GOFAR's New Blog, An Introduction

Mentis Vita Pro Vida Mundi

Life of the Mind for the Life of the World

Welcome to the blog for Georgetown Office of Fellowships, Awards, and Research for Undergraduates (GOFAR).   Our office aims to support students interested in transcending the traditional curriculum and committing oneself to a rigorous education.

Our office is located in the ground floor of the Gervase building and houses a diverse and dedicated collection of programs aimed at promoting and encouraging intellectual life on campus. GOFAR programs include the Carroll Fellows Initiative, Office of Fellowships & Awards, the Undergraduate Research Ambassadors Program & Research Resources, and the Georgetown chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Who are we and what do we do?

We assist Georgetown University undergraduates in the crucial process of self-realization.  We hope to guide students in realizing the direction best suited to their individual passions and talents, and we also help them learn how best to convey these interests to others. The skills developed in this process are broadly applicable for a wide range of both academic and professional situations.

The Carroll Fellows Initiative, a program within our department, supports and encourages students who are training themselves to craft creative solutions to enduring problems through the search for innovative knowledge. Through unique curriculum, mentor relationships, research opportunities and the fostering of intellectual development, the CFI helps develop tomorrow’s leaders.  Thorough out the coming term, we hope to share with you a series of “spotlights” that feature a Carroll Fellow and his/her work.

Another division within our department is the Office of Fellowships and Awards.  In this capacity, we recruit and train highly motivated and accomplished students who are interested in a variety of national and international fellowships and scholarships. The fellowships that we typically advise on are merit-based awards, and usually require formal university endorsement in order for candidates to apply. Most of these awards support graduate study in the United States and abroad.  We hope to use this blog to showcase fellowships that we advise on and endorse students for, and feature our most recent fellowship recipients. 

Lastly, our office supports students in finding on-campus research opportunities.  The Undergraduate Research Ambassador program is administered through GOFAR. It is our aim to connect students interested in finding out more about research with a Research Ambassador.  URA members are primarily juniors and seniors with extensive experience in undergraduate research that enjoying meeting with other students and providing them with advice and counsel on getting involved in research here at Georgetown.  In the coming months, we hope to feature accomplished undergraduate researchers—giving URA members a space to share their work and to promote involvement in research-related activities. 

In sum, we hope to offer Georgetown undergraduate students a variety of services, assistance, and counsel that complement and enhance their coursework; that motivate and challenge; that encourage each student to invest in the Life of the Mind for the Life of the World.

Keep an eye out for our next blog post this week that will feature a recap of the CFI Winter Orientation.  There was mentoring; there was singing; there was revolution!