So we talked and I think that I have decided if my dept head can offer me the Doctoral Academy Fellowship I will stay. There is one fellowship above it but it is only offered one per dept for the time that student is there. So that one won't be available again until the student who has it graduated so that one is not possible.

This fellowship is more recognized and pays more. I thought about the whole new challenges and new experiences thing....I have already been introduced to so many people and have been sent all over the world. I don't think staying would hinder me. And actually, my advisor is one of the top authorities in the world in my area and is known all over. What I'm in is such a tight knit group that meeting people isn't hard and everyone pretty much knows each other. I think if I were in a concentration like molecular genetics....it would be a little more important.

I am having a meeting mid next week to talk about it with my advisor and dept head and hopefully will have a better idea of what is going on. Thanks everyone for your support and good thoughts!