The Scholars-in-Residence Program at the Burke Library

Overview of the Program | Eligibility | Selection Criteria

Stipends and Expectations

Application Instructions | Deadlines

Questions | Request printed application packet

Download Announcement, Application, and Reference Forms (.PDF files)

OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM

The Burke Library Scholars-in-Residence Program, funded through a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., is designed to encourage research and writing based on the collections of the Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary and to provide for widespread dissemination of findings through lectures, publications, and Burke Library seminars and colloquia.

The Scholars-in-Residence Program provides academic researchers throughout the world with the opportunity to use the Library collections on-site. Scholars who receive awards will be asked to present at least one public lecture based on their research and to participate on a limited basis in other aspects of the academic life of the Seminary. Recipients are required to be in continuous residence at the Seminary for the period of the award.

ELIGIBILITY

The Scholars-in-Residence Program is open to established scholars in the field of theology and religion whose current research requires the use of the specialized collections of the Burke Library. Creative writing projects, e.g., poetry and fiction, and projects that result in a performance are not eligible.

• Persons seeking support for research leading to degrees are not eligible under this program.

• Applicants must have received the Ph.D. degree or its equivalent, or completed all requirements for it, by the application deadline. Those who have not yet been granted the degree must provide certification from the chief academic officer of their graduate school that all requirements will be met by the application deadline.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Applications for the Scholars-in-Residence program will be reviewed by a Selection Committee.

Scholars will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:

• Qualifications of the applicant.

• Relationship of the project to the study of theology and religion.

• Relationship of the project to the resources of the Burke Library.

• Likelihood that the project will be completed successfully.

• Provision for making the results of the project available to scholars and to the public at large.

STIPENDS AND EXPECTATIONS

Fellowships are awarded for a continuous period of six months at the Burke Library with a stipend of $50,000, plus reimbursement for travel expenses. Housing is provided. Scholars must devote full time to their research projects. They may not be employed or hold other major fellowships or grants during the period in residence except sabbaticals from their own institution. Scholars who receive awards will be asked to present at least one public lecture based on their research and to participate on a limited basis in other aspects of the academic life of the Seminary. Recipients are required to be in continuous residence at the Seminary for the period of the award and will be expected to present a brief final report in writing on their projects no later than six months following completion of the residency.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Deadlines | Completed Applications | References | Notification

Download Announcement, Application, and Reference Forms (.PDF files)

Request printed application packet

Application Deadlines

The Scholars-in-Residence Program must recieve all application materials by:

April 30
for January 1-June 30 cycle of the following calendar year;

October 31
for July 1-December 31 cycle of the following calendar year.

Neither applications submitted by fax or e-mail nor incomplete application files will be considered.

Completed Applications

A complete application must include the original and 10 collated copies of the following items:

• The Burke Library Scholars-in-Residence
Application Form
Download Announcement, Application, and Reference Forms
(.PDF files)

• A curriculum vitae

• A four to five page, single-spaced research proposal
The applicant should provide a detailed description of the proposed study, including, but not restricted to, the following elements:

1. A statement of the topic under consideration with specific reference to the major questions, problems, and theses being investigated. 2. An outline of the plan for carrying out the study or project. 3. Discussion of sources for the study and plans for examining them. Applicants should indicate in some detail how they propose to use the resources of the Burke Library. A short bibliography should be appended. 4. Description of research methods. 5. The place of this study in the applicant's overall research and writing program. 6. The significance of this study in the applicant's field and for the study of theology and religion in general. 7. The final objective and expected products of the study, e.g., plans for publications, lectures, exhibitions, teaching, and other vehicles of dissemination should be detailed.

References

In addition, applicants should arrange to have three letters of reference sent directly to the Selection Committee.

Those asked to furnish letters of reference should be in a position to assess the capabilities of the applicant and conversant enough with the applicant's field to comment knowledgeably on the scholarly value of the proposed study.

At least one reference should be from outside the applicant's institution.

Applicants should supply each reference with the "Request for Reference" form (indicating the deadline for their application cycle) along with a copy of the completed application form.

Notification

Applicants who wish to be notified when their application file is complete
should also include a self-addressed, stamped post card for that purpose.

Scholars-in-Residence will be named by June 30 for January 1-June 30 cycle
and December 31 for July 1-December 31 cycle.