2008-2009 Martin Luther King, Jr. /César Chávez/Rosa Parks
Future Faculty Fellows Program
The program was created by the Michigan State Legislature in 1986 as part of the larger King-Chavez-Parks Initiative designed to stem the downward spiral of college graduation rates for students underrepresented in postsecondary education. Future Faculty Fellows are eligible to pursue a master's or doctoral degree at the public universities in Michigan. Future Faculty Fellowship graudates are obligated, by signed agreement, to remain in postsecondary faculty teaching or administration in a public or private, 2-or-4-year, in-state or out-of-state postsecondary institution for a minimum of three (3) years equivalent full-time. Fellows who do not fulfill the teaching and/or other obligations of their fellowship agreement may be place in Default, which results in ther dellowship converting to a loan (referred to as a KCP Loan) that the fellow repays to the State of Michigan.
The purpose of the King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship is to increase the pool of traditionally underrepresented candidates pursuing faculty teaching careers in postsecondary education. Preference may not be given to applicants on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, gender, or national origin.
The SVSU KCP Committee meets periodically during Fall and Winter semesters to review applications for individuals planning to attend a masters level graduate program at SVSU. Applicants should only apply to the KCP FFF Committee at the institution that they plan to attend for graduate study. For example, if an applicant plans to go to graduate school at Michigan State University, then he/she should apply to the MSU KCP FFF Committee. On request, we will be pleased to provide contact information on the KCP FFF program coordinator working at other public Michigan universities.
Chaired by the Coordinator, the SVSU KCP FFF Committee is made up of faculty members representing all five Colleges and a staff member from the Academic Advising Office. Some of these individuals were recipients of the KCP FFF award earlier in their academic careers. All application materials should be sent to the Coordinator.
Applicants must meet the following criteria and prepare their applications according to the following requirements to be considered for a funding award by the SVSU KCP FFF Committee.
1. Have at least a 2.7 cumulative grade point average at the time of making application.
2. Plan to attend one of the eight masters graduate level graduate programs at SVSU. Award recipients have one year from the graduation date
(masters degree) to secure employment as college or university teaching faculty or must enter a doctoral program.
3. Initially send a cover letter to the Coordinator indicating that you are in your senior year and would like to begin the application process for the KCP FFF Program. Be sure that your name, mailing address, work and home phone numbers, and e-mail address are all included in your letter. Upon receipt of this letter, the Coordinator will send you an application form and a folder will be established in your name.
4. Submit a completed KCP FFF Application Form with necessary signatures.
5. Submit official copies of all relevant academic transcripts. Grades are very important components of the application.
6. Write and submit a Career Goal Statement (2-4 pages, double-spaced word processed) expressing plans to enter graduate school with appropriate rationales. The Statement should show a commitment to teaching in Michigan higher education for at least three years (full time). This is a contractual obligation of the Program.
7. Submit an updated resume and at least three letters of reference. Letters of reference must be sent to the Coordinator directly from the person doing the referral.
8. Submit a copy of the letter from the SVSU graduate program admitting the applicant is in full (good) academic standing. No award may be officially granted without this letter.
9. Michigan has a contact with Illinois, enabling Michigan award recipients to fulfill their three-year teaching obligation at a university or college in that State. Please inform the Coordinator if graduate school and/or a university or college teaching career is planned in Illinois.
The SVSU KCP FFF Committee will not review incomplete application folders. It is the applicant’s responsibility to make sure that the Coordinator is in possession of all required materials. These documents such as transcripts and graduate admission letters are not automatically sent through the SVSU interoffice mail system, rather, the applicant must actively have them delivered to the Coordinator in room 314 of Wickes Hall.
Please note that receipt of a KCP Future Faculty scholarship/fellowship may impact other financial assistance that you receive, including Title IV financial aid. As a result, all scholarships/fellowships are processed by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid prior to making the application. Please meet with the Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid to determine the impact that this award would have on other financial assistance. You can contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid by calling (989) 964-4103 or by visiting their office located in Wickes Hall, Room 141.
KCP FFF funds can be used by the recipient to pay tuition, purchase books, to buy a computer and software, and anything else that clearly relates to progress toward the masters degree. Award amounts generally range from $5,000 to $15,000, depending on the reviews of the folders by the Committee, the number of qualified applicants, and the overall level of funding for the program in a particular fiscal year.
Please note that this is a competitive Fellowship Program. The funding for this program is limited and not all applicants will receive an award. The SVSU KCP FFF Committee will only review complete application folders for possible awards. The Committee will review complete folders within two months of receipt.
If you have further questions regarding this program, please contact Dr. Mamie T. Thorns in the Office of Diversity Programs at (989) 964-4068 or by email at mtthorns@svsu.edu.
SVSU, an AA/EO institution, is strongly and actively committed to increasing diversity within its community.