JOSEPH HODGES CHOATE MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

2014-15

The Joseph Hodges Choate Memorial Fellowship at Harvard University was established in 1919 by members of the Harvard Club of New York City in memory of Joseph Hodges Choate, US Ambassador to the UK 1899-1905. It is awarded each year by Harvard University on the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, for study in any Department of Harvard University. In making the appointment, however, Harvard University will give heavy preference to candidates who wish to study one of the fields covered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, for one year,and without being registered for a Harvard degree. The successful candidate will be required to register as a non-degree Special Student in the Graduate School; the appropriate application forms will be supplied by Harvard to the successful candidate. (For further information about the types of graduate- and undergraduate-level courses on which the Fellow may enrol, SEE the Graduate School’s webpages at

In practice, only candidates from the University of Cambridge are eligible for the Fellowship. Under the terms of the trust the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge may only recommend a candidate from another university if there is no suitable candidate at all from Cambridge; because of the number of Cambridge candidates each year there is unlikely to be an occasion on which it is open to the Vice-Chancellor to recommend a candidate from a university other than Cambridge. A candidate who is a member of the University of Cambridge must be either (a) a Cambridge B.A., of not more than three years' standing from the time of taking the degree, or (b) a Cambridge undergraduate of not more than four years' standing from the date of matriculation. Candidates must be of British nationality.

The Choate Fellow is selected on the basis of outstanding academic achievement, strength of character, and potential for leadership in their field. Candidates should normally hold, or be likely to achieve, a first class degree. However, personal and social qualities are also taken into account in filling the Fellowship.

The Fellowship is held for one year, and is not renewable.

The Fellowship covers tuition and health insurance fees, and provides a stipend of at least $25,500 (provisional). A room is set aside specifically for the Choate Fellow each year at Winthrop House, one of the undergraduate houses at Harvard.(The room fee must be paid for by the Fellow from the stipend, and he/she will also be responsible for any income tax which may be levied against the stipend.) The cost of transatlantic travel is met by the Fellow.

An application form for the Fellowship follows. Candidates must return the completed form together with two good copies to Mr A. Bennett (Assistant Registrary, Choate Fellowship) –addressed to the ‘Scholarships Administrator, Fees & Funding Section, Student Registry, 4 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1RZ’– by1 February 2014. A referee’s report form is included; the candidate should forward a copy to each of the three referees named in the application.

It is expected that a decision on the University’s nominee will be made on or around 24 March 2014.

Joseph Hodges Choate: biographical note

Ambassador Choate, who was born in Salem, Massachusetts in 1832, graduated from Harvard College in 1852 and Harvard Law School in 1854. He had a successful career as a lawyer working at law firms in New York City, often on cases that were national in reach. He was a reformer who campaigned against corruption in New York, and he was committed to public service and charitable enterprises, including involvement with the founding of both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. He was appointed by President William McKinley as the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1899, succeeding John Hay, an appointment he held until 1905. He is credited with success fostering strong relations between the two countries. He died in 1917.

See also:

Beckles Willson, America’s Ambassadors to England (1785-1928): a narrative of Anglo-American diplomatic relations, London: John Murray, 1928, pp. 419-428.

A. BENNETT

Assistant Registrary (Choate Fellowship)

Academic Division

17 Mill Lane

Cambridge CB2 1RX

November 2013

JOSEPH HODGES CHOATE FELLOWSHIP AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY 2014/15

Return to:A. Bennett (Assistant Registrary – Choate Fellowship), c/o The Scholarships Administrator, Fees & Funding Section, Student Registry, 4 Mill Lane, Cambridge CB2 1RZ.

SURNAME / FORENAME(S)
DATE OF BIRTH / PLACE OF BIRTH
Universityaddress (correspondence):Homeaddress (permanent):
Email:Email:
Telephone:Telephone:
SEX: / NATIONALITY:
UNIVERSITY EDUCATION:
(a) University (and College) attended, with dates.
(b) Examinations already taken at University and class reached; indicate subjects. State degree(s) obtained, with class and date(s).
(c) Career after graduation (if already a graduate)
NAME AND ADDRESS OF NEXT OF KIN (optional – for reference only)
email:
Telephone:Relationship to you:
SECONDARY EDUCATION
Name your secondary schools in order giving addresses with dates of entering and leaving; age on leaving.
ANY OTHER INFORMATION LIKELY TO BE OF USE TO THE AWARDERS e.g. Overseas experience, non-academic activities, publications.
PROPOSED ACADEMIC WORK IN THE USA AS A SPECIAL STUDENT AT HARVARD. Attach another sheet if necessary.
HAVE YOU BEEN A CANDIDATE FOR THE CHOATE FELLOWSHIPS BEFORE? If so please state when.
WHAT WILL BE YOUR PROBABLE OCCUPATION ON RETURN?
HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR ANY OTHER COMPARABLE AWARDS? Please state:
HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS FELLOWSHIP?
GIVE THE NAMES, POSITION, POSTAL & EMAIL ADDRESSES OF 3 REFEREESTO EACH OF WHOM YOU HAVE SENT A COPY OF THE REFEREE’S REPORT FORM. They must have expressed their willingness to report to the awarders. At least 2 of the referees should be familiar with your University work.
1. / 2. / 3.
TO BE COMPLETED BY THE APPLICANT
I have read and understood the Memorandum concerning the Fellowship and I agree to be bound by the conditions stated therein.
Date...... Signature......

JOSEPH HODGES CHOATE FELLOWSHIP AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY

PART A:To be completed by the candidate

...... ……….. of …...... ………......

(Name of Applicant)(University or College)

has named you as a referee in an application for the Joseph Hodges Choate Fellowship, which provides for one year’s postgraduate study at Harvard University in 2014-15as a non-degree Special Student in the Graduate School of the Arts and Sciences.

Part B: For the information of the referee

The University of Cambridge is asked to nominate a candidate for a Choate Fellowship, and a statement from you about the suitability of this applicant’s character, personality, specific interests and scholarly ability would be of great assistance. The field of applicants is usually very strong indeed.

The criteria for making nominations to these Fellowships are very similar to those used in appointments for such awards as Kennedy Scholarships and Henry Fellowships.

We are very grateful indeed to those who act as referees for this Fellowship. Their opinions are of great assistance in making a nomination.

Part C: Statement by referee

Part C (overleaf) of this form may be used for your statement if you wish. The reference should be returned by 1 February 2014at the latest.

A. BENNETT

Assistant Registrary (Choate Fellowship)

Academic Division

November 2013

Part C: Statement by referee

To be returned after completion to the University Offices at the address shown at the head of this form.

If you wish a copy of a reference for another award to be used, please attach it and give the title of the award.

IN CONFIDENCE

1. Name of Candidate ……………...... …...... …...

2. Name, institutional address and position of Referee

...... …......

Signature: ...... Date: ......