Department nominations are due March 15, 2024. To be considered, please send nomination materials to your graduate administrator.
The Hugh Hampton Young Memorial Fund Fellowship has always been slightly different than the OGE’s other internal fellowship opportunities in both its selection process and focus. As a stipulation of the award, recipients are selected by an external selection committee comprised of former Hugh Hampton Young Fellowship recipients and individuals with a solid interest in MIT’s community. Nominees selected for the second round of review are then interviewed by members of this committee before they make their final decisions.
In an effort to recognize the unique focus and goals of this fellowship, the OGE has separated the Hugh Hampton Young Fellowship nomination process from the OGE Competitive Fellowships’ nomination process. The Hugh Hampton Young Memorial Fund Committee has asked that we do so to promote this fellowship as one that seeks individuals exhibiting a blend of broad focus, leadership, and initiative.
The committee has always weighed exceptional personal and character strengths more heavily than academic achievement; it also values the degree to which a nominee’s objectives would have a positive impact on humanity. The committee has asked us to stress that nominees for this fellowship should exhibit these qualities. Beyond receiving a fellowship, recipients of the Hugh Hampton Young Memorial Fund Fellowships also become part of a legacy of exceptional individuals.
Selection Criteria
Nominees must have completed at least three years of undergraduate education and must have spent at least one year enrolled at MIT (either as a graduate or undergraduate student).
A desirable nominee is one who has demonstrated:
- High integrity and moral character
- Strong will and determination to accomplish goals
- Clear coordination and leadership skills
- Exceptionally broad interests
- Interdisciplinary training and development
- Creativity in cross-disciplinary concepts.
Nomination materials should include
- A completed copy of the nomination Google Form, preferably with an endorsement from the Department Head
- A brief (1-2 pages) research summary addressing some or all of the qualities stated above. Please write this as if it were for a general audience.
- A brief (1-2 pages) personal statement addressing some or all of the qualities stated above
- A curriculum vitae (CV)
- A transcript (for currently enrolled students, unofficial transcript or grade report is fine)
- Two letters of recommendation from MIT faculty members (for currently enrolled students), or from the applicant’s admissions folder (for incoming) that address some or all of the qualities stated above. Nominees may also choose to submit a third recommendation letter from an individual who is not necessarily a faculty member, but can speak of some or all of the qualities stated above.
Renewal nominees will be considered along side new nominees for funding requests.
Note: If the department chooses to nominate a current fellow for renewal of a fellowship, then it may not also nominate a new student.
Requests for renewals should contain all the nomination materials listed above, with updates being made to their research summary and personal statement (if needed).
Fields: Unrestricted, but the committee has a preference for more senior graduate students
Amount: Tuition and/or stipend and/or research funds as determined by the Hugh Hampton Young Selection Committee based on the needs of the student
Tenure: Nine to twelve months; prior awardees may be nominated for a new award in successive cycles
Nominees are encouraged to review the biography of Hugh Hampton Young. It was the objective of the anonymous founder of this Fellowship to foster the development of outstanding individuals with the great breadth of vision and interests, and the capacity for technical leadership as exemplified by Hugh Hampton Young.
Nominees must keep Saturday, April 27, 2024 free for interviews with the Hugh Hampton Young Memorial Fund Committee. Nominees who are selected as finalists will be notified a few days in advance about the logistics for April 27th.
