What is the Watson?
The Thomas J. Watson Fellowship is a one-year grant for purposeful, independent exploration outside the United States, awarded to graduating seniors nominated by 41 colleges, including Wesleyan University. The Watson Fellowship allows fellows to engage with their deepest interest on a global scale during the year after they graduate. Fellows decide where to go, who to meet, and when to change course; the Watson Foundation funds their project to the tune of $40,000. The program aims to produce personal insight, perspective, and confidence that will shape the arc of fellows’ lives. Each year Wesleyan can nominate up to four candidates to go on to the national competition. The Watson Fellowship is open to Wesleyan students of all disciplines and all citizenships. Only members of the Class of 2024 are eligible to apply in the current cycle, but first-years and sophomores are also encouraged to attend the Q&A to learn more about what the Watson Fellowship is all about.
Watson Fellowship Alumni Panel – 4/18 at 4:30pm, Fisk 201/Zoom
Come learn about the Watson Fellowship! In this session, we’ll get to hear from two Wesleyan alumni currently traveling abroad as Watson Fellows: Livia Cox’ 22 (Neuroscience and Science in Society) and Inayah Bashir (CSS). They’ll share some of the experiences from their year of world travel and deep exploration and they’ll take questions about their own projects and the ins and outs of the Watson Fellowship.
When? Tuesday April 18 at 4:30pm Eastern time — we’ll have snacks!
Where? Fisk 201, register on WesNest (and on Zoom if you are off campus; register to join on Zoom at the link)
Applying for the Watson Fellowship: Q&A with Watson Fellow Jocelyn Velasquez Baez (’23)
When? Monday April 24 at 4:30pm — we’ll have snacks!
Where? Fisk 201, register on WesNest for event reminders and followup info
Join Assistant Director for Fellowships, Erica Kowsz, and Wesleyan’s newest Watson Fellow, Jocelyn Velasquez Baez (’23) for a Q&A about applying for the Watson Fellowship. Jocelyn will speak about her project idea, how she developed her Watson proposal, and what the application process was like. Only members of the Class of 2024 are eligible to apply in the current cycle, but first years and sophomores are encouraged to attend this Q&A to learn more about what the Watson Fellowship is all about and to gain insights into the project development and application processes.
