CAELD
Opportunities Across Majors
Opportunities are for all majors; creative arts and hard STEM may apply to different fellowships, though some opportunities are broad and malleable enough to tailor to your goals.
Many fellowships let you tailor the proposal by pitching based on your goals and where you see yourself going.
You can apply to many opportunities entirely on your own, without meeting with staff.
Some opportunities require university endorsement before you can apply; you must come in to obtain endorsement.
CALA (CAEL) office exists to support you, even if it has a nebulous title; the team wants to help you understand opportunities and navigate your college experience.
How CAELD Office Helps You
CALA is described as a supportive resource to help you explore opportunities and navigate questions you didn’t know to ask in undergrad.
If you’re unsure what you want to do, you can still come in: staff will walk you through the website, discuss your major, interests, and goals.
The CAEL website (cael.unm.eu) lists opportunities; deadlines are spread through the fall and spring semesters and repeat every year.
You can use CALA as a sounding board before applying, to get an additional set of eyes on your materials.
Meeting Access and Endorsement Process
Some opportunities require university endorsement; others you can apply to on your own.
Alicia and the speaker want to emphasize talking to staff, as they have insights and can help tailor applications.
You should reach out early; you don’t have to wait until mid-spring to start preparing.
If you’re unsure what you want, they’ll walk through options and help you identify scholarships you’re eligible for.
Application Process and Timeline
Most meetings focus on essay edits and revisions; multiple rounds are common and expected.
Don’t approach writing as a one-shot task; be prepared for iterative drafting and feedback.
For some fellowships (especially postgraduate fellowships), preparation can take months and involve essays, multiple recommendation letters, and affiliation letters to mentors.
You may work with faculty to secure letters of recommendation and establish affiliations with research groups.
Staff encourage you to bring your first drafts—even if messy—so they can help you shape your authentic story.
They discourage relying on editing software to replace your own voice; authenticity beats polished but inauthentic writing.
Staff are available throughout the year and will offer more targeted discussions in fall/spring and around specific programs.
Real-Life Examples and Lessons
Aria (Florida State University): freshman year discussion identified scholarships she was eligible for; two years later she didn’t pursue them due to feeling intimidated and thinking she needed more on-campus involvement.
Lesson: many opportunities are available to you during undergraduate years; you don’t need extensive abroad or research experience to be eligible—some programs onboard students with minimal prior experience.
Youssef: a student who had excellent essays but initially didn’t win fellowships; later gained admission to law school at the University of Chicago (noted for its ~ acceptance rate).
Takeaway: there can be more rejections than acceptances, but persistence is valuable; applying in conjunction with local opportunities and other scholarships can improve success.
A Broad Range of Fellowships and Programs
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP): broad category; emphasizes graduate research funding; not always easy but highly valuable.
NSF REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates): fully funded summer research opportunities at other universities; typically 2–3 months; open to students across fields; you can apply to multiple REUs (e.g., in physics or other STEM fields).
REU specifics: often 2–3 months in duration; low or no cost to participate; strong for building research portfolios; opportunities are available locally and nationally.
Language scholarships (full funding for a summer language study): not a typical classroom-study model; emphasize immersion and cultural activities in a cohort; designed for rapid language gains.
Steelman Scholarship (language-focused): up to ; can be applied for in the same cycle as Gilman.
Gilman Scholarship: deadlines in and ; designed to support undergraduate study abroad; pair with other funding for stronger applications.
Critical Language Scholarship (CLS): duration is not yearly (not tied to a single academic year); flexible timing; supports intensive language study abroad; not mandatory to take course credit in all cases; environment emphasizes linguistic immersion.
Boren Fellowship: focuses on languages and locations with a national-security angle; eligibility starts after earning a bachelor’s degree and continues through a terminal degree; students define why the language and location are necessary to strengthen U.S. relations; not required to study abroad, but requires clear justification for study location.
U.S.-UK Fulbright Summer Institutes: undergraduate programs for first- and second-year students; 6–8 weeks long in the UK; preference for students with limited or no prior international travel; each institute varies by program and location.
Wrangell and Pickering Fellowships: targeted for policy studies or international affairs (Wrangell; Pickering); also relevant to environmental policy or healthcare policy interests.
Environmental studies category: open to any U.S. college student; flexible program design; may involve 3–6 credit hours (3–6 credit hours range) depending on the program and major requirements; some programs provide optional credits.
Minimum GPA note for some summer institutes: often around ; some first-year students with strong introductory courses can be competitive.
Strategic Advice for Applying
Do not apply to a fellowship in a vacuum: pair it with local funding or other scholarships to improve your odds and to create a broader funding package.
It’s common to apply for multiple fellowships within a single cycle; you may choose to pursue a mix of programs to maximize opportunities.
Some fellowships are highly competitive but offer valuable networking and professional development opportunities beyond the funding itself.
These programs can help you meet peers who are applying to other scholarships; networking can lead to additional opportunities.
The writing process itself is a professional development exercise: it sharpens your ability to articulate your experiences and goals, and prepares you for future job or graduate school applications.
What is Valued in Applications
Academic excellence is not defined solely by a perfect GPA (e.g., ); programs look for engagement beyond the classroom and leadership.
Leadership is not only about holding a position; leading by example and through service are also recognized forms of leadership.
Programs like Truman focus on future careers in public service; they look for demonstrated engagement with civic issues and community impact.
Applicants should demonstrate how they have engaged with their studies and communities, and how that informs their goals.
Authenticity and specificity in your essays are critical; reviewers can detect inauthentic or generic writing, which weakens the application.
What to Do Next
You are encouraged to come to the office for a discussion about your goals, majors, and potential opportunities.
If you have questions but don’t want to ask in a group setting, staff are available for one-on-one chats.
You should start early and bring your drafted essays for feedback; the staff will help you with a structured plan, timelines, and targeted opportunities.
The team emphasizes being a “glorified cheerleader” to help you reach the finish line, but you still must write your own drafts; their feedback focuses on strengthening your story and its connection to the opportunity.
If you want to see a specific list of scholarships, they can guide you through the Cael website and point out which opportunities fit your major, goals, and timeline.
They encourage you to be proactive: send your rough first drafts; they’ll provide feedback to help you improve and refine your narrative.
Location and access: you’ll find staff easily on campus; they welcome drop-ins and scheduled meetings to discuss opportunities.
Miscellaneous Practicalities and Mindset
These opportunities can involve long timelines and multi-stage processes; staying organized and maintaining momentum is key.
Multiple cycles and deadlines exist (e.g., Gilman in and ); track deadlines carefully and plan to submit at least one cycle early.
The program portfolio includes opportunities with national and international reach; even if you don’t win a fellowship, the experience and writing practice build your competitiveness for future applications.
The overarching message: start now, think about how your experiences map to the opportunities available, and use the CALA office to help you shape and apply your story across multiple programs.