OVERVIEW
The Paideia Institute Rome Senior Fellowship is awarded annually to alumni of the Paideia Rome Fellowship program or outstanding graduate students in Classics or related fields. Senior Fellows are given the opportunity to live in Rome for a year in order to deepen their knowledge of the city and its culture, become proficient in Italian, and gain experience teaching in Paideia’s programs.
Successful applicants will receive round-trip airfare to Rome, health insurance, and a monthly stipend. They also have the option to participate tuition-free in one of the Institute’s programs, Living Latin in Paris.
Applicants are selected on the basis of academic merit, professional and interpersonal skills, and potential as future teachers and leaders in the humanities.
THE FELLOWSHIP YEAR
The Senior Fellowship year lasts for ten months, from September 2024 to July 2025.
During the fall, Senior Fellows receive intensive training in Italian and take part in visits to sites in and around Rome, including multi-day trips to the Bay of Naples and Florence. Based on their interests and expertise, Senior Fellows also have the opportunity to lead site visits and hold seminars for junior Fellows in the fall term. While in Rome, Senior Fellows work out of the Paideia Institute’s Rome office.
For the remainder of the year, Senior Fellows work mainly as teachers and mentors in Paideia’s Classical Tours program. One of the Senior Fellows’ primary responsibilities is to assist junior Fellows in designing, planning, and leading educational trips involving high school and college students in Rome, the Bay of Naples, and Florence. Senior Fellows may also be involved in teaching in Paideia’s Travel Programs.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants to the Senior Fellowship must be alumni of the Paideia Rome Fellowship or graduate students affiliated with one of Paideia’s Institutional Members. (Click here for a list of Paideia’s Institutional Members.) Applicants should have previous experience living in Italy as well as a solid foundation in the Italian language. Preference will be given to graduate students in Classics or related fields who have completed all degree requirements except the dissertation (ABD), but MA recipients are also eligible to apply.
The Senior Fellowship is intended for former Paideia Rome Fellows as well as graduate students who have a strong aptitude for languages and the potential to thrive as teachers and mentors in the classical humanities. Given the nature of the Fellowship year, we are interested in applicants who have demonstrated comfort with independent research, the ability to thrive in a collaborative environment, and a sense of adventure and adaptability.
The fellowship year is physically demanding and requires Senior Fellows to participate in extended visits to museums and archaeological sites. Interested applicants should be prepared to spend long periods of time on their feet, occasionally under challenging weather conditions, and should have the ability to walk long distances in a single day.
APPLICATIONS
The required application materials include:
- Paideia Rome Fellowship application form
- Personal statement (500 words maximum)
- Academic writing sample (25 page maximum)
- Two letters of recommendation (1 academic recommendation, 1 personal or professional recommendation)
- Official academic transcript(s)
- Resume
The personal statement should summarize the applicant’s academic and personal interests, discuss how the applicant's skills are suited to a dynamic role of teaching and working with students, and explain how the Fellowship year fits into the applicant’s broader career goals.
The academic writing sample should be on a classical topic (interpreted broadly to include history, literature, art history, and classical reception) and should exhibit depth of research, creativity, and clarity of writing.
The academic recommendation should be from a professor who has worked closely with the applicant and can speak to his or her academic merit.
The personal or professional recommendation should be from a colleague or supervisor who can speak to the applicant’s organizational, administrative, and interpersonal skills as exhibited in the context of an internship, job, or campus organization.
DEADLINES AND APPLICATION PROCESS
The deadline for all application materials, including letters of recommendation, is March 1, 2024.
Please click on the button below to access the online application form and submit your materials. All references and transcripts should be sent to [email protected].
Applicants selected as finalists will be invited to participate in the interview process in late March.
Final offers will be made in April.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you have any questions, please contact the Paideia Institute’s New York office:
The Paideia Institute
PO Box 670 New York, NY 10012
(609) 429-0734
[email protected]