Intensive KiSwahili in Tanzania, Summer 2010

The Association of African Studies Programs (AASP) and the African Language Teachers Association (ALTA)

in cooperation with Michigan State University

Announce the

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad for Intensive Advanced Kiswahili in Tanzania

(June 18 – August 7, 2010)

Coordinating Institutions

The seven-week program is offered by the Association of African Studies Programs and the African Language Teachers Association with the support of the U.S. Department of Education Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (GPA) Program. Michigan State University’s African Studies Center and Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian, and African Languages, in collaboration with the University of Florida and the University of Dar es Salaam, will conduct the program at the MS-Training Center for Development Cooperation (MS-TCDC) in Arusha, Tanzania.

Eligibility

Applicants msut be:

U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States
Graduate and professional students with a focus on Africa
Undergraduate juniors or seniors focusing on Africa

Selection Criteria

Overall superior previous academic performance and promise
Superior performance in at least four semesters of university-level Swahili courses, or the equivalent; applicants who are attending their fourth semester or final quarters of intermediate Swahili at the time of application are also eligible
Letters of recommendation that portray a strong candidate
Applicant’s statement of purpose, including professional and academic goals
Oral proficiency at Intermediate-Mid in Swahili in ACTFL scale
Career commitment to Eastern Africa or African studies

Application Deadline

February 19, 2010

Application Availability

Applications will be available at all university African studies centers across the nation and on the Michigan State University African Studies Center website at africa.msu.edu/kiswahili.php. Applications can be submitted electronically.

For more information, contact:
Dr. Deo Ngonyani
Michigan State University
A-614 Wells Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1027
Phone: (517) 353-4051
Fax: (517) 432-2736
E-mail: ngonyani@msu.edu

Application Procedure

By February 19, 2010, please submit the following:

Six copies of the completed two-page.
Official academic transcript(s) from your current college/university. If you were enrolled for Kiswahili study elsewhere, request transcripts from that school as well. Only original transcripts will be accepted.
A letter from your most recent Kiswahili instructor giving a detailed evaluation of your speaking, reading, and writing proficiency in Kiswahili. This evaluation should be mailed by the evaluator directly to Dr. Deo Ngonyani by the application deadline.
Two letters of recommendation from current and/or former instructors. These should be mailed by the recommender directly to Dr. Ngonyani by the application deadline.

Dr. Ngonyani will be available to assist you during the preparation of your application. Please contact him for advice.

Application Review and Oral Proficiency Interview

The Kiswahili GPA committee consisting of specialists in Kiswahili from several universities will review the applications and rank the applicants. Each member of the panel will have access to the application packet to evaluate your application. Based on the recommendations of the panel, a selection of highly qualified applicants will be made. Sometime during March 2010, a selection committee member will contact applicants by phone to interview them in Kiswahili and determine their proficiency level. In anticipation of this, ask your Kiswahili instructor to give you practice speaking over the phone.

Acceptance and Notification

The Kiswahili GPA committee will make the final selection based on the oral interviews. If you are a successful applicant and recipient of a fellowship, you will be notified by April 9, 2010 . At that time, additional information concerning the program will be sent to you.

Funding

Application Form (pdf)

The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education through its Fulbright-Hays International Education Program. Each selected participant will be awarded a fellowship that will cover

Round-trip travel between Detroit, Michigan, and Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Tuition fees
Books and other material
Room and board at MS-TCDC in Arusha, Tanzania
Travel expenses in Tanzania

Each participant will contribute $1,000 as program fees. Participants will be asked to make their own travel arrangements to and from Detroit.

Other Support

In the past, the grant from the U.S. Department of Education has not been sufficient to support all
eligible applicants. The director of this program advises who do not receive fellowships to seek alternative
funding sources. Speak to your respective African studies program about their granting you support. In previous years eligible students with other sources of funding have participated in the program.

Statement on Equal Opportunity

The Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination Policy of MSU states: ‘Michigan State University is
committed to the principles of equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action.
University programs, activities and facilities are available to all without regard to race, color, gender,
religion, national origin, political persuasion, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, height,
weight, veteran status, age or familial status.’ This policy is consistent with federal and state law and
policy. More information regarding this policy statement is available at:
http://www.inclusion.msu.edu/equity