Office of Undergraduate Education

Spark Program provides mentoring for competitive fellowships; apply now

Deadline to apply is Jan. 17

The spring 2022 Spark Program cohort will meet starting the first week of February. Credit: Michelle Bixby / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State first- and second-year undergraduates from all campuses are invited to apply to the Spark Program, which helps students prepare for fellowship and scholarship opportunities. 

Two versions of the program — in-person and remote — will be offered in spring 2022. The in-person version will meet from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesdays at the University Park campus. The remote program will be offered through Zoom from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. Both versions of the program will meet for nine weeks starting the first week of February and end the first week of April. The program will not meet during spring break. 

The Spark Program consists of a series of workshops featuring speakers from a wide range of experiences, including a student panel of Spark alumni and a research mentor panel. Participants also are expected to meet individually with representatives from Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring and University Libraries. 

The Spark Program has helped numerous students become better prepared for the rigors of fellowship applications such as Fulbright U.K. Summer Institutes and the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, as well as Penn State-sponsored programs such as the Erickson Discovery and Student Engagement Network grants. 

Applications are open now and will close on Jan. 17. Faculty can recommend students to the Spark Program. Eligible students must submit an interest statement and commit to attending at least eight of the nine workshops. 

To learn more about University Libraries, visit libraries.psu.edu. Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Mentoring is part of Penn State Undergraduate Education

Last Updated January 7, 2022