Yale Graduate and Professional Affiliate Program

Invitation Letter October 2011

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To: All First Year Graduate and Professional School Students

From: Graduate School Dean Thomas Pollard

Re: Invitation for first year graduate and professional student affiliates in the residential colleges

I am exceptionally pleased to extend an invitation from the Masters of Berkeley, Branford, Davenport, Ezra Stiles, Pierson, Morse, and Trumbull Colleges to all graduate & professional students to apply to affiliate with their colleges. The Graduate and Professional Affiliate Program allows graduate students to play a more active role in the larger Yale community through involvement with one of the participating colleges. Various offices co-sponsor this program as part of the University’s ongoing commitment to expand opportunities for graduate students to participate in campus life, as noted in the 2010 Yale accreditation report.

We hope you might consider this exciting possibility for closer contact with undergraduate students in the colleges. If you do not choose to apply this year, applications for 2012-13 will be available next spring.

Invitation from the Masters of Participating Residential Colleges:

We write to invite continuing students from the graduate and the professional schools to participate in residential college life at Yale. The residential colleges are intimate communities where individuals of diverse ages, backgrounds, and interests come together and learn from one another. Through the many activities and facilities in the colleges, our students quickly understand that belonging to a residential college is a precious educational and personal experience. Our students and faculty will welcome your participation in our activities. We sincerely look forward to reviewing your application. These positions are non-residential, so they do not allow grad/professional students to live in the colleges.

The graduate and professional affiliate program promotes interactions with undergraduates by providing special access to the participating college, two meals per week, use of that college’s facilities and many activities – ranging from college-wide educational, cultural and social events to photography, pottery, art and drama, poetry readings, music, language tables, science groups and career or pre-professional advising. Graduate student affiliates work with the Master and the undergraduate students to plan programs of mutual interest and benefit in each college. You do not need to be an alumnus of Yale College- all first year G&P students are welcome to apply.

If you are a first year full-time graduate or professional student in a degree program at Yale for 2011-12, and would like to apply for consideration as a graduate/professional affiliate of a residential college, please complete the online application by 12:00 noon on Monday, October 10 through http://yalegradaffiliates.blogspot.com/ The website also describes the affiliate program, the programs in the participating colleges, and FAQs. We will announce appointments for the 2011-12 academic year mid October 2011.

If you have questions not answered by the website or the FAQs, please contact James O’Leary, the student graduate affiliate program coordinator (gradaffiliateprogram@gmail.com).

The Graduate and Professional Affiliate program is administered by Lisa Brandes, Asst. Dean and Director of the Office of Graduate Student Life at the McDougal Center, GSAS; Deborah Bellmore, the Executive Assistant to the Council of Masters; and the graduate student program coordinator. The program is funded though the generous support of the Yale President’s Office, the Dean of the Graduate School, the Yale Council of Masters, and the Yale residential colleges.

Marvin Chun, Master, Berkeley

Betsy Bradley, Master, Branford

Richard Schottenfeld, Master, Davenport

Stephen Pitti, Master, Ezra Stiles

Frank Kell, Master, Morse

Harvey Goldblatt, Master, Pierson

Janet Henrich, Master, Trumbull

Program Description

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The Graduate and Professional Affiliate Program, sponsored by Yale’s residential colleges, allows graduate students to play a more active role in the larger Yale community. Currently, six undergraduate residential colleges are inviting graduate students to participate in college life by becoming graduate affiliates.

These positions are non-residential, that is, they do not allow grad/professional students to live in the colleges. Rather, the program facilitates interaction with undergraduates by providing affiliates with access to a particular college, a few meals a week in the college’s dining hall, and use of its facilities. In return, affiliates contribute to the social and intellectual life of the college in both casual and structured ways. Affiliates have been involved in many aspects of residential college life, from cultural and social events to photography, pottery, art and drama, poetry readings, music, language tables, science groups, and career advising. Read more about the colleges to learn about what kinds of activities affiliates might be involved in.

