Research Enhancement and Leadership (REAL) Fellowship

The Research Enhancement and Leadership (REAL) Fellowship is designed to promote excellence by broadening perspectives and enhancing participation in the humanities and arts, social sciences, education, nursing, and business. Our goal is to attract students of high academic caliber who bring varied and diverse perspectives, achievements, and experiences to their discipline that will contribute to research innovation. The REAL fellowship is awarded to outstanding doctoral or MFA students. The fellowship provides four years of summer support in the form of a $7,000 fellowship each summer (two years for MFA students). In addition, nominating departments are required to provide REAL Fellows academic year funding (stipend, tuition waiver, and health benefits). 

The Graduate Program Director or Admission Chair nominates incoming students who have applied for admission to a UMass Amherst doctoral or MFA program for this fellowship. Nominations are completed in SLATE. Awardees are selected by the REAL selection committee. In addition to financial support, REAL Fellows participate in a variety of programs, including mentoring, informal gatherings, customized professional development workshops, and other activities designed to support their success and foster a cohesive community of young scholars. They are part of a vibrant and supportive community of graduate students, faculty, and staff who are all committed to the success of graduate students here at UMass Amherst. Currently, there are over 172 students in the REAL Fellowship Program.  

Eligibility is limited to students entering PhD or MFA in the humanities and arts, social sciences, education, nursing, and business. Please note that students cannot simultaneously receive a REAL fellowship and a Spaulding-Smith fellowship.  

Program Guidelines as a REAL Fellow:

• Maintain continuous enrollment as a full-time student in your program and make satisfactory progress towards your degree.
• Summer before you start UMass Amherst - Complete a survey to help us match you with a peer mentor. We will also ask you to submit a photo of yourself for use during the Fall Welcome Reception.
• Attend an orientation event approximately 1 week before you start UMass Amherst in the Fall. This orientation will explain how your fellowship funds are disbursed, introduce you to key individuals in the Office of Inclusion and Engagement and other Graduate School offices, and provide guidance on who to contact in different situations.
• Attend the Fall Welcome Reception for REAL Fellows.
• Attend at least one Fellows lunch or dinner per semester (or two per year) during the first two years of your fellowship (in addition to the Welcome Reception). Please keep in mind that you are welcome to attend all OIE fellowship community-building events during your tenure here at UMass Amherst.
• Attend at least two professional development training workshops held by the Graduate School's Office of Professional Development (OPD) during the first two years of fellowship. The workshops organized by OPD offer a wealth of resources and training to support graduate student success. We encourage you to attend as many of these workshops as possible.
• Attend an Individual Development Plan (IDP) workshop held by OPD in order to create an IDP (this is due before the end of your 1st year).
• Submit a yearly progress report so that we may track your academic progress.

During your 2nd year as a fellow, you are required to serve as a peer mentor to an incoming fellow.

REAL Fellows are eligible (but not guaranteed) to earn one Fellows Travel Grant (up to $600) per academic year. Please submit your Travel Report .

Questions?

Please contact the oie [at] grad [dot] umass [dot] edu (Office of Inclusion & Engagement).

If you are a Graduate Program Director or Admission Chair and Interested in nominating an accepted student for a REAL Fellowship — this can be done in Slate.