Nodirabegim Yusupova: "I am very grateful to SILC for giving me this opportunity"

May 17, 2016

The Student Intellectual Life Committee (SILC) supports student-initiated projects, professional development opportunities, and student research. It awards small grants every month to AUCA students.

Last academic year SILC gave grants to 25 sophomores, 24 juniors, and 13 seniors. Since freshmen do not have a reliable GPA and the committee needs an overall GPA for the application, SILC does not give grants to freshmen. Seniors are ineligible in their second semester generally, on the other hand, SILC has given grants to some seniors in a few special cases for their academic development and senior thesis.

Nodirabegim Yusupova, a senior in the economics department at the American University of Central Asia (AUCA), talks to us about how her grant from SILC.

Why did you decide to apply for SILC funding?

During my studies at AUCA, there were a couple of times when I needed some financial support. But, since most of the programs I wanted to attend were barely connected to my academics, I was afraid the committee would reject my application. For the Bridge Fellowship’s meditation retreat, though, I decided it would be a sin to miss out. The SILC grant allowed me to travel to Rustavi, Georgia, and take part in the program. The retreat was organized by the Peace Revolution project, a project under the World Peace Initiatives organization. I was first involved with the Fellowship as a volunteer. It was a really useful experience for me to be taken into their community. I got to experience how people organize events, make them run smoothly, and carefully navigate emergencies. Being a part of the staff at peace Peace Revolution, I was also able to learn more about the criteria they use in their Fellowships. Hopefully, I can share a few tips that will help my friend at AUCA get involved.

After the fellowship, I also had another amazing experience. A couple of other staff members and I were invited to give an interview for the national Georgian television program. We were asked to talk about our project, meditation in general, and how people can apply for these international fellowships.

How was applying for an SILC grant?

Eight days after I submitted the application, I got the good news that I would be awarded a SILC grant. Three days later I received the money on my universal student card. All I had to do was submit the required documents--the rest was up to the committee. The most difficult part was the recommendation letter. During that time period, many students were also applying to similar programs and it was a bit difficult to persuade professors to write me a letter. I have always known about the SILC’s grant opportunities, because the SILC is always sending out emails and advertising on social media like facebook, but nonetheless, it was the first time I applied for a SILC grant.

What advice would you give students who want to apply for an SILC grant?

In my opinion, it is really important for a student to convey their desire to attend a given conference or event to the SILC. A student’s motivation letter should really emphasize the reasons why they should be supported.

I am very grateful to SILC for giving me this opportunity through their grant. I know there were plenty of other worthy applicants. Also, I’d like to thank the donors for their financial support. They helped me further develop my work in meditation and gave me the opportunity to discover a new country.  

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