James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program Campus Nomination Timeline

2026-27

Below is the campus timeline for the Gaither Junior Fellowship (GJF).

Please be advised that before we nominate you or endorse your candidacy for a fellowship competition, we will perform a conduct and academic honesty check to confirm that you are in good disciplinary and academic standing.

October 18, 5 p.m.:

  • Submit a Prospective Applicant Form. On this form, please indicate three individuals who would provide a letter of recommendation in support of your candidacy. Although the national application requires two references, we require three for our internal selection process.
  • Upload a statement of interest through our secure online portal: In 300-400 words, discuss your interest in an international affairs career (e.g., motivation; specific area(s) of interest, such as region, issues; why you are a good fit for the Gaither Junior Fellows Program; which program area interests you most.).
  • After submission, schedule a meeting with the Director of Fellowships. Call (585) 276-5869/email urfellowshipsasst@ur.rochester.edu or stop by the Fellowships Office in Dewey 4-209B to make appointment. The GJF application is only available through the Fellowships Office.

November 22, 5 p.m.:

  • Upload the following:
    • Personal essay (2 pages, double-spaced)
    • Writing sample (3-5 pages, double-spaced)
    • Explanation of writing sample (1/2 page, double-spaced)
  • Three (3) recommendation letters due for campus committee review process. Please share this link with your recommenders. Submitted letters should be on letterhead, signed, and dated. Be sure to provide referees with the GJF overview and selection criteria. Have all recommendation letters submitted via the aforementioned secure online form for internal review committee. Inform recommenders that letters are needed for the campus committee review/nomination process. Recommendation letter files should be named according to this format: Student Last Name_GJF Letter_Recommender Last Name (e.g., Smith_GJF Letter_Jones).

Early December: GJF Campus Nominating Committee meets to interview candidates and select nominee(s).

January 10, 2 p.m. EST (For Nominees Only): Complete, final, revised GJF application and final recommendation letters due for nominees.