Jenell Smith

In order to apply for the IGERT fellowship you also have to apply for at least one other national fellowship. I applied for both the NSF GRFP and NSF IGERT, both of which required personal statements. The GRFP was a bit more intense with the inclusion of the research proposal; however, preparation of the proposal greatly strengthens your writing skills and ability to form a research plan, both of which are important for graduate school. I recommend to everyone to apply for as many fellowships as possible to get the experience as well as increase your chances of receiving one.