MMUF Application
Application Process
The complete application should be submitted as a single PDF document (excluding reference forms) by 11:59 p.m., February 9th, 2024 by Google Form. Combine each componet of your application in one PDF. Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed.
Submit Applications and Recommendations Here
Application Form
Complete the attached form. You and your proposed faculty mentor must each type your own name in the relevant fields at the bottom of the form as an electronic signature, or, when you have finished filling in the other fields, select the “Developer” tab above, click the “Protect Form” button to turn off fields, and add an electronic signature.
Personal Statement of Purpose
A statement of purpose (up to 500 words or 2 double-spaced pages) articulating how your life experiences and academic goals would contribute to furthering the goal of a diverse academy:
Tell the story of 3 key academic, extracurricular, professional, or personal life experiences you’ve had and how they inspired your research interests and future academic and career goals. Share those future goals in detail by presenting a vivid image of what type of work you would like to do, what kind of impact you would like to have through that work, and on whom you would like to have that impact.
Research Proposal
A research proposal (up to 500 words or 2 double-spaced pages, not including work plan) clearly addressing all of the following:
● what is the topic of the project, and why does it interest you;
● what academic fields or disciplines this project fits into and how it will contribute to those fields;
● what research questions underlie or animate your project;
● what methods do you plan to use and why are these methods appropriate for your research questions;
● what preparation or skills do you currently have to undertake the project, and what skills would you like to grow for the project; and
● who would be your faculty mentor, and how does their expertise align with your research.
A detailed work plan (up to 500 words or 2 double-spaced pages) that details::
● how your research will be divided over two academic years and one summer; and
● what you may need (supplies, books, travel, etc.) to complete that research successfully.
Access a Work Plan Template here
Writing Sample
A sample of your strongest academic writing (up to 1,500 words or 5 double-spaced pages). The writing may contain creative elements, as long as it also demonstrates analysis and argumentation with a thesis statement and supporting evidence. The writing sample need not be on the same topic as your proposed MMUF research, and there is no need to write anything new. Instead, you can use a clean copy (without instructor’s comments) of something you already submitted for a class.
Unofficial Transcript
Include your current unofficial transcript from PRESTO saved as a PDF.
Proposed Mentor Statement
A letter from your proposed MMUF faculty mentor clearly addressing all of the following:
● the field(s) and/or discipline(s) in which the proposed research project is located;
● the soundness and significance of the proposed research project to the field(s) and/or discipline(s);
● why the faculty mentor is interested in working with this student;
● the faculty mentor’s travel or leave plans for the entire period summer 2024-spring 2026;
● the faculty mentor’s commitment to meeting with their student once per week for continued mentorship over the two-year program (summers 2024 and 2025; academic years 2024-25 and 2025-26); and
● the faculty mentor’s plans for ensuring that the student receives uninterrupted in-person mentorship, should the mentor be away from campus or on leave during any portion of that time.
Applicants should share the MMUF application guidelines with their proposed mentor so that the MMUF program structure and requirements when writing the mentor statement.
Faculty/Staff Recommendations
Two letters of recommendation. Recommenders should be members of the Oberlin College or Conservatory faculty or staff who know you and your academic work well enough to comment, in an informed way, on your potential for independent research and ultimately for an academic career.
If the proposed faculty mentor of your research project fits that description, she/he/they should be one of your recommenders. In this case, the proposed faculty mentor can combine the mentor statement and letter of recommendation into a single document.
Peer Recommendation (Optional)
One letter of recommendation from a peer—not necessarily at Oberlin—who can comment on your intellectual curiosity and how you work both alone and in groups.
Personal Interview
After receiving your completed application, we will contact you to schedule an interview.