Daniel Bowman

Assessment and Creation of a Proposal Writing Seminar for Graduate Students through a Faculty Mentoring Network

Abstract: Purdue University is known as one of the top research schools in the world. Through the use of various grants from government entities like the National Science Foundation, private companies, and individuals, Purdue performs ground-breaking work daily throughout its many colleges and schools. Many studies, workshops, and papers have been written on how to successfully develop proposals for such grants, with the aim of increasing the rate of proposal and grant acceptance. However, few studies, if any, have been conducted to determine the outcome and value of such at this prestigious university. This project supports the Graduate School strategic objectives of: · Attracting external and internal sources of funding · Emphasizing mentoring relationships between faculty and students A survey on the perceived benefits and understanding of proposal writing will follow the seminar, allowing for research to determine its long-term success. The results of this study will be used to determine the overall value of proposal seminars on a studentfaculty level, improvements for the future, and the perceived success rate of proposal acceptance due to knowledge gained through such seminars with faculty-student mentorships. The findings from this study may be published in academic journals or presented at conferences for the benefit of graduate students and faculty throughout the country.