Princeton Center for Language Study UAF

Fellowship Description

The Princeton Center for Language Study would like to embark on a new project to create a set of videos to promote the language programs at Princeton to undergraduates, as well as increase engagement amongst the various language program lecturers.  The PCLS UAF would be part of the initial concept design and would follow through on determining who to feature/interview for the videos and developing the angle that the video should feature.  We at the Center have not come up with a precise vision yet, and we can think of several directions this project could go in to further our mission; our ideal candidate is one that would enjoy this opportunity to help us think through what would be best for using this kind of media to promote the courses of the departments we work with and/or help cross-pollinate ideas between different instructors who haven’t yet gotten the chance to share pedagogical methods with each other.

In addition to this project, the PCLS UAF’s time shadowing the mentor would expose them to various skills that are critical for success in higher ed administration, including budgeting, program evaluation, data and records management, communications, etc.  We will include the UAF in regular in-house meetings as well as discussions that involve other stakeholders, to provide exposure to the negotiation, collaboration, and advocacy work that define the roles of many types of university leaders.

This position may be of particular interest to graduate students in the humanities and social sciences, but we very much welcome those of any discipline to apply, as the nature of the project and shadowing time would allow for students from a range of backgrounds and perspectives to be successful.

UAF Mentor

Vandana Bajaj
Assistant Director, Princeton Center for Language Study (PCLS)

Vandana Bajaj is currently the Assistant Director at the Princeton Center for Language Study, where she leads all strategic initiatives related to less-commonly-taught language teaching and learning, including external proficiency testing for the undergraduate language requirement and cross-institutional collaborations for live synchronous courses through videoconferencing.  Prior to joining PCLS, she served as a dean’s assistant in the Office of the Dean of the College. 

Current & Former PCLS Fellows

Chapman Sklar, GS, REL
University Administrative Fellow, PCLS

"Grad school is the perfect opportunity to invest in yourself and fine-tune your experience to fit your interests. Even if your department is training you to be one type of scholar, there's no shame is considering alternative career paths inside (or outside!) higher education. The UAFs in particular are a great opportunity to dip your toe into something new or build your resume beyond published papers and conference talks. At best, you may find the type of role you will pursue after graduation. At worst, you'll come away with a newfound appreciation for the administrators who make life outside the classroom so vibrant."