The Office of Graduate Studies is pleased to announce the Leslie N. Wilson Graduate Assistantship for 2006-2007 for Black American graduate students whose first enrollment in graduate school at FSU is no earlier than Summer Term 2006. Awardees for 2006-2007 will be expected to participate in a mentoring program organized by the Office of Graduate Studies. The goal is to facilitate networking and professional development for recipients of the Leslie Wilson Assistantship.

In the links below you will find the Wilson Assistantship application, departmental criteria and procedures, and departmental checklist. Each folder must contain all required documentation: departmental checklist, departmental nomination letter, application form, three letters of recommendations, transcript(s), GRE/GMAT/LSAT scores, and statement of goals/purpose.

Using the following guidelines the committee will consider current graduate students and previous holders of the assistantship, based on available funds and the pool of candidates meeting the first-enrollment criterion.

1. Criteria for the selection to fill vacancies resulting from a lack of qualified first-time-in-graduate school applicants will be the same as those specified for new applicants, plus satisfactory academic performance during the preceding year.
2. Reappointments will not be made until the committee is assured that all first-time awardees and alternates have had ample time to decide whether to accept the award.

The stipend for 2006-2007 will be $5,000 for a quarter-time assistantship. Deans and department chairs, if they have funds and wish to do so, may supplement the awards. Awards will be suspended if the awardee ceases to be a regular full-time student or fails to maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

Nomination(s) for these awards must be initiated by the department or school/college, endorsed by the dean or chair, and submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies, 408 Westcott. Student deadline to departments is February 1, 2006. Folders for all nominees are due in the Graduate Studies Office by February 15, 2006. Folders received after that date will not be considered by the Wilson Committee. Selection will be made by a faculty committee, and announcements of awards will be sent to departments in March.

If you need more information concerning this award program please contact Donna Wieckowicz at 644-3500, or by e-mail at dwieckow@mailer.fsu.edu.