For those students interested in supplementing their educational expenses by receiving grants and scholarships, there are a myriad of opportunities. From undergraduate study-abroad programs to graduate science fellowships, many institutes and programs are eager to hand out funds.
The University of Massachusetts Alumni Association offers a scholarship opportunity for undergraduates. The Association is encouraging UMass sophomores and juniors to apply for the “Leaders in the Making” scholarship.
According to a release from the Alumni Relations Office, the program “was designed to support the academic and career pursuits of promising students from diverse campus populations whose records suggest that they will develop into alumni with admirable leadership qualities upon graduation.”
Four scholarships will be awarded in the amount of $2,000 each. In order to apply, students must turn into the Alumni Relations Office a resume, academic transcript, one letter of reference, a description of the student’s financial need and an essay.
Applications may be picked up at the Alumni Relations Office between 8:30a.m. and 5p.m. Monday through Friday. The office is located in Memorial Hall. For more information, please contact Jason Germain at 545-2317. The deadline for applications is Nov. 9.
The Institute of International Education is now offering funding to undergraduates to study abroad during the 2002-2003 school year. Through the National Security Education Program (NESP), the David L. Boren Scholarships will be awarded to students interested in working in the international arena.
NSEP has already sent more than 1,380 students to more than 65 countries in the last eight years, and is encouraging more students to travel to places such as Africa, Eastern and Central Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Through the NSEP program, students are able to study for a summer session, a semester, or a full academic year. The program awards start at $2,500 for the summer, and range between $4,000 and $20,000 for semesters and academic years.
In order to be considered for application, students must be a United States citizen attending a U.S. university or college, and must agree “to work in the federal government in a national security position as a priority or, secondarily, to work in the field of higher education in the area of study for which the scholarship was awarded,” according to their scholarship announcement.
Additional information and an application are available on the NSEP website. The deadline for the applications is Feb. 15, 2002.
For graduate students seeking to boost their financial assets, Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), a consortium of 85 doctorate-granting universities and colleges, has fellowships available for research.
The first fellowship is offered through the National Science Foundation (NSF). Approximately 900 new Graduate Research Fellowships will be awarded, including awards offered for women in engineering and computer and information science.
The fellowships are three-years long and provide a stipend of $20,500 for 12-month tenures, and a cost-of-education allowance of $10,500 per tenure year. They are awarded to graduate students seeking research-based master’s or doctoral degrees in the fields of mathematics, engineering and science. The NSF specifically encourages women, minorities and disabled persons to compete in the program.
The deadline for the NSF scholarships is Nov. 7.
Another branch of ORAU, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, is also offering graduate money for study in Fusion Energy Science.
The Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) Fellowship program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and provides full payment of tuition and fees, an annual stipend of $18,000, and “the opportunity to gain either practical or research experience at a DOE facility,” according to its recent news release.
“The FES program is broad-based, fundamental research effort, producing valuable scientific knowledge and practical benefits in the near term and, in cooperation with international partners, making substantial progress toward an economically and environmentally attractive energy option in the long term,” the release stated.
In order to apply, students must submit an application and must have taken the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Those who are eligible to apply include undergraduate seniors, first year graduates who have completed no more than one term by the application deadline, and all applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens.
The deadline is Jan. 28, 2002.
On the Net: NSEP: http://www.iie.org/nsep; ORAU: http://www.orau.org/nsf/nsffel.htm; FES: http://www.orau.gov/orise/edu/uggrad/fesfelhome.htm
