APSA Ralph Bunche Summer Institute

Announcing the new APSA Ralph Bunche Programs Endowment Fund
(August 31, 2013)

APSA is excited to announce the creation of the APSA Ralph Bunche Programs Endowment Fund to ensure the long-term existence of Ralph Bunche Summer Institute and additional programming whose goal it is to introduce students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups to political science careers and graduate study and to encourage application to PhD programs. Read More »

See previous 2013 program updates »

The APSA Ralph Bunche Summer Institute

Named in honor of the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize winner and former APSA President, Ralph J. Bunche, the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute (RBSI) program goal is to encourage students to pursue academic careers in political science by helping to:

Enhance participants' writing, research, and analytical skills and make them more competitive applicants for graduate school admissions and financial assistance;

Improve the students' use of computers for statistical analysis of research data used in the study of political science;

Expose interested and engaged students to issues in the discipline and profession of political science;

Introduce participants to leading political scientists;

Inform promising students about political science career opportunities and encourage applications to Ph.D. programs in political science.

RBSI Application Information

The APSA Ralph Bunche Summer Institute (RBSI) 2014 session will be accepting applications in late fall 2014. The RBSI is jointly sponsored by Duke University and the American Political Science Association. Prior to 2013, the RBSI had also received support from the the National Science Foundation (NSF) and was designated as an REU (research experince for undergraduates) site. Due to NSF funding restrictions imposed by the Coburn Amendment, the 2013 RBSI had to be canceled. For more information on the Senate Amendment and APSA’s Advocacy Efforts, please visit the APSA Advocacy Page.

RBSI Program Description and Information

RBSI Alumni Experiences

Questions:
Please contact Shaunda Ragland, sragland@apsanet.org or 202-483-2512 ext 362.

Program News and Highlights

2012 APSA RBSI Scholars

2012 Annual Meeting Poster Presenters

RBSI Alumni Experiences

RBSI Program Information

APSA Seeks RBSI Alumni!
APSA hopes to enhance the unique mentoring and networking opportunities available among alumni by including this group in social networking opportunities and news updates. Please help us by providing your input to a brief survey at the following link: RBSI Alumni Survey

List of RBSI Alumni

Mentor These Exceptional Future Political Scientists
Mentor a recently graduated RBSI student and advise them on issues related to graduate school admissions, financial aid, career tracks, and issues facing minority individuals in the profession. New mentors should select the appropriate field on the APSA Mentor form. Current mentors may update their database record by contacting mentoring@apsanet.org.

Operations and Funding

Since 2000, the Bunche Institute has been hosted and co-sponsored by Duke University, under the direction of Professor Paula D. McClain. The program has also been supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and in the past, has been designated as an REU Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Site.The APSA provides additional operational support and funding.

In 2009, Dr. Paula D. McClain, Duke University Professor of Political Science and Public Policy and Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Social Sciences, was awarded an REU grant from the National Science Foundation in the amount of $404,000 over three years. Provost Peter Lange, of Duke University had this to say about Dr. McClain and the RBSI's contribution to the discipline of political science and Duke University:

Duke University is pleased and honored to be home to the APSA Ralph Bunche Summer Institute. We are also pleased to have faculty leaders such as Paula McClain, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy and Co-Director of the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender in the Social Sciences at Duke University, and her colleagues, willing to put in the enormous time and energy to bring the Institute here and to lead in the teaching and mentoring of its participants. Diversity and inclusion are central to building a strong, vibrant academic community and to the development of scholars who can teach and do research that enhance the disciplines and professions. Duke is enriched by our contribution to this effort in Political Science.