If selected, you will be joining a lively group of returning affiliates who were selected last spring or in previous years. As noted earlier, these G&P affiliate positions do not involve living in the colleges.

If you would like to apply for consideration as a graduate/professional affiliate of a residential college, please see How to Apply.

NOTE: Despite the similar name, we are a separate program from The Graduate Fellowship Affiliate Program, in which former fellowship winners advise Yale undergraduates.

The Graduate and Professional Affiliate program is administered by the Office of Graduate Student Life at the McDougal Center, and the Council of Masters office. The program is funded though the generous support of the Yale President’s Office, the Dean of the Graduate School, the Yale Council of Masters, and the Yale residential colleges. Please refer any questions to gradaffiliateprogram@gmail.com.

The Participating Colleges

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The residential colleges are intimate communities where individuals of diverse ages, backgrounds, and interests come together and learn from one another. Through the many activities and facilities in the colleges, our students quickly understand that belonging to a residential college is a precious educational and personal experience. We believe that graduate and professional involvement in residential college life at Yale proves rewarding for the affiliates, for the undergraduate population, and for the Yale community as a whole. Nine of Yale's twelve colleges participate in the program.

The following colleges are accepting applications for the spring draft (applications due October 10, 2011 at noon).

Berkeley College
With its central location, beautiful architecture, and renowned dining hall, Berkeley College welcomes graduate affiliates to participate in the social, academic, and artistic aspects of College life. This includes eating meals in the college, running information sessions for students considering graduate or professional school, helping choose courses with the College Seminar Committee, planning themed poetry, drama, or musical evenings, and participating in the Berkeley College orchestra and intramurals. We also like to help organize activities such as trips to the theatre or opera in NYC, outdoor s'mores nights, and apple-picking trips to local orchards. Affiliates often join the Fellows in their twice-monthly meetings and the seniors in the Mellon Forum (Commonplace Society). We invite graduate and professional students with initiative, creativity, and a sense of fun.

Branford College

Branford College is marked by Harkness Tower and the Great Courtyard that Robert Frost called “the most beautiful in America.” Activities that a graduate affiliate might enjoy taking on in Branford include arranging and organizing Master?s Teas; planning trips to musical, theatrical, or sporting events; and mentoring students about their senior projects or future careers. Branford has both its own pottery studio and a high-end digital media editing facility, which graduate affiliates can help run.

Davenport College
Davenport College's architecture is distinguished by its Gothic exterior and Georgian interior and courtyards, and the college community is vibrant, engaged, and welcoming. We hope that graduate affiliates who join our community will get to know each other as well as interact with Davenport undergraduates and fellows, both by eating meals in the college and organizing at least one activity per term that appeals to the diverse interests of Davenporters. Graduate affiliates are also welcome to attend Master's Teas and other special events and to use the college's extensive facilities, including the digital media arts center, library, gym, printing press, and pottery studio.

Ezra Stiles College

The life and character of Ezra Stiles College can be best described through its love for the arts, passion for intramural athletics, and the cohesive pride of its students. We welcome Graduate Affiliates who seek to compliment each of these aspects and enrich the lives of undergraduates in the college. Affiliates in Ezra Stiles College should look for opportunities to bridge the gap between undergraduate and graduate students by serving as mentors to students who are curious about various careers, graduate work, and life in New Haven. We expect each affiliate to eat meals in the college, and to organize at least one activity during the year, in conjunction with the Stiles College Council and the Student Activities Committee, that will bring something new to the residential community. Affiliates may serve on the College Seminar committee or perform some other service in the college. We welcome their involvement in attending and helping organize Ezra Stiles events, including Master’s Teas, Fellows’ dinners, and more.

Morse College 

Graduate affiliates in Morse College are expected to contribute to the college life in the following ways: Advise undergraduates on graduate and professional studies related to their own areas of expertise; Organize each semester, a lunch, dinner or study break on graduate or professional study in one of the following areas: Natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, medical school and/or other health professions, law school, business school, or another area of graduate study in which there is substantial undergraduate interest.

