Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Thank you for taking the time to write a letter of recommendation for a nationally competitive scholarship application. Yours is a valuable contribution to this formative process and we appreciate your advocacy on behalf of the applicant.

Please be aware, it is a matter of NCS policy that applicants must waive their right to see your letter of recommendation. We also cannot accept letters authored by applicants; the endorsement must be from the letter-signer.

At any time in the process, from brainstorming the first draft to finalizing your letter, we are delighted to help. Please contact ncs-ousf@duke.edu if you would like to discuss further or for questions or concerns.

Guidelines
Criteria
  • Demonstrated abilities and aptitude for research
  • Communication skills, strong writing and editing,
  • Relevant language skills, where necessary
  • Data science skills
Endorsement Required?Yes. This is a multi-stage process.
Number of Recommendation Letters

2. Applicants will select a focus area that will determine which project they get assigned to as a junior fellow. Letters of recommendation should speak to the applicant’s qualifications for their chosen focus area.  

 

Application Timeline
StageDescriptionDeadline
Endorsement Application Deadline

NCS will convene a faculty committee to decide which applicants will go forward to compete at the national level.

November 29
Endorsement Decisions Announced Early January
National Deadline January 15

 

FAQs

Submit your letter by email to ncs-ousf@duke.edu. It should be a signed PDF on letterhead. If your applicant is endorsed, Duke will submit your letter to the national committee on your behalf.

Please address your letter to the “Gaither Fellowship Selection Committee”.

  • How does the applicant meet the Gaither criteria?  What is outstanding about their scholarship, leadership, and/or character?
  • What examples can you share that illustrate your strong endorsement for the candidate?
  • How does this applicant compare to other people you have taught/supervised?

Applicants are instructed to let you know as soon as they learn the decision of the campus endorsement committee. Endorsements are usually made by NCS in early January.