“I am able to better contextualize my work to
address research questions relevant to an international
research community because of these experiences.”

The Turner Fellowship has afforded me the time and support to be able to conduct professional activities that I would not have been able to do otherwise. I traveled to Bogota to conduct a necessary pilot study for my dissertation proposal using the Turner Summer Research Grant. That trip turned out to be a watershed point in my graduate career. I was affiliated with the Luis Angel Arango Library in Bogota, defended my proposal, presented parts of my research to six different audiences, and submitted a paper for publication in the months following that trip. And because of those experiences in part, I was able to attract a Fellowship from the American Sociological Association.

I traveled to Manchester, England on a Turner Conference Grant to attend the 12th Annual Alternative Futures and popular Protest Conference at Manchester Metropolitan University. At the conference, I was able to meet the UK research community in contentious politics and able to extend my international networks. I am able to better contextualize my work to address research questions relevant to an international research community because of these experiences.

The Turner Fellowship is also a clearinghouse of information. I have taken advantage of several opportunities that come across the listserv. The monthly social is a place to meet supportive graduate students from across the university. I especially enjoy this opportunity to discuss mutual concerns and aspirations with such an intelligent and diverse community. The many opportunities for professional development have helped demystify much of the business of academia and I have been able to better navigate it as a result.

Aside from these specific opportunities however, I feel the difference that a Turner Fellowship makes each day. I have been able to use one semester each year to focus solely on completing my own research. Opening up twenty hours of additional time per week is an enormous gift. The 5th year of funding also came at a crucial time in my graduate career and I was able to engage with my research community full-time.

Getting to know Burg Turner himself has been nothing short of inspirational. Meeting him and hearing his story really personalized the Fellowship and makes it more than just a line on the CV: It is a mission to diversify the professoriate. As a keepsake at one of the annual Welcome Dinners, the Fellowship gave me a framed photograph of Burg and I. I keep it on my desk and every time I look at it, it reminds me of the importance of the work that I do. His personal example of living a life with purpose gives me a boost in those moments of weakness.

“I wouldn’t have had half the opportunities I’ve had
were it not for the resources and community that the
Turner Fellowship has provided me with.”

The Turner Fellowship has made a profound impact on my life and it’s one of the reasons I made the decision to come to Stony Brook. I have been able to dedicate more time to my studies, as well as foster an even closer relationship with the faculty of my department thanks to the variety of opportunities the Fellowship offers. Because of the Fellowship’s Summer Research Grant, I was able to travel to Spain and work in some of the country’s most prestigious film archives doing research for my dissertation. Similarly I’ve been able to attend national conferences here in the States, meeting colleagues and presenting my work. Thanks to the fellowship’s generous funding, it’s safe to say that I wouldn’t have had half the opportunities I’ve had were it not for the resources and community that the Turner Fellowship has provided me with

“It is always a welcome opportunity to speak to other minority students in different research areas that share the common goal of obtaining advanced degrees.”

The W. Burghardt Turner Fellowship played a key role in my decision to come to graduate school at Stony Brook University. It was not for the money; in the biomedical sciences, our salaries are usually paid for by our principal investigators’ grant monies. The Turner Fellowship is unique in that it is a graduate student-based program that offers support and opportunities to network and fellowship with out students and professional from other disciplines. It is always a welcome opportunity to speak to other minority students in different research areas that share the common goal of obtaining advanced degrees.

Aside from the opportunity to engage with other students in a social and professional environment, the Turner Fellowship Program allows us to truly focus on research by alleviating some of the stresses of being a graduate student by offering both financial (ex: conference travel awards) and non-financial (ex: help finding affordable housing) support.

Graduate school, for me , has not been easy as I am sure is the case for most, if not all, students. I have relied heavily on the personal support and guidance of the Turner Program staff to get me through some very difficult times that might have otherwise derailed me.

“With the Fellowship, I have a new team of people doing their best to make my life at Stony Brook the best it can be.”

The Turner Fellowship program gave me the opportunity to grow in my academic field. With the fellowship, I was able to interact with more students in my field of study in the classroom and outside of the classroom by being a TA. The experience of being a TA that came with the fellowship enhanced my desire to be a professor.

The Turner Fellowship program gave me the opportunity to interact with non STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) students through the monthly socials. Also, with the conference fund that is available to students, over the past two academic years, I had the opportunity to attend the SREB conference. Attending the conference has been a great experience in enhancing my network skills.

“I am able to better contextualize my work to
address research questions relevant to an international
research community because of these experiences.”

The Turner Fellowship has afforded me the time and support to be able to conduct professional activities that I would not have been able to do otherwise. I traveled to Bogota to conduct a necessary pilot study for my dissertation proposal using the Turner Summer Research Grant. That trip turned out to be a watershed point in my graduate career. I was affiliated with the Luis Angel Arango Library in Bogota, defended my proposal, presented parts of my research to six different audiences, and submitted a paper for publication in the months following that trip. And because of those experiences in part, I was able to attract a Fellowship from the American Sociological Association.

I traveled to Manchester, England on a Turner Conference Grant to attend the 12th Annual Alternative Futures and popular Protest Conference at Manchester Metropolitan University. At the conference, I was able to meet the UK research community in contentious politics and able to extend my international networks. I am able to better contextualize my work to address research questions relevant to an international research community because of these experiences.

The Turner Fellowship is also a clearinghouse of information. I have taken advantage of several opportunities that come across the listserv. The monthly social is a place to meet supportive graduate students from across the university. I especially enjoy this opportunity to discuss mutual concerns and aspirations with such an intelligent and diverse community. The many opportunities for professional development have helped demystify much of the business of academia and I have been able to better navigate it as a result.

Aside from these specific opportunities however, I feel the difference that a Turner Fellowship makes each day. I have been able to use one semester each year to focus solely on completing my own research. Opening up twenty hours of additional time per week is an enormous gift. The 5th year of funding also came at a crucial time in my graduate career and I was able to engage with my research community full-time.

Getting to know Burg Turner himself has been nothing short of inspirational. Meeting him and hearing his story really personalized the Fellowship and makes it more than just a line on the CV: It is a mission to diversify the professoriate. As a keepsake at one of the annual Welcome Dinners, the Fellowship gave me a framed photograph of Burg and I. I keep it on my desk and every time I look at it, it reminds me of the importance of the work that I do. His personal example of living a life with purpose gives me a boost in those moments of weakness.