African Studies Center

at Michigan State University

Intensive KiSwahili in Tanzania, Summer 2009

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 19 – August 8, 2009)

The Intensive Advanced Kiswahili Group Project Abroad (GPA) for the summer of 2009
will be held in Tanzania, granting of funds by U.S. Department
of Education. The program is scheduled for June 19th -August 8th, 2009.

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.

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:

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

Selection Criteria

  1. Overall previous academic performance and promise;
  2. Superior performance in at least four semesters of a university-level series of 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.
  3. Letters of recommendation that portray a strong candidate;
  4. Applicant’s statement of purpose, including professional and academic goals;
  5. Oral proficiency at Intermediate-Mid in Swahili in ACTFL scale
  6. Career commitment to Eastern Africa or African Studies.

Application Deadline

February 15, 2009

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

Application Availability

Applications will be available at all university African Studies Centers across the nation and on the
website of the MSU African Studies Institute website www://africa.msu.edu/kiswahili.php.
Applications can be submitted electronically. For more information, contact: Dr. Deo Ngonyani, 614
Wells Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824. (517) 353-4051 ngonyani@msu.edu

Please submit the following:

  1. The original plus six copies of the completed two-page application.
  2. Original, official academic transcripts from your current college/university. If your Kiswahili study was done elsewhere, transcripts from that institution should be requested as well. Only original transcripts will be accepted.
  3. A letter from your most recent 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 deadline of the application.
  4. Two letters of recommendation from other current or former instructors. These should also be sent by the recommender directly to Dr. Ngonyani by the 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 selection committee consisting of specialists in Kiswahili from several U.S. 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. Sometime during March, a selection committee
member will contact you by phone to interview you in Kiswahili and determine your proficiency level.
In anticipation of this, ask your Kiswahili instructor to give you practice in speaking over the phone.

Acceptance and Notification

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 2009, 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.

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.