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In April, 2018, Anthony Veasna So was named one of 30 nationwide recipients of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. For So, a graduate student in the Creative Writing Program in the College of Arts and Sciences, the fellowship has given him the ability to focus primarily on his writing.

“The Soros Fellowship allowed me to bring my first story collection to near completion over the summer. Because of the Soros’ generous funding, I did not need to work over the summer to support myself, which in turn gave me time to focus on my writing,” So says. “Furthermore, I’ve been in a lovely email correspondence with my Soros mentor, a former Soros Fellow himself who works as a playwright and screenwriter, and he has given me illuminating insights into what it means to pursue a career in the arts and writing.”

An information session on the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans will be held on Monday, Sept. 24, from 5-6 p.m. in Room 320 of the Hall of Languages. Yulian Ramos, deputy director of the Soros Foundation graduate fellowship program, will lead the session.

The merit-based Soros Fellowships, of up to $90,000, are exclusively offered to immigrants and children of immigrants who are pursuing graduate school in the United States and who are poised to make significant contributions to U.S. society, culture or their academic field. The application deadline is Thursday, Nov. 1.

Those eligible for the 2019 class must be new Americans aged 30 or younger who are planning to start or continue an eligible graduate degree program full-time in the U.S. during the 2019-20 academic year.

“The Soros is a remarkable opportunity for outstanding students planning graduate study or currently enrolled in a graduate program,” says Jolynn Parker, director of the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising. “It was such a pleasure to work with Anthony last year, and to see how meaningful the fellowship support has been for him. We’re eager to support future applicants.”

So encourages those interested to attend the information session, and to start their essays for the application as soon as possible. “Use the essays as a time to reflect on what you want from your graduate experience,” So says. “Thinking through and drafting both my essays pushed me to figure out exactly what I want to do with my writing and graduate work.”

More information on the Soros Fellowship can be found at . For more information about the information session, or for assistance in the application process, contact the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising at 315.443.2759.