Attention PhD students! In Spring 2025, ACLS will place up to 16 PhDs as Leading Edge Fellows with social justice organizations for two-year fellowships. This year, our host organizations include Amica Center for Immigrant Rights (Washington DC), North Carolina Justice Center (Raleigh, NC), Open Communities (Evanston, IL) and more. See below for more information. 

Leading Edge Fellowships support recent PhDs in the humanities and interpretive social sciences as they work with social justice organizations across the country. Hosting organizations provide professional development opportunities and employee benefits to fellows, and draw on fellows’ scholarly perspectives and broad set of skills. Fellows receive stipends: for remote positions, $70,000 in year one, and $72,000 in year two; for in-person positions, $72,000 in year one, and $74,000 in year two. Relocation funds are available for in-person positions. All awardees receive access to health insurance and professional development funding, mentoring, and opportunities for professional development through ACLS and our alumni network. This initiative is made possible through the support of the Mellon Foundation. 

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, March 12th by 9:00pm ET. Applications will be accepted only through the ACLS online application system. Please visit https://www.acls.org/LeadingEdge for complete position descriptions, eligibility criteria, and other helpful information for applicants, including registration information for upcoming applicant webinars on February 10 and March 5. Applicants should not contact any of the hosting organizations directly but can write to leadingedge@acls.org with further questions.

Deadline is today!

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Welcome to the Spring 2025 semester. Please consider nominating yourself for the position of Graduate Student Association Elections Committee Co-Chair!

Eligibility

The Elections Committee will be co-chaired by:

• [clarified] A current GSA Senator or Executive Council member.
• A graduate student who is not currently an officer of the GSA in a role of either the “officers of the cabinet,” or a position as “committee chair,” or “senator.”

Please note! You will be ineligible to run for any other positions in GSA in the spring 2025 elections if you chair or serve on this committee. This is an excellent opportunity for anyone planning to graduate in 2025 (since as a result you would be ineligible to run anyway).

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Oversight of Elections: The committee will oversee all aspects of the election process, from candidate registration to campaigning, voting, and the announcement of results.
2. Rule-Making: The committee will establish clear rules for elections, including eligibility requirements, campaign regulations, and voting procedures. These rules will be reviewed annually and made publicly available to all students.
3. Candidate Vetting: The committee will ensure that all candidates meet eligibility criteria and adhere to campaign guidelines.
4. Complaint Resolution: The committee will have the authority to receive, review, and resolve any complaints related to the election process. Decisions made by the committee in this regard will be final.
5. Publication of Results: The committee will be responsible for the transparent and timely publication of election results.

Once the Committee has completed these responsibilities (likely no later than April 2025), your service would end.

As a member of the GSA Executive Council, you would be in a position of service and support to the GSA. If you are elected, you will be expected to begin work immediately and to work for approximately 7 hours per week. You must be able to participate in online meetings every Monday from 12:30-2 PM and, once a month, on Friday from 12-2 PM. As part of this job, you will be responsible for collaborating with other members of the GSA Executive Council, attending important GSA events, and other duties as required. You will receive a stipend for your work.

Nomination Process
To nominate yourself, please submit your name, student ID number, photograph/headshot, brief biography (50-100 words), and statement as to your qualifications and interest in the role (100-300 words), by Monday, 3 Feb 2025. If you are qualified according to the Graduate School, you should participate in the election, which will take place during the GSA Special Senate meeting on 14 Feb 2025 from 1-2 PM EST (online). Depending on the number of applicants, you may be able to give a speech and/or answer questions before the vote that day.

Here is the link to self-nominate:
https://forms.gle/j3vhKPquX5DKHwoC9

You will need to be logged into your UMBC account (and you may need to log out of other Gmail accounts) to access it.

Please email me at gsapresident@umbc.edu if you have any questions.

Applications are due Friday, February 7^th. You will need one letter of recommendation, which must be received by the deadline.

I have confirmed that students graduating in May 2025 are also eligible.