q: who is eligible for the apsa ralph bunche summer institute?
a: applicants must be undergraduate juniors who are a member of a racial/ethnic minority group or who are interested in broadening participation in political science by minority populations.

q: when is the deadline for the ralph bunche summer institute?
a:  the deadline for the 2021 institute is friday, january 15, 2021. application materials are available online at least one month prior to deadline.  

q: will i need a letter of recommendation?
a:  yes, three letters of recommendation are required. in your online application, you will list the name and email address for each of your recommenders. when you're ready, you'll be able to submit your recommendation request through the online application system. we highly recommend reaching out to your references in advance of submitting your reference request.  one letter must come from the department chair at your institution.

q: will you accept an un-official transcript?
a:  yes. given widespread remote work and changes in university operating schedules, apsa will now accept unofficial transcripts and degree audits for the purposes of applicaiton review. if selected to attend the institute, you may be asked to provide an updated transcript. transcripts should be submitted for all undergraduate institutions attended. 

q:  how long is the summer institute?
a:  the rbsi is a five week long (in-residence) intensive program. the 2022 institute will be held may 29 - june 30. fellows are expected to attend the institute in its entirety. 

q:  where is the rbsi program held?
a:  the rbsi program is held at duke university located in durham, north carolina.

q:  do i have to cover any expenses while attending the rbsi?
a:  transportation to and from duke university are provided. you will be housed on campus and will receive access to a campus meal plan as a part of the institute. every student also receives access to student health insurance through duke university and a weekly stipend. rbsi attendees are encouraged to have money for emergencies/spending money.

q:  how do i become an apsa mentor? are there requirements?
a:  apsa members are welcome to sign up to become an apsa mentor, as long as you have the time to commit to mentoring the mentee.   we welcome mentors who are master’s students, phd students, junior faculty, senior faculty, retired, career experts, etc. sign up on the apsa website: www.apsanet.org/mentor.

q:  how do i request an apsa mentor?  are there requirements?
a:  is it highly encouraged that all mentees have a student membership with apsa, however, it is not required.   you can request a mentor on our website www.apsanet.org/mentor.

q:  how long is the commitment for the mentoring program?
a:  the duration of the mentor process can vary. when you fill out your mentor or mentee profile, you will designate whether you need short-term (one semester) or long-term (one academic year) mentoring.    

q:  what if i would like my mentor relationship to continue longer than a year?    
a:  if you and your long-term mentor have established a good mentor/mentee relationship, you can continue beyond the long-term one year time frame.   however, if one or both of you are unable to continue, you can contact apsa and we will match you with a new mentor.

q: is my mentor/mentee in the same institution as me?    
a:  your mentor/mentee could be at another institution anywhere around the world.   it is up to the mentor and the mentee to discuss the best way to communicate (i.e. phone, email, skype, etc.) and set up a standardized mentoring schedule that works for both people. apsa recommends starting over email.

q:  what factors do you use in mentor matching?
a:  when completing a apsa mentor/mentee profile, you will answer a number of questions regarding your current status, research interests, subfields, areas of expertise, and the professional development areas that you need mentoring in.   apsa seeks to match each mentee with a mentor that best fits their request.

q:  i have not heard from my mentor/mentee. what should i do?
a:  it is required that the mentees make the initial communication within 48 hours of the match.   if you reach out, or did reach out, and have not heard back, contact apsa.

q:  what is the msrp program?
a: the apsa msrp works to advance diversity in political science by identifying students from under-represented backgrounds who show potential for or are interested in doctoral study. this information is shared with apsa member graduate departments that enroll in the msrp program for recruitment purposes.

q:  how does my department become an apsa msrp recruiting department?
a:  on your myapsa user account, the chair and graduate director will have access to the “become an msrp recruiting department” selection via the “account actions” column.   contact diversity@apsanet.org with any questions.

q:  what are the benefits of enrolling my department in msrp ?
a:  a link to your phd program is listed on the apsa website and sent to msrp students, you receive access to the msrp database to recruit undergraduates to your phd program, and participation in the msrp best practices meeting at the apsa annual meeting.

q:  how is a student’s information submitted to the database?
a:  a student’s information can be submitted via their department or a faculty member, or they can self-submit. the online submission form can be found here https://apsa.wufoo.com/forms/x1qmbzbx151par2/

q:  i am a student who is in the database and i have not heard from any schools. what do i do?
a:  each phd department’s recruitment cycle is different, thus you may not hear from a school right away.   you are encouraged to view the list of current msrp recruiting departments and reach out to those departments that fit your academic interests.   you can view them at http://www.apsanet.org/programs/diversity-inclusion/minority-student-recruitment-program/participating-graduate-departments.

for more information on diversity and inclusion, please visit www.apsanet.org/programs/diversity-inclusion. you can also contact us at diversityprograms@apsanet.org.