Faculty Resources

Identifying Exceptional Students

Faculty are key in identifying exceptional students at the university. It is not necessary for you identify a particular award that the student is eligible for and interested in pursuing. The Fellowship Office will reach out to students and take on that responsibility. However, you should use the Faculty Referral form to refer students who have one or more of following traits:

• Definitive career goals
• Leadership practiced within and outside of the classroom
• Service experience
• Strong academic record
• Desire to affect change on a specific issue or problem about which they are passionate
• Excellent writing skills, particularly the ability to present information accurately and succinctly
• Ability to interview well, both in an on-campus process and at the national level
• Professional relationships with discipline-specific faculty and other mentors on campus
• Willingness to revise application drafts in consultation with the Fellowship Office and key faculty
• Sufficient time to devote to developing a cohesive and competitive application
• Advanced planning skills that allow them to envision themselves on a personal and professional level after graduating from MSU
• Transformative thinking and an active curiosity about the world and global issues facing humanity

This is by no means an exhaustive list. If you identify students of exceptional quality at any level, please do not hesitate to refer them to the Fellowship Office.