Fordham University’s English department has launched a funding program to help doctoral candidates find jobs during their final year of school. Students in the home stretch of their academic careers will receive their regular fellowships as well as a professionalization fellowship of $4,500 for registration and travel fees to conferences, child care, new clothes and other expenses that factor into the job hunt.
According to John Bugg, an English professor at Fordham who spoke to Inside Higher Education, the program was inspired by a seminar held in 2016 that discussed the Ph.D. for the 21st century. The goal, Bugg said, is to ensure that students’ potential job opportunities are not limited based on a lack of money.
Bugg also stressed the importance of recognizing the challenges students face during the job search, like paying for travel expenses or initial interviews.
The professionalization fellowship will be funded by Fordham’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
