The Marty Fellowship provides financial support to students pursuing undergraduate art research or a publication project with the Grand Valley State University Art Museum. Each project is completed under the mentorship of a faculty member. Participating students will have declared a major or minor in art history, anthropology, classics, history, studio art, or related fields at GVSU. The research and publication project should be centrally focused upon a long-term project, so sustainability, impact, and community coordination factors will be key award criteria. Possible GVSU Art Museum projects include accomplishing new work or continuing work within a pre-existing project, such as Catalogue raisonné development – critical foundation work for future projects in the humanities, GVSU art collection catalog research and publication projects, or exhibition curation. 

Application Submission

About the Award

Award
The award provides students with a $3,000 paid fellowship (non-credit-bearing) for one semester (approximately 8-10 hours per week).

Eligibility
The fellowship is available to undergraduate students at GVSU who have not completed the requirements for graduation. Successful applicants generally will have a 3.0 GPA or higher in their major. Participating students will have declared a major or minor in art history, anthropology, classics, history, studio art, or related fields at GVSU. Please note that this fellowship cannot be awarded to support an independent study (399 or 499) or an Honors Thesis.

All tenured, tenure-track, visiting, and affiliate faculty in the areas noted above are eligible to mentor Marty Fellows.

Potential Projects for Applicant's Consideration

• Cyril Lixenberg Catalogue Raisonné
• Stephen Duren Catalogue Raisonné
• Reynold Weidenaar Catalogue Raisonné
• Mike McDonnell Catalogue Raisonné
• SiTE:LAB Catalogue Raisonné

Proposal Requirements

The application is a collaborative effort between an undergraduate student and a faculty mentor. A student may propose a scholarly project to a faculty member, or a faculty member may recruit an undergraduate student for a potential scholarly project. The student should complete the application process online, with the faculty member’s input. 

The proposal must include the following sections:

1. Project Description: Compose  a comprehensive description of the project (limited to 3 pages, 12-point font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, exclusive of references). Your description should be succinct, well organized, and free of technical terms and jargon so that reviewers can understand the proposed project. Organize your project description using the following headings:
   1. Background & Goals – Provide an overview of the project, including its context and key ideas, problems, or questions it examines. Explain the intellectual significance of the project.
   2. Approach - Describe the nature of the scholarly work. What are the types of activities, methods, or processes the student will engage in?  
   3. Audience – Who is the intended audience? How will the project outcomes reach that audience?
   4. Feasibility – What is the project's practicality, viability, and potential for success? What challenges do you anticipate, and how do you hope to address these challenges to ensure the success of your project?
   5. Resources – Describe the academic, budgetary, or other support needed to complete the project.
   6. Timeline – Include a timeline of the project detailing the responsibilities of the student and faculty mentor at each stage. What are the significant tasks for the student?
   7. Describe how progress toward the project’s goals will be evaluated, highlighting specific criteria or benchmarks for success.
       
2. Student Engagement, Motivation & Competence/Preparedness
   1. Explain the student’s interest in the area of inquiry and their reasons for pursuing this particular project. This might include a discussion of intellectual preparedness (i.e., course, knowledge, and experiences) to undertake the project.
   2. Provide a clear description of how engaging deeply with the project’s key questions or subject matter will contribute to the student’s academic, intellectual, or professional growth. Highlight specific ways in which the project aligns with the student’s broader learning goals or aspirations.
       
3. Mentorship Plan & Faculty Expertise:
   1. Describe the faculty mentor’s expertise and how it aligns with the student’s area of inquiry and needs for the project.
   2. Explain the mentorship or apprenticeship approach, detailing how it will be tailored to the student’s specific goals and needs. Specify the roles and responsibilities of both the student and faculty mentor. Outline the steps and/or pedagogical techniques the faculty mentor will take to help the student grow as an independent scholar, including strategies to support their transition to contributing to scholarly conversations related to the project.
       
4. Commitment to the Project: Clearly describe the obligations of both the student and faculty member during the project period (the semester in which the fellowship is awarded) (e.g., teaching, coursework, research, or other professional and personal responsibilities). Provide a detailed plan for balancing these commitments to ensure the project is a priority. 
    
5. Intended Outcome/Plan: The student should describe the anticipated outcomes of the project and the plan they have for the project and its outcomes. Clearly describe thoughtful and intentional plans for how this project will impact future academic or career plans. If relevant, provide a clear and detailed plan for sharing the project’s outcomes with appropriate audiences as connected to the project’s subject matter and goals. 

How to Apply

The student applicant, in collaboration with their faculty mentor, should prepare their proposal per the requirements above. The proposal needs to be one complete PDF document submitted online. As there is only one upload button, please be sure your document is complete and ready for submission.

Application Submission

Grantee Responsibilities

Student Scholars Day
Marty Fellows are required to present on campus at Student Scholars Day, or at another venue as described in the fellowship proposal. Fellows are also encouraged to present on campus at departmental seminars, as well as present off campus at disciplinary conferences.