Marriner S. Eccles Graduate Fellowship in Political Economy

Fellowship Overview
Marriner S. Eccles was one of the most influential architects of American economic policy during one of the most consequential periods of our country’s history. Appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in 1935 and serving throughout the turbulent years of the Great Depression and World War II, Eccles was the “Father of the modern Federal Reserve”, designing and leading the major restructuring of the nation’s central bank into the form we know today. His innovative advocacy of “compensatory finance” was at the cutting edge of the New Deal, and preceded the theoretical work of John Maynard Keynes by several years. He was also instrumental in setting the direction for the US and global economy after the war, participating in the Bretton Woods Conference that established the post-war international monetary system. A keenly perceptive observer of economic issues on both Wall Street and Main Street, Marriner knew the importance of practical solutions to public policy problems. In 1975, two years before his death, he established the Marriner S. Eccles Graduate Fellowship in Political Economy to further the pursuit of excellent research on political economy that could be applied to public policy.

Purpose
The University of Utah Graduate School awards the Marriner S. Eccles Graduate Fellowship in Political Economy to advanced PhD and LLM students, enabling Fellows to focus on the completion of their dissertation research projects relating to political economy within the fellowship appointment year. Students awarded the Eccles Fellowship will have the benefit of directing their research and writing efforts without the distraction of employment in order to produce quality scholarship in political economy and its impact on public policy.

The focus of the Marriner S. Eccles Graduate Fellowship is to increase the visibility of research in political economy, highlighting the practical connection to public policy. Fellows are expected to complete a scholarly manuscript on their unique research topic during their fellowship appointment. During the year, Fellows will also engage in collaborative meetings and seminars at the Marriner S. Eccles Institute for Economic & Quantitative Analysis, where they will engage with other fellows, students, and faculty. At the end of the appointment year, Fellows will submit a final report detailing their accomplishments during the fellowship and provide copies of their manuscript to be archived in the Marriner S. Eccles Library Collection.

Eligibility
This one-year fellowship is awarded annually to PhD and LLM students with research projects relating to areas of political economy and public policy. This fellowship opportunity is for full-time graduate students pursuing research in banking, business, education, finance, humanities, legal studies, health, and social sciences, and its connection with an impact on politics, public policy, and the economy. Prospective Fellows must have passed their qualifying exams and be actively engaged in research and writing. US nationals, permanent residents, students with DACA status, and international students are eligible for this opportunity.

Benefits
Fellows are provided with a $28,500 fellowship (payable in $14,250 increments at the beginning of each Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters), tuition coverage, and subsidized health insurance for the academic year. Some academic departments may choose to supplement this fellowship award with additional funding.

Application
The Eccles Graduate Fellowship Selection Committee invites research proposals from University students with advanced, superior projects. The committee will consider an applicant’s personal and academic qualifications as well as the strength and appropriateness of their research prospectus. In rare circumstances, fellowships may occasionally be renewed based on exemplary progress with demonstrated evidence that the research proposal is being carried forward to fruition in instances where new and necessary research opportunities and information relevant to the research proposal merit the extension of manuscript completion.

1. Upload your curriculum vitae (CV) or resume.
2. Upload your University of Utah transcript, as well as transcripts from all colleges and universities attended. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; if awarded the fellowship, official transcripts may be requested.
3. Provide the name and email address of your thesis/dissertation chair to provide a letter of recommendation that speaks to your project’s progress and completion timeline.
4. Provide the name and email address of an additional individual to provide a letter of recommendation. We will reach out to this individual for the submission of the recommendation.
5. Provide the name and email address of your department chair or director of graduate studies, who will be asked to provide a letter of support indicating additional department resources (e.g., additional funding).
6. State your definition of “political economy” and how your project relates to this definition in 200 words or less.
7. Upload your research prospectus that outlines 1) the connection between political economy and your area of research (banking, business, education, finance, humanities, legal studies, and social sciences), 2) a description of the interdisciplinary aspects of the research, 3) describe how your research bridges theory to policy-making decision, 4) your anticipated timeline with milestones that will be achieved during the appointment year as an Eccles fellow, and 5) your anticipated completion. Please limit your document to six (6) double-spaced pages of text using 12-point font.
8. Provide a statement of your professional goals and personal qualifications relative to your research project; please limit your response to 200 words or less.
9. Optional. Fellows are expected to forego employment opportunities during the fellowship year in order to focus on completing your scholarly projects. However, under special circumstances, a student may engage in a modest amount of teaching or research closely related to their studies, provided the opportunities do not impede a fellow’s progress toward their degree completion. If a student applying for the Eccles fellowship desires to engage in such activities, please upload an explanatory statement that includes 1) why the teaching or research work experience is essential at this time, 2) how this experience will not interfere with the conditions of the fellowship, and 3) how the teaching or research experience won’t exceed 5 hours/week.

DEADLINES: Students must submit their applications by Friday, Friday, January 10, 2025, and letters of recommendation must be uploaded by Friday, January 17, 2025.