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FAQs

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What should I do to prepare for my interview (booked through Story Lab before you submit your application)?
You are welcome to schedule a Story Lab interview to get help with deciding on and refining your idea – but at minimum, you should have identified the central question you’d like to explore  and  listened to two of the following Braden stories:

Home is Little Tokyo 
The Story of We Shall Overcome
Beyond the Rainbow

Can I apply if I am a co-term or graduate student? 
Yes. As long as you are a matriculating student who will be on campus for the 2025 spring and fall quarters, you are eligible for the grant.

When will I know if my grant application was accepted?
Acceptance notifications will be sent on Friday March, 14, 2025. All applicants will be notified by Friday, March 21, 2025.

Can I study abroad during my Braden grant? 
No. In-person attendance to the 4 spring workshops, 3 fall workshops, and the fall Oralcomm 126 course is mandatory for all grantees. One of the things students have enjoyed most about the grant is being part of a cohort that works together on their projects over the course of 3 quarters (spring, summer, and fall). We’ve found that the experience is worse for everyone involved when even one grantee is not present in person for these gatherings. If you do want to study abroad, there are other ways to get involved with SSP and get support to develop an audio project (e.g. we host weekly audio workshops, show team meetings, and a storytelling-focused Open Editorial meeting every week of the quarter!).

Can I work full-time at a summer job or internship during June, July, and August while completing the Braden grant?
No. We can’t stress strongly enough that it is extremely difficult to meet the Braden requirements (~10 hours per week minimum during the summer) while also committing to a summer internship.

How much time will I need to spend on my Braden project?
The Braden Grant is essentially a three-quarter long project where you are guided by a mentor who will support you in completing your podcast.

  • In the Spring you must attend four 2-hour workshops. You will also be required to meet with your mentor and mentee group one or two times, and should expect to spend a minimum of 2-3 hours per week planning, conducting, and transcribing at least one interview.

  • During the Summer, you and your mentor will schedule a minimum of 10 Zoom meetings. Some of these will be individual meetings and some will be group meetings with others in your cohort. You will have pre-work for each meeting (e.g. listening to assigned audio stories or completing writing exercises). You’ll also we writing, revising, and workshopping your script, so you should plan on working approximately 10 hours per week conducting research and interviews and writing your story. 

  • Prior to the Fall quarter, you’ll turn in your script by September 15. Once your script is submitted, you’ll receive an enrollment code for Oralcomm 126. The class is 80 min per week (9:30-10:50am) plus three 2-hour audio workshops to support your podcast production. You should plan to spend a minimum of 5-6 hours per week outside of class revising your script, recording narration, and producing your podcast (including audio editing and sound design).

  • The more time you spend on your story in the summer, the easier it will be to refine and produce your final audio draft in the fall.

How many interviews are typically needed for a Braden story?  
While there are occasionally stories that include just one or two very strong interviews, most projects end up including at least three interviews.

Will I need to learn new software? 
Yes–but you don’t need to know how to use them before you begin! We will teach you how to use Descript and Hindenburg for audio editing and sound design. 

What can I use the grant funds for?
The funds you receive are to be used for transportation, lodging, and meals while traveling to conduct research and complete interviews directly related to your project. Funds may not be used to pay interviewees. 

You may use the funds to pay for travel expenses from home to your pre-approved destination, but you are not allowed to use the funds to pay for your trip home (if your project is located in your home city or town). For example, you are planning to fly home to Mexico City for the summer. Your Braden project is about an indigenous culture in Oaxaca. The funds you receive can be used to pay for airfare from Mexico City to Oaxaca and back, and to cover any related lodging or meal expenses. Your grant cannot be used to pay for your airfare from Stanford to Mexico City.

Sample Budget:

ItemCost
Round trip plane ticket from SFO to Manila (estimate for June 23-July 15)$1850
Meals during travel ($25/day in Rojas; otherwise I will eat with my cousins)$100
Public transportation and taxis in Manila($10/day)$230
Lodging (staying with cousins in Manila for most of my research except for $50/night for 4 nights during visit to Rojas)$200
Total:$2380

When should my travel be complete?
All travel must be completed by Aug 1, 2025. Tips on how to book airline reservations are here. Please note that you should not book a non-refundable, non-changeable ticket.

What happens if I don’t complete my assignments over the summer?
You will not receive a registration code for Oral Comm 126 and you will be required to return your grant money.

Do I need prior experience writing stories or making podcasts?
No, not at all! Many students complete their Braden project without previous script writing or audio production experience. We support you every step of the way - not only do we teach you the skills you need, we assign you a dedicated mentor who supports your progress from beginning to end. 

Can I do a story about my own life or my family? 
The purpose of the grant is to learn how to tell a powerful, research-driven story based on testimony you gather through live interviews, research, and oral history archives. While it is not unusual for students to include some of their own experiences in their podcast (examples include Home is Little Tokyo, Back to the Garden, and Digital Diagnosis), the final story must be based on research and the testimonies you have gathered by interviewing people you’ve found through your research.

Can I accept both the Braden Grant and another Stanford grant (like the Major Grant)?
It depends. In most cases, Major Grantees are not able to accept both a Major Grant and a Braden Grant. If you are applying for other grant programs in addition to the Braden grant, we appreciate knowing that as soon as possible.