WINTER STUDY COMMITTEE

Williams College, Williamstown, MA  01267

April 12, 2008

To:         Class ’09, '10, ‘11

From:     The Winter Study Committee

Subject:   Advanced Planning for Winter Study 99's

As an upper-class student during the 2008-2009 academic year, one of your options for Winter Study will be to propose a "99," an independent project arranged between you and a faculty sponsor, conducted in lieu of a regular Winter Study course.  Perhaps you have encountered an interesting idea in one of your courses that you would like to study in more depth, or you may have an interest not covered in the regular curriculum.  In recent years students have undertaken in-depth studies of particular literary works, interned in government offices, assisted in foreign and domestic medical clinics, conducted fieldwork in the economics of developing countries, and given performances illustrating the history of American dance.  Although some 99's involve travel away from campus, there are many opportunities to pursue intellectual or artistic goals here in Williamstown.

The three-week period in the fall between the beginning of classes and the deadline for submitting 99 proposals is almost certainly inadequate to develop your ideas fully for a rewarding independent project.  Therefore, we urge you to begin thinking now about what kind of project you might like to propose for next January.  If you know someone who did a 99, ask him or her about what worked well and what should have been done differently.  When departments and the Winter Study Committee review a proposal, they look for a project with a clear intellectual or creative focus and a clear structure.  An effective 99 proposal should not only explain what you hope to accomplish, but also how you plan to go about it and how you plan to communicate your results.  Early consultation with potential faculty sponsors will help you to focus your interests into a clearly defined, well-structured project that will be easily approved.  If you are studying away next fall and want to do a 99 next winter, we recommend that you consult a faculty sponsor and sketch out a proposal before leaving Williams in May.

If you would like to propose an internship, we recommend that you make preliminary contact with institutions and OCC this summer. Departments will often be aware of institutions that have provided worthwhile internship opportunities to previous Williams students, so ask for suggestions before you leave campus.  If you will need special resources—films, computers, books, and data sets—you should check with the library, computer center, etc. to see what is available. 

We look forward to reading your proposal next fall.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact Barbara Casey at x4979 (barbara.casey@williams.edu).