travel grant

The Terry B. Heled Travel Grant at the Kelly Writers House

http://writing.upenn.edu/wh/involved/awards/heled

purpose

As a way of memorializing her mother, Terry B. Heled - and of honoring the students of her alma mater in gratitude for the encouragement her own research and writing received while she was at Penn - Mali Heled Kinberg (C'95) has created this endowed fund at the Kelly Writers House that, each summer, enables a student to travel for the purpose of conducting the research that will lead to a significant writing project.

the grant

The winner of the Heled Travel Grant will receive $2,000 toward the costs of summer travel, for a researched writing project requiring archives, facilities, people (e.g. those to be interviewed), materials, and/or terrain that can only be found at a travel destination or destinations. Applicants who can describe such resources in detail will be at an advantage. Think expansively.  Priority will be given to those proposing longer trips, especially travel beyond North America, but any travel plan -- to any place, of any length -- will receive serious consideration based on the quality of the project. Paddle down the Mississippi to study American literary history firsthand. Track down the surviving members of the "Ghost Army" of World War II to learn about alternative, theatrical warfare. Travel to Greece or Vienna or Japan to research and write about your linguistic roots.

The proposed research experience should lead specifically to a writing project of some kind. (Students researching topics in non-humanities subjects are welcome to apply, but note that the result of the research should be a significant and creative piece of writing.)

who is eligible?

Any currently matriculated University of Pennsylvania junior, sophomore or freshman is eligible.

after the summer

After the summertime travel, the Heled Grant recipient will present the results of his or her research in a program at the Kelly Writers House. The format of the session at the Writers House is wide open; the purpose of the event is to create a sense of excitement about students traveling for research as well as, of course, to give the winner of the grant a forum for showing off his or her achievement and telling the story of the trip.

how to apply

The deadline for all applications is Wednesday, March 6, 2013. Candidates should include:

* a cover letter giving a very brief summary of the project and a description of relevant experience (coursework as well as non-academic);
* a detailed two-page description of the project - the research trip and the proposed writing;
* an estimate of all costs associated with the trip;
* a current resume that includes, as an appendix, a complete list of relevant courses taken, heavily annotated to give descriptions of projects and papers prepared for each course;
* a writing sample, no longer than 15 pages.

Applications should be emailed to Mingo Reynolds at mingo@writing.upenn.edu.