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Diversity Fellowship

The diversity fellowship is designed to promote Tennessee Technological University's commitment to a more inclusive and diverse campus that enriches the educational experience, promotes personal growth and a healthy society, strengthens communities and the workplace, and enhances America's economic competitiveness. This diversity can be developed through exposure to diverse persons, cultures, social, political, and economic ideas, and better prepares students as professionals in an increasingly diverse workforce and society.

The diversity of enrollment enriches the educational experience and is a compelling interest in higher education. We learn from those whose beliefs and perspectives are different from our own, and these lessons can be best taught in the richly diverse intellectual and social environment of a heterogeneous student body. A flexible, holistic, and individualized approach will be adopted in awarding the diversity fellowships on a competitive basis and includes the following:

    • Personal characteristics such as motivation and ability to pursue graduate studies
    • Underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and nursing disciplines in order to build more healthy and diverse learning environments
    • Underrepresented/under-served groups of all kinds based on socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, gender, creed, and geographic region in order to attract those students that have historically been educationally under-served and/or underrepresented and who may have viewpoints and perspectives that can serve to enrich the learning experience of all students

Eligibility
Conditions for Maintaining Eligibility
Additional Information

 

Eligibility

In order to become eligible, applicants must be admitted in full standing to the Tennessee Tech Graduate School, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, demonstrate appreciation for and commitment to diversity, and meet at least two of the following criteria.

    1. Belong to an underrepresented U.S. racial/ethnic minority group (African-Americans, U.S. Hispanics/Latino Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Native, and Pacific Islanders from U.S. territories and outlying areas)
    2. Be a resident of one of the educationally under-served/underrepresented areas (refer to list below)*
    3. Belong to a U.S. underrepresented/under-served gender in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, business, and nursing
    4. Demonstrate character, motivation and ability to succeed in graduate studies based on academic record and a written essay.

*List of educationally underserved/underrepresented counties are: Bledsoe, Campbell, Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Grundy, Hamilton, Jackson, Macon, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Rhea, Scott, Sequatchie, Smith, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, White.

Submit an application and essay describing your eligibility for an award to the Tennessee Tech Graduate School.

Fellowship Application

Conditions for Maintaining Eligibility

    • Recipient must have a term or cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0
    • Recipient must submit term reports, endorsed by advisor demonstrating satisfactory progress toward the attainment of a graduate degree.
    • Recipient must re-apply if not enrolled for one or more semesters, or if enrolled in another degree program.
    • Recipient must comply with registration and degree requirements as provided in the Graduate School Catalog.


Additional Information

A recipient of a full fellowship is expected to devote 20 hours per week to research or teaching. Full fellowship pays tuition, fees and stipend at the prevailing rate in the department. A part-time fellowship pays tuition and fees, and does not require service to the department. A fellowship may be renewed for up to four semesters as long as funding is received from the state of Tennessee and the student meets the requirements as stated above.

The courses enrolled must count toward the degree, and must be approved by the student's academic advisor.

Fees will not be paid for audit courses, repeat courses, personal enrichment courses, undergraduate courses, certification courses, or more than six hours of thesis, or 24 hours of research and dissertation. You may not deviate from your approved program of study without consulting with the Graduate College. The fellowship covers only IN-STATE fees. If the student receives a funded Graduate or Teaching Assistantship, they will be excluded from receiving the Diversity Fellowship.

    • Students in 'provisional' status are not eligible for this fellowship.
    • This award only applies towards one graduate degree.
    • Tennessee Tech University is under no obligation to continue the fellowship if the student transfers to another degree program or degree classification, or if funds are not available.
    • Preference will be given to Tennessee residents as this fellowship is funded by the state of Tennessee.
    • Students cannot be relatives of Tennessee Tech University employees.

For more information contact the College of Graduate Studies or call us at 931-372-3233.