2008 Woodie Awards
About The Thomas J. Watson Fellowship
Chelsea Eakin
Issue date: 4/13/07 Section: Recent Watson fellows
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The Thomas J. Watson Fellowship is a one year grant for independent study and travel outside the United States awarded to graduating college seniors nominated by participating institutions, one of which Colby became in 1970. Each year, up to fifty fellows are chosen.
Fellows must submit quarterly reports and a final report to the Foundation during their year of travel, describing, analyzing and musing over their experience. Fellows are expected to remain outside of the United States (and their home country) for the full year and return in time to attend the Returning Fellows Conference, where all fellows present their findings to one another and to the Foundation.
On their website, the Foundation answers a question many prospective fellows have: With all the problems in the world, how can I justify taking this year for myself? They answer by saying that the Foundation is investing in their fellows as "leaders who are self-reflective, well-informed, and mindful world citizens." They quote Thomas J. Watson, Jr. as saying "I think that better leadership is what is going to bring the United States to a kind of realism as to what our problems are and how we may solve them."
Fellows must submit quarterly reports and a final report to the Foundation during their year of travel, describing, analyzing and musing over their experience. Fellows are expected to remain outside of the United States (and their home country) for the full year and return in time to attend the Returning Fellows Conference, where all fellows present their findings to one another and to the Foundation.
On their website, the Foundation answers a question many prospective fellows have: With all the problems in the world, how can I justify taking this year for myself? They answer by saying that the Foundation is investing in their fellows as "leaders who are self-reflective, well-informed, and mindful world citizens." They quote Thomas J. Watson, Jr. as saying "I think that better leadership is what is going to bring the United States to a kind of realism as to what our problems are and how we may solve them."
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