Pierson College
There are many ways in which Pierson seeks to involve its graduate affiliates in the life of the college. In particular, we aim to promote interaction and friendship not only among the graduate affiliates themselves but also between them and Pierson undergraduates. A central place for such contacts is our dining hall, where the graduate affiliates are encouraged to eat some of their meals. Pierson graduate affiliates are most welcome to attend the many events held in the college, to use our facilities, and to participate in our fellowship program. Finally, it is expected that the graduate affiliates will work closely with Pierson undergraduates and initiate new activities in the college.

Trumbull College
Trumbull has an active and friendly group of graduate affiliates who participate fully in the vibrant life of Trumbull College, a tight-knit, architecturally beautiful college. Graduate affiliates get to know each other at weekly lunches and are encouraged to get to know undergraduates over meals in the dining hall and at college activities. Affiliates are also invited to interact with faculty at the semimonthly Fellows' dinners. Each affiliate is expected to plan at least one activity per semester, with the help of the rest of the group; possibilities include study breaks, career or grad school advising sessions, outings to the theater or sporting events, Master's Teas, and the like. Affiliates have complete access to all college facilities, which include a darkroom, pottery room, meditation room, and an art gallery. We seek affiliates from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds.

The following colleges are NOT accepting new applications during the fall 2011 draft. They may, however, participate in the spring 2011 draft (in April 2011).

Calhoun College

The Calhoun College graduate affiliate program has been very successful with a combination of graduate students helping with existing programs and developing their own programs based on their areas of interest and skill. We welcome graduate students with a passion for hosting meals revolving around challenging conversations, for leading neighborhood tours, for preparing undergraduates for graduate or professional school, for intramural sports, for informal advising of all types, and for building community. 

Jonathan Edwards College

 Jonathan Edwards is the oldest of the residential colleges and its recent renovations – particularly in the basement – have made it a showpiece. Graduate affiliates who join the college are expected to want to contribute their energy and initiative to sustaining J.E. as a vibrant, vital community. All affiliates are asked to take responsibility for one or more activities in the college: for example, holding a career discussion, managing a basement facility, participating in a cultural visit to New York, galvanizing an activity like bowling, square dancing or apple picking, playing on an IM team, or helping to host a study break. Through these activities it is hoped that affiliates and students will form natural and mutually enriching relationships –which is the ultimate mission of the affiliate program. Affiliates are also welcome to use the facilities of the college and are invited to join the Fellows of the college at weekly dinners.  

Saybrook College

Saybrook College occupies half of the original Memorial Quadrangle in the center of Yale's campus. Thanks to its architect James Gamble Rogers, Saybrugians live in splendor among the college's gothic arches, baronial dining hall, circumscribing moat, and two courtyards. Graduate affiliates partake in a variety of activities, ranging from academic affairs such as career tables, college seminar selections, and fellowship applications; to artistic activities involving the Saybrook Orchestra and Underbrook Theater; to social events such as apple picking, baking apple crisp, pumpkin carving, and decorating for the holidays. We are also always open to new ideas that will enhance the college experience for our students.

Timothy Dwight

TD will form a program during the 2011-2012 academic year.

How to Apply

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(UPDATE 10/3/2011: The Fall application is now available. Please submit your application BEFORE NOON on OCTOBER 10, 2011.)

Each year, we accept applications in two rounds, one in the late spring for continuing students, and another in the early fall for incoming, first-year grad/professional students. Applicants must be full-time graduate or professional students at Yale when the position begins. The number of positions is limited. In recent years, about one third of our applicants have become graduate affiliates.

FALL (Incoming students):
All full-time first-year graduate and professional students are invited to apply in the Fall draft. The online application will be available beginning in the first few weeks of September of each year; completed applications are generally due in mid- or late-September. Please note that late applications will NOT be considered. Applicants will be notified of acceptance or rejection by early October.

The dean of the graduate school will email first-year students when applications become available.

If you would like an additional reminder when the application is online, please join our Fall reminder mailing list. We will use your email for no other purpose than this one-time reminder.

When available, the online application can be found here. We recommend applicants read the FAQs before submitting an application.

