Month: February 2021

Applications are open for the Southern Association of Colleges and Employer’s Research Fellowship and Professional Development Scholarships. The applications close Friday, February 26, 2021. To submit an application for either of these opportunities, please visit: https://www.soace.org/research-fellowships-scholarships

Research Fellowship

SoACE provides a $1500 Research Fellowship to promote and support research and study projects that will further the stated professional purposes of SoACE and its members. Research proposals should fall within the SoACE mission which states:

SoACE is organized exclusively to create a common understanding between individuals in career services and college relations focused on the career development and employment of the college-educated to promote and foster relationship among the constituents; serve as the voice of the profession for the southern region of the United States; create and retain leaders in the profession by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and insight; provide professional development and promote high professional standards; and identify trends, issues, challenges, opportunities in the profession.

Last year’s recipient, Kertesha Riley from University of Tennessee Knoxville, gave us a little bit of a glimpse into her upcoming research and how this fellowship has been impactful. “When I started in career services almost 9 years ago, I would have laughed if you told me I’d be designing and implementing a research study on students’ experiences when changing majors or careers. But here we are! In working with STEM and pre-health students, I noticed that – when a student came to me when changing a major or needing to choose a new career path, the focus was on their decision-making but their emotional, social, and psychological responses often took a backseat. After shifting how I engaged with students in career transitions, and anecdotally seeing increases in self-efficacy, I wanted to know more about what those students were experiencing and what tools, resources, or actions helped them process this phase of their career journey. This level of research is new to me, but the SoACE Research Fellowship is making my entry into the research world be as smooth as possible. So, if you have questions you’re curious about answering, this fellowship is a great way for you to test the research waters!”

Professional Development Scholarships

In addition to awarding one research fellowship, SoACE will be offering three scholarships to career service professionals and employer members. Two of the three are Professional Development Scholarships that will provide a maximum of $2000 to be used for a professional development program, event, resource, or certification toward a related activity of the member’s choice. The third is a SoACE Employer Relations Summit Scholarship that will provide a maximum of $1000 to be used for the Employer Relations Summit.

One of last year’s winners, Mason Murphy, from Texas State University had this to say about the scholarship: “I was thrilled to receive one of the 2020 SoACE scholarships earlier this year.  I will be using the funds to attend the American Foundation for the Blind’s Leadership Conference in April 2021.  The American Foundation for the Blind is one of the largest advocacy organizations in the country for blind and visually impaired adults.  For me, being visually impaired this organization holds a special importance.  The purpose of the Leadership Conference is to begin highlighting more of the work that blind and visually impaired leaders are doing around the country.  Furthermore, to demonstrate to a younger generation of blind and visually impaired adults that many career opportunities are possible and clearly within reach. Thank you SoACE!”

Questions? Contact the Professional Development Scholarship & Research Fellowships Chair: Valerie Mandel, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, at KIELMOVV@erau.edu