Application is now open for the JMMFF Graduate Fellowships at the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation. Interested applicants are encouraged to send their applications in before the deadline date.
About James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation (JMMFF)
The United States Congress established the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation in 1986 to support outstanding secondary school teachers of American history, American government, and social studies in grades 7 through 12 in their graduate studies of the origins, framing, principles, and development of the United States Constitution. Thus, the Foundation honors James Madison, the fourth President of the United States and widely regarded “Father of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights,” as well as the bicentennial of the Constitution.
The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation awards $24,000 JMMFF Graduate Fellowships to people who want to excel as exceptional secondary school teachers of the American Constitution. Only candidates from the states in which they are legally residing are considered in the competition for fellowships. The Foundation intends to provide one fellowship to each state each year, subject to financing.
Constitution Day, September 17, 2023, will see the opening of applications for the 2024 Fellowships.
The Foundation provides two different kinds of fellowships:
- Junior Fellowships are given to exceptional college seniors and recent graduates without teaching experience who want to teach American history, American government, or civics in secondary schools to students in grades 7–12. These classes will cover the Constitution. Within two academic years of full-time study, junior fellows are required to finish their graduate degrees.
- Outstanding present or former teachers who must finish their graduate studies within five calendar years of part-time study are given Senior Fellowships.
James Madison Fellowships with Special Funding
- A person of color who is a citizen of the United States and a secondary-level teacher or prospective teacher of American history, American government, or civics may apply for the Frederick Douglass-James Madison Fellowship, a privately funded graduate fellowship, to pursue a master’s degree in constitutional law.
- Admiral Paul A. Yost, Jr.-James Madison Fellowship is given to people who have served in the U.S. military and satisfy the aforementioned qualifying requirements.
Details about JMMFF Graduate Fellowships:
Scholarship Sponsor: James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
Scholarship Value: Varies
Number of awards: One
Study level: Fellowships
Host Institution(s): James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation
Aims of JMMFF Graduate Fellowships
Each scholarship may be up to $24,000 in total, prorated throughout the length of study, but it may never be more than $12,000 for one academic year. Fellows typically get less than these maximum sums. Payments are only made for the minimal number of credits necessary for the awarding of the degree and solely for the actual costs of tuition, obligatory fees, and books (as well as accommodation and board if you are obliged to live away from your primary residence).
The fellowship will be forfeited and will require the return of all funds paid under the fellowship, plus any applicable interest under federal law if you fail to complete your graduate degree, attend the Summer Institute on the Constitution, or teach qualifying subjects in grades 7–12 for the required amount of time required by the award.
Eligibility Criteria for JMMFF Graduate Fellowships
Only candidates from the state where they are legally residing are considered in the competition for fellowships. To be qualified to apply for a fellowship, you must:
- Possess US citizenship
- Educate secondary school students (grades 7–12) on issues relating to the Constitution by becoming a teacher of American history, American government, or civics.
- A Bachelor’s degree or the intention to obtain a Bachelor’s degree by August 31 of the year you are applying.
Professional Teaching Obligation:
Each Fellow shall teach American history, American government, or civics in grades 7–12 for one full year for each academic year of funding received under a fellowship, preferably in the state from which the fellowship was awarded, after obtaining the master’s degree.
Interview Date, Process, and Venue for JMMFF Graduate Fellowships
Only candidates from the state in which they are legally residing compete. Candidates are judged on their dedication to a career in secondary school civics, American history, or American government classes where they will cover the Constitution. You must exhibit:
- intend to enroll in and successfully finish a graduate degree emphasizing the Constitution and providing education in it,
- dedication to civic duty,
- and the ability to study and function as classroom instructors.
No consideration will be given to applicant’s race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, handicap, political affiliation, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other non-merit considerations while evaluating their applications. In late April or early May, the James Madison Foundation names its fellows and notifies them of their selection.
Application Procedure for JMMFF Graduate Fellowships
Are you qualified and interested? To apply, go to James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation (JMMFF) at scholarshipamerica.us2.list-manage.com.
The application procedure might take up to several hours once you’ve finished registering. Before the application deadline, you may always save your work and come back to it later.
The Application Deadline is: March 1, 2024
Not interested in this particular scholarship? See other USA scholarships here.