Engage in the Process: A National Fellowships Podcast: Recent Episodes
National Fellowships and Scholar Programs
Engage in the Process shares the remarkable stories from University of South Carolina students who have won nationally competitive fellowships. You’ll travel with them around the world, experience the important decisions made as a researcher, and the opportunities through both failure and success, ultimately leading each student to where they need to be. How did it all start? National fellowships advisor Kendall Kartaly explores that question in a 3-episode series called Senior Stories. She speaks with graduating seniors who look back at their university and fellowship experience.
Jacob earned the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to fund his graduate studies, but his interest in addiction research began long before that. He shares a journey that begins in Psychology 101 in junior college, connects him with supportive mentors, perseveres through a pandemic, and results in opportunities he never thought could be possible.
Fellowships were on Nina's radar early in her USC journey, and she wasted no time pursuing opportunities that aligned with her passion for environmental science. A National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates took her to Rutgers University for the summer and connected her with a supportive research community and additional sources of funding.
The Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship made Daisy's study abroad dreams come true much sooner than expected. Daisy recounts her UK Maymester course, "The Foundations of Law and Government," and explains how the experience influenced her academic and career trajectory.
In this episode, Layne ponders the question, “Have you allowed yourself flexibility in your life?” and shares how an experience in Peru altered her pre-med path. This new direction informed her application for the Rotary Global Grant, which will fund her graduate study in New Zealand. Join Layne as she tells Valerie about the importance of self-reflection, connecting with community, and always asking questions.
In this episode, Blake talks about how a case of junior-year FOMO caused him to apply for public service national fellowships. Resilience and persistence paid off: Blake earned the Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute fellowship, which gave him a new perspective on his career goals and personal strengths. Join Blake as he tells Valerie about the reroutes and detours that eventually led him to becoming “The Transit Guy.”
In this episode, Madison explains how her grandmother’s Japaneseheritage sparked her interest in other cultures. This internationalcuriosity led her to global experiences through the Freeman-Asia and Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships, but her path to studying abroad required quite a bit of creative problem-solving. Join Madison as she tells Valerie about navigating study abroad amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and how those experiences inspired her to apply for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship.
In this episode, Kendall and Noah talk about engaging in research and finding value in failure and reaching out to people, which ultimately led him to being an South Carolina NASA Space Grant recipient and getting a masters in mechanical engineering.
In this episode, Kendall and Felicia discuss how growing up with a brother who is autistic, expanding the definition of brain research, and loving the Spanish language led her to studying abroad as a Gilman Scholar, becoming a Goldwater Scholar for her STEM research, and receiving the Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to Mexico.
In this episode, Kendall and Mike discuss switching majors and how feeling alone in Hong Kong led him to studying Punjabi through the Critical Language Scholarship where he ultimately found community.