Malakeh Taleghani Scholarship & Endowment

Dr. Malakeh Taleghani was a respected community leader, educator, play write, director and regarded thinker. Throughout her life she contributed to society in the United States and Iran.

In Iran she was a high school teacher, principal, a professor, and served as Deputy Secretary of The Ministry of Education; she was also a Representative in the Iranian National Assembly. During retirement, she was an active member and leader in her retirement communities in Portland, Oregon and Tucson, Arizona.

Dr. Taleghani believed that anyone could achieve academic success at the highest level, even within cultures where the role of women was restricted. She was a giving, tolerant and forgiving person who saw the good in everyone, and focused on the strengths of people, rather than their weaknesses.

She was committed to helping students further their educational dreams and goals, particularly students in Iranian Studies. Dr. Malakeh Taleghani received a Ph.D. in Persian Literature from Tehran University and an M.A. from Portland State University. She is the author of The Ups and Downs of the Life of an Iranian Woman, and a co-author of Zan dar Iran-e Bastaan (Women in Ancient Iran).

Eligibility

The applicant must be a University of Arizona undergraduate or graduate student at the time of proposal submission, working on some aspect of Iranian studies, including Iranian linguistics, Persian Literature, Iranian/Persianate History, Geography, Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science or other concepts, broadly conceived. Creative projects in Persian music, architecture, or arts are also eligible for funding. The committee welcomes comparative proposals that explore connections with non-Iranian/Persianate languages, linguistics, histories and cultures.

How to Apply

Deadline to apply: February 19, 2024

The Taleghani Endowment committee is committed to encouraging undergraduate and graduate students, especially first-time proposal writers. Therefore, we have established a proposal refinement phase. This means that the committee will review the applications, provide comments, and, in appropriate circumstances, may provide an opportunity for the applicant to revise the proposal and return it to the committee.

Application packets must include:

1. Checklist
2. CV (resume)
3. Research/Project Description (maximum of 3 pages for graduates and 2 pages for undergraduates.
   1. Outline of a clear research program, timeline, and itemized budget.
   2. The research statement should include clear research questions, methodology and goals.
4. Budget proposal and justification (1 page)
   1. The fellowship covers research expenses such as travel to research site, research material (books, photos, etc.), copying material, etc. It does not cover travel money to conferences.
5. Letter from Advisor (letter should address the likelihood of student’s research/project completion), should be sent directly to the address below by the advisor, and must be received by the deadline.

Fellowship winner(s) will receive the award at a (perhaps virtual) ceremony in April 2024. Please ensure that all Taleghani Application materials (PDF format) are submitted to Jcarlin117@arizona.edu by February 19, 2024. Late application packets including support letter or incomplete application packets will NOT be considered.

For more information, contact: Joshua Carlin (Jcarlin117@arizona.edu), University of Arizona Department of Linguistics.

Past Recipients and Reports