“Maybe that Wasn’t Bullshit”: Examining the Competitive Fellowship Application Process as a High-Impact Practice

Efforts to increase student engagement in high- impact practices (HIPs) have taken higher education by storm since seminal work on the positive educational benefits that can result from participation in 11 formally recognized HIPs. However, in recent years, several scholars have called attention to the “high-impact” nature of the competitive fellowship application process. In this exploratory case study, we draw upon the eight established HIP qualities as a conceptual framework to examine the experiences of applicants for competitive fellowships at one research institution in the northeastern United States. Through an analysis of data from multiple focus groups with competitive fellowship applicants, as well as internal documents and notes from the applicants’ application processes, our findings illustrate the fellowship application process’ fit with the eight criteria designating educational practices as “high impact.” The participants’ experiences also highlight the fellowship application process’ ability to support student development of core competencies, such as information literacy and intercultural learning.