Summer Institute for Research on Race and Wealth

Posted by on April 13, 2009

Summer Institute for Research on Race and Wealth July 2009

The Howard University Center on Race and Wealth invites applications for its 2009 Summer Institute.  The Summer Institute is a four week program for students (undergraduate or graduate) who have completed a paper, such as a senior thesis, honors paper, graduate course paper or a master’s thesis, on a topic related to asset building, wealth accumulation and/or wealth and racial economic inequality, particularly in communities of color and low-income populations.  The goal of the program is to provide promising students with an opportunity to refine a piece of research that focuses on the distribution of wealth in the United States, or asset building and asset accumulation and racial inequality. Chosen students will have an uninterrupted period in which to further explore their topic, revise their original research and rewrite their paper to scholarly journal standards. In addition, participants will benefit from the opportunity to discuss ideas with other students and the program director in a formal seminar setting, to be mentored by the master teacher and receive feedback on their research from the Center’s resident scholars. Participants will visit government agencies that collect and analyze wealth data, attend policy forums on Capitol Hill, and participate in workshops with and have access to the Center’s resident scholars as well as researchers from policy-related organizations in the Washington, DC area.

Howard University is a historically black academic institution located near the booming U Street area of Washington DC. The Center on Race and Wealth is housed in the Department of Economics.  Howard University has a long tradition of fostering research on issues that affect the communities in which people of color reside.  Because of its location in Washington DC, the Summer Institute offers a unique opportunity for training and networking. Additionally, the program includes visits from some of the premier researchers in the field of wealth research, giving participants the opportunity to discuss their research with leaders in the field.

Participants will receive support for their travel, living expenses and a small stipend.  Applications are due May 1, 2009.

Duration of the program:
The Institute will take place from Monday July 6, 2009 to Wednesday, July 29, 2009.

Application process:
To apply, please send a writing sample, 2 letters of recommendation (with one preferably from an instructor who supervised the writing project that the student hopes to extend while at the program), and a brief cover letter describing your interest in the program and the work you hope to do while at the Institute.  Remember to include your current contact information (address, phone numbers, email address) and summer address, cell phone number and e-mail in your application, so we know where to contact you if you are accepted.

Please send an e-copy of your application to all 3 email addresses: jnembhard@howard.edu, mjharris@howard.edu, and professorgn@gmail.com with the subject line as “Howard Summer Institute.”

Questions about the summer program may be directed to the following,

Dr. William Spriggs, Chair of the Department of Economics
wspriggs@howard.edu

Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard, Center on Race and Wealth
jnembhard@howard.edu

A Website for more information will soon be announced.