Faculty & Advisor Resources

As MSU Faculty and Advisers, you play an essential role in the awards process. As you come into contact with high achieving students, please feel free to refer students to the NIFS Office and we will take it from there. To assist you in those efforts, the NIFS Office has created these resources for you – from handouts and calendars to video testimonials. Please let us know if you have ideas for additional ways to reach students. Feel free to contact the NIFS Office at nifs@msu.edu or call 517-884-7650.

 

  • Refer Students
    Referring students is easy! You can send an e-mail to nifs@msu.edu with the student’s name, email, and as much information as you have and we will reach out to the student. You can also refer students to our office and have them contact us at nifs@msu.edu or stop in to our office in Bessey Hall, room 186.
  • Mentor Students
    The most successful applicants have had a faculty mentor with whom they have worked. Faculty mentors can help students refine research interests, understand their field and think about career goals, identify graduate programs, and provide feedback on application drafts, all of which are important components of a strong fellowship or scholarship application.
  • Committee Service
    Faculty also play an important role in the nomination process. We are always interested in faculty who are willing to serve on mock interview committees and nomination committees for awards that require an institutional nomination. If you are interested in serving on a committee please contact the NIFS Office at nifs@msu.edu and we will follow-up with you.
  • Recommendation Letters

    Most prestigious awards require at least four letters of recommendation from faculty who have supervised a student’s research and/or have had a student in a course. Letters of reference for prestigious awards have some unique features that set them apart from other types of letters of recommendation. It is important that letters of recommendation are tailored for each award. Below are some resources for writing a strong letter of recommendation. (Selecting these links will open a new window)

Resources