Joshi Awards For Graduate Students

The Rajaram G. and Asha R. Joshi Awards

Two awards will be made annually to eligible current or prospective Linguistics graduate students: A Graduate Recruitment Award and a Research Enhancement Award. (Read more about the Joshi family.)

Joshi Graduate Recruitment Award

Purpose and award amount

The Graduate Recruitment Award is intended to attract an excellent graduate applicant (either MA or PhD) to the Linguistics program to study a topic in South Asian linguistics. An amount of $10,000/year will be awarded as a fellowship every Spring for two years for PhD students and up to two years for MA students, starting with the student’s first academic year. 

Before the conclusion of the fellowship term, the Linguistics faculty will seek to recruit a new excellent graduate applicant for the upcoming admissions cycle. If there are no eligible applicants in the next admissions cycle, or no such applicants accept an admissions offer, a one-year fellowship may be awarded to a current graduate student who meets the award eligibility criteria (see below). Priority will be given to the current Fellow. If there is no current Fellow, the faculty may decide who amongst the current graduate students should be awarded the one-year fellowship.

In the absence of a promising applicant, the award may be used to support an excellent current Linguistics graduate student (either MA and PhD) in to study a topic in South Asian linguistics.

Eligibility

  • Currently enrolled graduate students in Linguistics in good academic standing.
  • Any such student who has been admitted to the program, and has experience working with a South Asian language is automatically eligible and will be the highest priority.
  • Priority will be given to PhD students but MA students are also eligible.
  • The incoming or current student should have commenced research on the South Asian language(s) before the fellowship is awarded.
  • In the absence of an eligible graduate applicant, any current student whose ongoing research prominently features a South Asian language will be considered.
  • Note: The selected student will still be eligible for other fellowships. (Only enrolled students are eligible for fellowships).

Procedure

The fellowship decision will be made by the faculty in the Spring as part of the admissions process. Any current graduate student will have the chance to indicate relevant research as part of the Annual Progress Report, which is due in December. If there is more than one current graduate student who is eligible, then they may be asked for a short summary of their research plans and how they plan to incorporate research based on a South Asian language. In which case, the faculty will choose the best research plan submitted.

If you receive an award

The fellowship may be used by the student for any purpose, and is not conditional on the student not accepting any other fellowships that they might have won. (Domestic students receiving Financial Aid may need to consult with the MSU Office of Financial Aid before accepting fellowships, especially when the fellowship amount is substantial, singly or collectively).

The student does not have to make a report on their expenditures to the Linguistics program. However, the donor may, if they wish, request such a report directly from the student.

The student will be recognized at the Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures annual awards ceremony.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact the Linguistics Graduate Program Director, Dr. Karthik Durvasula, karthikd@msu.edu.

Joshi Research Enhancement Award

Purpose and award amount

The goal of this award is to encourage current Linguistics graduate students to incorporate the linguistic analysis of a South Asian language into their research program. The award amount is $3000.

Eligibility

  • Currently enrolled graduate student in Linguistics in good academic standing.
  • The student will have research on a South Asian language featuring (prominently) as part of a comprehensive paper or dissertation. Alternatively, the student must have presented relevant research at an external conference.
  • Note: The student will still be eligible for other fellowships. (Domestic students receiving Financial Aid may need to consult with the MSU Office of Financial Aid before accepting fellowships, especially when the fellowship amount is substantial).

Procedure

The fellowship decision will be made by the faculty in the Spring, when other fellowship decisions are also made (such as Summer Support Fellowships). A graduate student will have the chance to indicate relevant research as part of the Annual Progress Report, which is due in December.

If there is more than one eligible graduate student, then they may be asked for a short summary of their research plans and how they plan to incorporate research based on a South Asian language. In which case, the faculty will choose the best research plan submitted.

If you receive an award

The student who receives the award will have to submit a report of their research along with the next Annual Progress Report.

Questions

If you have any questions, please contact the Linguistics Graduate Program Director, Dr. Karthik Durvasula, karthikd@msu.edu.