The Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law is now accepting applications for the 2012 Crook Fellowships.  Through this Fellowship program, the Strauss Center makes grants to support LBJ School students working in the developing world in the summer for non-profit development organizations. The grants, awarded in amounts up to $4,000, are made possible by the William H. Crook Program in International Affairs. Students may use the grants to cover travel and living expenses while abroad.

Information Session

The Strauss Center will hold an information session on the 2012 Crook Fellowships on Tuesday, February 28 at 12:15 pm in Sid Richardson Hall Room 3.122. Light refreshments will be provided.

This information session will cover the basics of the grant, application, review process and awards as well as field any questions students may have. Two former Crook Fellows will also be available to answer questions and provide tips on the application process.

Application

Application Deadline: March 30, 2012

Students interested in applying for the grants must submit:

• A cover sheet with name, contact information (including e-mail address), the internship topic, location and organization and dates of planned internship; 
• A one- to two-page description of the planned summer work; 
• A detailed one-page budget that shows all sources of summer support, including salaries or stipends; 
• The names of two LBJ faculty willing to serve as references; 
• Confirmation by the sponsoring non-profit of the planned summer work; 
• A UT transcript (can be unofficial); 
• An up-to-date resume; 
• The LBJ internship form, if taking the internship for LBJ School credit. 

Please submit applications to Liz Roberts at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or physically to the Strauss Center’s mailbox in the third floor copy room of Sid Richardson Hall.

Selection

A selection committee, comprised of three faculty members and one previous fellowship winner, makes the grant awards based on their assessments of the applications and how well they fit with the goals of the Crook Chair: promoting global economic development and fighting poverty.

• The students’ summer work must be for a non-profit organization, and their work should take place in a developing country. The non-profit organization can be based in any country.
• The grants are for travel and living expenses while abroad only. They cannot be used to support existing research such as dissertation fieldwork. The student does not need to be taking the summer internship for credit in order to qualify for the grant. 
• The committee will make their recommendations for awards and amounts to the Strauss Center Director. Final selection is at the discretion of the Director. 
• The committee will determine how many projects to fund, and their funding levels. 

Report and Presentation

Upon completion of their summer work, students awarded grants will be required to write a paper describing their summer work experience and to participate in a public presentation. The final report should include description of the non-profit organization, a description of the student’s work or research, lessons learned and other observations and advice for students interested in working in international development abroad. These reports will be published on the Strauss Center web site and in print.

The Strauss Center organizes an informal public presentation at the LBJ School in the fall. The award winners speak briefly to the audience about their experiences working abroad.

For more information about the Crook Fellowships, please email Liz Roberts at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .