Sponsored by the Kohler Foundation and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School

Live for free in an Intellectually Stimulating Environment

The Marie Christine Kohler Fellowship

The Knapp house was based on the principles of scholarship, leadership, and diversity. Taken from the Kemper K. Knapp bequest to “cross departmental lines and have an impact on the educational and cultural life of the university community.” Knapp House fellows are in the advanced stages of their programs and actively participate in the exchange of their research, culture, and interests.

During the academic year, the Knapp House hosts monthly seminars for 30-40 guests on a variety of topics of general interest. Each seminar includes an elegant dinner prepared and served by the fellows, during which lively discussion continues.

Fellows also participate in their self-governed democracy. Monthly, house members meet to discuss pertinent issues that contribute to the well being of the fellowship, the house, and the residents.

Fellows are allowed to reside in the House for up to two years. New fellows are selected annually in the spring. We do our best to arrange a competition schedule that coincides with general lease renewal dates.

A Part of Madison History

The House designated the “Old Governor’s Mansion” in 1972 by the Madison landmarks Commission was built in 1855-56 for Julius T. White, secretary of the Wisconsin Insurance Co. Shortly thereafter, the house was bought by Joseph thorp, a senator, and his wife, Amelia, a local socialite who held many parties at the regal mansion. Through marriage, it became the home of the world-renowned violinist, Ole Bull, who entertained guests with his performances in the house.

Governor Jeremiah Rusk acquired the house in 1883, and sold it to the State of Wisconsin in 1885. The house served as the executive residence for 17 Wisconsin governors until 1950. In 1951, the University of Wisconsin purchased the former Governor’s mansion with funds from the Kemper K. Knapp Endowment. The Knapp House was formed in the vision of Dean Elvehjem to model the community of scholars after the society of fellows program in place at Oxford and Cambridge. Since 1954, the Kohler Foundation has generously supported 9 fellows to live together and share their experiences and ideas in the residence. In the half-century since its inception, Knapp/Marie Christine Kohler Fellows have gone on to become leading scholars, scientists, and diplomats the world over.

An Extraordinary Opportunity

Living in the Knapp House offers residents a unique chance to fraternize with a group of individuals having a wide variety of backgrounds and professional interests.

Current and former Fellows represent citizenry from nations including Pakistan, Peru, Palestine, Chile, Korea, Russia, India, the Republic of Trinidad, Argentina and the United States.

Eligibility requirements

Students making satisfactory progress towards their degree in the following categories:

• Ph.D. and SJD candidates with dissertator status by August, 2008
• Third year MFA candidates
• Third year professional school candidates (Law, Medicine & Veterinary Medicine)

The selection committee attempts to maintain gender balance in the house and balance between the sciences and humanities. The committee also looks for candidates who demonstrate an enthusiastic desire to contribute to the intellectual capital of the house. Please see our website for more information.

Amenities (at no cost!)

• Fully-equipped kitchen
• Single bedrooms
• Furnished common areas
• Linen Service
• Storage Space
• Housekeeping of common areas
• Off-street parking
• Laundry facilities
• DSL/hi-speed Internet
• Weight room

Group-Selected Amenities (costs shared by fellows)

• Premium cable
• New York Times

Principal Activities

• Seminar dinners (4 per sem.)
• Monthly House Meetings
• Annual Events (picnic, orientation, house clean-up)
• Self-selected House Duty (co-coordinator, secretary, treasurer, web design/archive, historian, seminar dinner coordinator, alumni outreach, more…)

Optional Activities

• Dissertation Support Group
• Annual field trip
• Various other House events

For more information on the Knapp House and the Marie Christine Kohler Fellowship visit our homepage at: knapphouse.rso.wisc.edu. You can also check out an article about the House and Fellowship in Wisconsin Week. Information about the Mansion Hill neighborhood can be found at danenet.org/capneigh/.