) as opposed to something that is actually set in stone. Yarp. Photogeographic 1
Ceek76 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 (edited) Not selected for Kenya. Edited April 13, 2015 by Ceek76
sabrinamichelle Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Good luck this week to everyone still waiting !!! I don't know if the anticipation could possibly be any greater at this point ! Did you find out?! Photogeographic 1
sabrinamichelle Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Not selected for Kenya. So sorry!!! After all this time waiting. I bet it was because of all that's going on in Kenya. My friend who got the Fulbright-Hays had to change her research site to Tanzania. Good luck and I'm sure something great is coming!
lalalabirds001 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Sorry Does this mean that SSA will found out today? I applied for a research grant to Mozambique...didn't even see it on the googledoc so I really have no idea if the notification will happen at the same time. Any thoughts?
Photogeographic Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Did you find out?! Bhegg I'm too nervous to look at the moment. I'm at work in an office so I think I'm going to open my email after work..
jadesg1 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Sorry Does this mean that SSA will found out today? I applied for a research grant to Mozambique...didn't even see it on the googledoc so I really have no idea if the notification will happen at the same time. Any thoughts? Unfortunately notifications aren't released regionally, but rather by each country specifically. So, for example, while Morocco and Israel have heard already, Jordan has yet to receive news.
Ceek76 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 (edited) Thanks for the well wishes. There are a couple reasons beyond the security situation (which is bleak) why I wasn't confident in my chances. But still obviously disappointed to see the final score. Hoping for the best for other SSA applicants. Edited April 13, 2015 by Ceek76 Damis 1
anonymous838 Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Have any Malaysia applicants written to staff at MACEE to ask about a possible notification date/window of time? I know Malaysia applicants in the past have done this and I was thinking about doing it, but I don't want to if someone already has. ajcrvg 1
ajcrvg Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Have any Malaysia applicants written to staff at MACEE to ask about a possible notification date/window of time? I know Malaysia applicants in the past have done this and I was thinking about doing it, but I don't want to if someone already has. Go for it!! StellaBlue and Jelainedesi 2
Jelainedesi Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Have any Malaysia applicants written to staff at MACEE to ask about a possible notification date/window of time? I know Malaysia applicants in the past have done this and I was thinking about doing it, but I don't want to if someone already has. I'm 100% behind this. Let us know when you hear? StellaBlue and ajcrvg 2
SlowlyGoingCrazy Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 According to Twitter, a bunch of people from my program have gotten good news. Trying to read these particular entrails ... presumably those declined are Tweeting it.
rockrmoose Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 According to the spreadsheet, South Africa and Mongolia also got notified besides Kenya! At least that's something to keep me from going crazy cml471 and Photogeographic 2
Photogeographic Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 oh ! also .. i emailed Fulbright last week asking when statistics would be updated and they said they will hopefully be up as soon as possible .. most likely in the next few weeks.. cml471 and rockrmoose 2
sabrinamichelle Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Got a research grant to Ghana!!! rockrmoose and TotheBalkans 2
Photogeographic Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 Got a research grant to Ghana!!! YAYYYYYYY .. This makes me so happy
Photogeographic Posted April 13, 2015 Posted April 13, 2015 NS Guess Fulbright isn't the right path for me !
swazibound Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 I got a research grant for Swaziland! I'll be doing linguistic anthropology research at a youth club, a support group for HIV positive youth. TotheBalkans, rockrmoose, taiwantroubadour and 3 others 6
schmokay Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 not selected for research to south africa. pretty bummed, and surprised.
AfricaHopeful Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 NS Guess Fulbright isn't the right path for me ! I love your attitude. I too didn't get selected. Onward! catsushi and AfricaHopeful 2
Photogeographic Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 Any SSA applicants who weren't selected considering applying again ?! This was my 3rd time and I just feel like the ratio of grants being so small makes the application process so ..what feels like impossible. I studied Swahili in college as well as out side of it, and I have also lived in Uganda. So I am dedicated to east Africa with a deep burning passion especially Kenya. I would love to think I would be willing to apply again, but I am now 25 .. and I know there is a weird time frame for how long you can be out of school and still apply. And over all I'm kind of hopeless at this point (in a realistic way not so much feeling sorry for myself way). This year my proposal was aimed to focus on elephant conservation and the focus on the declining elephant population .. which they even have multiple articles supporting and highlighting on my counties embassy website. I understand there are risk/danger factors that could have played apart in their choices. Do I take this proposal and try it with neighboring countries dealing with declining elephant population and hope next year its still relevant ? Or do I start completely fresh with a country that actually awards more than 3 grants a year ... Its hard being nominated twice and just throwing in the towel but I honestly don't know what I could possibly do different after trying so many times ! During my campus evaluation this year I was laughing at the fact that it was my third time applying, and one of the committee members said " I understand I applied 4 times before getting my Fulbright" .. so do i even dare ? Any feed back on whether anyone thinks applying a 4th time is worth it or if I should just move on ? .. I feel slightly like an insane person. *sigh* But on a positive note this forum has made the waiting process and my overall Fulbright experience a million times more enjoyable this year than the times when I didn't know it existed. frashi25 1
catsushi Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 I love your attitude. I too didn't get selected. Onward! Aw Photogeographic and AfricaHopeful, I'm sorry you two weren't selected. But you made it past the first round, which still says a lot! I feel like the rest is up to luck as well (whether they had enough funding/spots available or whether the gov was looking for that type of project). In the mean time, you are both free from the awful waiting and can finally choose the other awesome opportunities that await you!
catsushi Posted April 14, 2015 Posted April 14, 2015 Any SSA applicants who weren't selected considering applying again ?! This was my 3rd time and I just feel like the ratio of grants being so small makes the application process so ..what feels like impossible. I studied Swahili in college as well as out side of it, and I have also lived in Uganda. So I am dedicated to east Africa with a deep burning passion especially Kenya. I would love to think I would be willing to apply again, but I am now 25 .. and I know there is a weird time frame for how long you can be out of school and still apply. And over all I'm kind of hopeless at this point (in a realistic way not so much feeling sorry for myself way). This year my proposal was aimed to focus on elephant conservation and the focus on the declining elephant population .. which they even have multiple articles supporting and highlighting on my counties embassy website. I understand there are risk/danger factors that could have played apart in their choices. Do I take this proposal and try it with neighboring countries dealing with declining elephant population and hope next year its still relevant ? Or do I start completely fresh with a country that actually awards more than 3 grants a year ... Its hard being nominated twice and just throwing in the towel but I honestly don't know what I could possibly do different after trying so many times ! During my campus evaluation this year I was laughing at the fact that it was my third time applying, and one of the committee members said " I understand I applied 4 times before getting my Fulbright" .. so do i even dare ? Any feed back on whether anyone thinks applying a 4th time is worth it or if I should just move on ? .. I feel slightly like an insane person. *sigh* But on a positive note this forum has made the waiting process and my overall Fulbright experience a million times more enjoyable this year than the times when I didn't know it existed. In your shoes, I say it wouldn't hurt to try to apply for a different country, along with applying for jobs/other opportunities in the region. I think it's important to also be strategic about selecting your countries. Also, at 25 (and I'm assuming you have more education and/or experience), who says that you can't also work for an organization in the region? Have you also considered applying to Princeton in Africa, which is another fellowship in the region? They have a lot of wonderful opportunities involving development projects. I applied for Princeton in Asia when I had just graduated, and worked in the Central Asian region (although the two programs, Princeton in Asia and Princeton in Africa, are separate).
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