FAQs on Summer RAs

The program is designed to support graduate students in deepening their research training, building new methodological or theoretical skills, and advancing progress toward the dissertation. It also provides an opportunity to collaborate with faculty beyond (or in addition to) the dissertation chair, when appropriate.

This award is available to POIR PhD students in years 2–6 as of August 2026 who will be enrolled in fall 2026. Students graduating in summer 2026 are not eligible for the award. You must be in good academic standing who have made sufficient progress toward your degree.

You are encouraged to identify faculty whose research aligns with your interests and whose expertise will help you develop specific skills you want to gain.

You are not expected to already have a close relationship with all listed faculty. However, it is strongly recommended that you review their recent publications or projects and reach out briefly (if appropriate) to gauge fit or availability. Listing faculty is not a commitment, but a signal of possible fit and feasibility.

If you cannot identify up to three possible matches, be sure you are thorough in describing your skills and goals so that we can make a match for you.

Yes. In fact, one goal of the program is to broaden your mentorship network. However, your dissertation chair must endorse your application, and the proposed work should complement (not derail) your dissertation progress.

Your statement should clearly address:

• What you want to learn (methods, theory, tools, collaborations)
• Why these skills matter for your dissertation and career goals
  How the assistantship will help you acquire them

Strong proposals move beyond general interests (“improve research skills”) and specify concrete goals (e.g., “gain experience in mixed-methods data analysis,” “develop archival research skills,” “learn a specific software or technique”).

Your proposal should be specific enough to demonstrate feasibility and alignment with faculty expertise, but it does not need to be a full research plan.

This is not always required, but it is often beneficial. A brief email expressing interest and sharing a short summary of your proposal can help confirm alignment and availability.

Your dissertation chair must complete an endorsement form confirming that the proposed assistantship aligns with your academic progress and the scope is appropriate for your stage in the program.

You should share a draft of your proposal with your chair in advance of the deadline to give them adequate time to review.

Applications may be considered incomplete without the required endorsement.