I will have another update on the release of decisions soon, but I thought I would take a minor break on “decision only” entries and offer something for admitted candidates to consider.  I will note that just as the decisions that have already been released belong to the three categories (admitted, waitlist, not admitted) the decisions yet to be released will also include these three categories.

I am excited to share the following scholarship information partly because an admitted student to SIPA in the past was selected as a recipient.  Details of the fellowship along with the link to the application page are below.

The Empedocle Maffia Fellowship (EM Fellowship) for Masters students will be awarded to two graduate students from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University who have demonstrated excellence in the fields of conflict prevention, conflict resolution, post-conflict reconstruction, sustainable development, natural resource management, security and the global environment.

The EM Fellowship is designed to foster new scholarly experts in the following countries or regions: Italy, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Peru, Colombia, China, the Middle East and North Africa; therefore, preference will be given to applicants from these countries and regions.

The EM Fellowship is open to incoming and current (first-year) SIPA students; it is awarded for two, consecutive semesters. Selected EM Fellows will be expected to undertake 10-15 hours of work per week at CICR. The work will involve supporting CICR generally – especially in terms of events and communications – and supporting aspects of The Fund for Global Environment and Conflict Resolution, specifically as it relates to research and events concerning:

• Fragile states and the field of conflict prevention – specifically in China, the Middle East and North Africa with respect to conflicts or potential conflicts fuelled by natural resources, deforestation, and the role of renewable energy within these frameworks;
• Conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction – specifically the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, Peru and Colombia, looking specifically at environmental solutions and sustainable development policies;
• International security and climate change, in general, taking into consideration the impact of the current financial crisis and potential consequences on the field, with particular attention on water scarcity.

The Fellows will be awarded $9,000 toward their university fees each semester and a stipend of $500 per month over the course of the academic year (nine months).

All applicants should submit their candidature by April 15, 2011. The decision will be undertaken by a selection committee at CICR, and will be announced in July. All decisions are final, and applications received after the April 15, 2011 deadline will not be accepted.

For more information and details on how to apply please click here.