For Graduate Students

Why Become a GIFT Teaching Fellow (TF)

Co-teaching opportunity - Teaching Fellows (TF) will be given the opportunity to co-teach a Tufts course during the Fall semester under the mentorship and supervision of a Tufts faculty member.
Opportunity to interact with graduate students and post docs from other disciplines who share an interest and commitment to teaching.
Prepare for future employment by increasing both teaching and communication skills through peer-reviewed practice in a supportive learning environment.
Facilitation for developing a teaching statement.
Transcript Notation - A transcript notation of a non-credit College of Special Studies course, "Graduate Institute for Teaching" (CSS 145), will be made for Institute Fellows.
Tuition and Stipend - Fellows will receive free tuition for the Institute and a taxable $2,000 stipend.
Facilitation for developing a teaching statement.

Expectations for Teaching Fellows

Time commitment - TFs will be expected to commit themselves to and participate in all 15 GIFT workshop sessions during the summer of 2008.
Meetings with faculty mentors. Once the summer workshops have been completed, the TFs will meet regularly with their faculty mentor to prepare for co-teaching the mentor's fall course.
Co-teaching - TFs will have shared responsibility, with their faculty mentor, for many aspects of the course.
If the TF is unable to fulfill her/his teaching commitment in the fall of 2008, she/he will be expected to forfeit the second portion of the fellowship.

Anderson

Virginia Anderson
doctoral student, drama

Current Research: "I'm investigating how theatre has been used internationally to respond to the AIDS epidemic. I'm also currently researching musical theatre history and the origins of the circus."

Why Tufts: "I chose Tufts because it not only offered but encouraged interdisciplinary work. I'm working toward a Ph.D. in drama, but I'm studying theatre through the lenses of history, economics, political science, and, in my case, health policy and medicine. In addition to the material and human resources to be found at Tufts, the university's location in New England and its proximity to New York City means that some of the best archives in the world are easily available to us. It's been exciting to see how GSAS students eagerly take advantage of the opportunities available to them. But research is only complete with the communication of results, and the Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has contributed needed financial support for attending many of the conferences where I have been fortunate to present my work. The encouragement and opportunities for collaboration I've received from established scholars have helped me to find my own voice within the field."

The Tufts Difference: "One of the greatest contributions to my experience as a student at Tufts has been the support of my classmates and graduate students from other disciplines. The camaraderie here has made a huge difference to me. I'm regularly challenged and inspired by my classmates and I know I've become a better student because of it."