SPRING (Continuing students):

All continuing graduate and professional students are invited to apply in the Spring draft. Spring applications will be available in early or mid April; completed applications are generally due in late April. Please note that late applications will NOT be considered. Applicants will be notified of acceptance or rejection in May.

The dean of the graduate school will email all graduate students when applications become available. If you would like an additional reminder when the Spring application is online, please join our Spring reminder email list. We will use your email for no other purpose than this one-time reminder.

When available, the online application can be found here. We recommend applicants read the FAQs before submitting an application.

We sincerely look forward to your application.

Frequently Asked Questions

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What is a residential college?
All Yale undergraduates are randomly assigned to one of twelve residential colleges. Most students live in their college and eat their meals there, and most consider their college to be their home at Yale. All colleges have the facilities of a typical dorm (laundry, exercise and activity rooms, snack bars, etc.) as well as a selection of specialized facilities (performance and exhibition spaces; pottery, woodworking, or art studios; print-making or digital media labs) that vary by college. Each college has a Master, who is in charge of residential and social life, and a Dean, who oversees the academic lives of the students. For more information about the ten participating colleges, click here.

Can I be an affiliate if I wasn’t a Yale undergraduate?
Of course. The residential colleges welcome all graduate and professional students to apply.

Can I specify the college(s) where I would like to be an affiliate?
Yes. Although you need not list a preference, the application gives you the opportunity to state if you prefer one or more colleges, and asks that you explain your preferences.

What are the benefits of being a graduate affiliate?
The primary benefits of being an affiliate are getting to know the community in a residential college and becoming more involved in Yale’s undergraduate campus life. In order to facilitate this interaction, the program gives affiliates key card access to their college, allows them to use its facilities, invites them to eat a limited number of meals per week in its dining hall, and gives them opportunities to participate in its activities and trips.

Do affiliates live in the colleges?
No. Graduate affiliate positions are non-residential. Some of the colleges have, in addition to graduate affiliates, one or more resident graduate fellows who live in the college and contribute in some more involved way to college life. Those positions are not available through the applications on this website. If you are only interested in becoming resident graduate fellow, you should contact the relevant Master.

What are the responsibilities of a graduate affiliate?
The responsibilities of affiliates vary among colleges, and even within each college. Most affiliates are expected to attend some meals and activities in the college. Many are asked to organize or coordinate college events. Some take on recurring jobs, like running a wood-working studio, coordinating a performance space, offering a yoga classes, or hosting a monthly cooking clinic.

All affiliates are expected to follow a few basic rules in their interactions with the undergraduate community. Affiliates are not allowed to date, drink with, or drive undergraduates in their college.

Who will read my application?
Applications are distributed to the graduate affiliate coordinators of the participating colleges. The coordinators review the applications, and, often together with the college Master, select affiliates they think are a good match for their college.

What criteria are used to select graduate affiliates?
It's nearly impossible to list a set of criteria since the selections are made by ten different Masters and their local coordinators for a wide variety of reasons, which can change each year.
Most colleges try to choose affiliates from across the disciplines. In addition, they may prefer affiliates who are interested in overseeing a facility or group in the college (pottery, darkroom, wood shop, poetry group, etc.), who propose interesting and novel activities, or who appeal for less defined reasons. Unfortunately, there are always fewer spots available than there are qualified applicants. Every year the colleges turn down dozens of talented people who would have made great affiliates.

I am already a graduate affiliate in a residential college and would like to continue next year. Do I need to fill out an application again?
Yes. Please talk to your college coordinator about the reapplication process.

Is this program the same as the Graduate Fellowship Affiliate program?
No. That’s a separate program with a similar name. If you have been the recipient of a prestigious or competitive fellowship, you may be interested in becoming a Graduate Fellowship Affiliate.

I have another question. Whom should I contact?
If you have a question about a particular college or its program, please contact the grad-affiliate coordinator of that college, or that college's Master's office. If you have questions about the program as a whole or the application process, please email the Graduate Affiliate Program Coordinator.