A Guide to the Menschel Fellowship Application Process

The act of applying for this fellowship is itself a form of research. It asks you to identify what truly compels you, to imagine how you might pursue it, and to consider what your investigation could offer others.

The Menschel selection committee looks for projects that demonstrate clear purpose, rigorous methods, and potential for meaningful contribution. They value work that opens new possibilities for understanding and creation, that builds bridges between fields of knowledge, that makes visible what we haven't seen before.

The committee evaluates proposals based on:

• Clarity of research question and methods
• Potential for meaningful contribution
• Feasibility within timeline and budget
• Strength of interdisciplinary connections

What follows is a guide that outlines the key elements of a strong proposal.

Research as Creative Inquiry

Begin with what genuinely compels you. Look for questions that emerge from your work but extend beyond it — problems that your home discipline can approach but not fully answer. Consider what methods you might need, not just those you already know, but those you'll need to develop or adapt. Research in this context means systematic investigation, whether through material experiments, site observations, archival study, or other forms of rigorous inquiry.

The proposal should make clear not just what you want to study, but how you plan to study it, and why that method is the right one for the question you're asking. The fellowship supports work that develops new ways of knowing, not just new things to know.

Beyond Cooper's Walls

Menschel projects require investigation beyond campus. If your research involves travel, explain why specific locations matter to your inquiry. What can you learn there that you couldn't learn here? How will you gather and document what you find? If your project is more local, how will you take advantage of a sustained engagement with the site? Consider how your discoveries might return to Cooper Union in meaningful ways.

Crucially, demonstrate that your proposed fieldwork is necessary and substantive. Projects must articulate why on-site research is irreplaceable. This means showing you've already conducted preliminary research — consulted existing sources, mapped current scholarship, identified specific gaps your fieldwork will address. A compelling project will reveal what existing resources cannot provide: direct observation, material encounters, conversations unavailable through archives. Your application should make clear how your direct work is necessary to generate nuanced understanding.

Resources and Requirements

The fellowship provides up to $4000 per project. Your budget should detail anticipated expenses, including materials, travel if necessary, and exhibition costs. We recommend reserving 15-25% of your budget for the costs of mounting the final exhibition.

The exhibition is an integral part of the research process. It is not merely a show, but asks you to make your inquiry visible and accessible to others. Consider how you might present not just conclusions, but the journey of investigation itself.

Working Together

The fellowship welcomes both individual and collaborative applications, and has supported strong projects of both kinds. Individual applications continue to be welcome and encouraged, though some preference will be given to groups. If you're proposing a group project, the committee will want to understand what each person brings to the group and the project. Describe what each member is individually invested in, what each of you will be responsible for, and how your working relationship will function during the fellowship period.

Timeline and Structure

Your timeline should account for the full arc of research: initial investigation, method development, documentation, analysis, and public presentation. Consider what each phase requires. Build in time for unexpected discoveries and necessary adjustments.

Remember that the final exhibition will happen in January or early February. Work backward from there to create a realistic schedule. Consider what you'll need to document along the way, what form your presentation might take, how you'll invite others into conversation with your work.

The Interview

Finalists will be invited to interview with the selection committee. If you are invited for an interview, this is a meaningful part of the evaluation, and an opportunity to make the case for your work in a way that a written proposal might not convey. The strongest interviews help the committee understand why your project is particularly well-suited to the Menschel program: the logic of your inquiry, the clarity of your thinking, and what you're genuinely trying to find out. More information about the interview format will be provided to finalists at that stage.

Developing Your Proposal

Start early. Discuss your ideas with potential faculty advisors. Visit the Center for Writing. Review past fellowship projects. Let your proposal evolve through conversation and revision.

Advisory Relationship Statement

Your project will benefit from a committed advisor — someone who will engage with your research as it unfolds. This statement, which you'll develop with your advisor, describes your working relationship. You may draft it together or propose the terms yourself, but in either case, you and your advisor should explicitly agree to it.

The statement should be brief (1-2 pages) but specific. Address:

• What draws this advisor to your project. A sentence or two about shared interests or complementary perspectives.
• How you've worked together before. You might provide a specific example about the context and situation that showed you could collaborate effectively.
• When and how you'll meet during the fellowship period. Regular check-ins? Studio visits? Email updates?
• What kind of guidance you'll need. Method development? Technical advice? Critical feedback?

Your advisor signals their agreement by signing the statement (a digital signature/typing their name is fine). The statement can be authored by the student, the advisor, or in collaboration between the two; the agreement matters more than who writes it.