Effective today, all OSU competitive Graduate School awards are now open for your review. While there are different submission deadlines for various awards, announcing all of the awards at once allows units plenty of time to prepare their nomination materials and processes. You may submit your nominations at any point between the award’s official open date up to the submission deadline.
This summer, the Graduate School made a number of changes that we believe are in the best interest of students and academic units. These changes are listed below.
- The Graduate School is pleased to announce the new Promising Scholar Fellowship. This award is intended to support the recruitment of graduate students from historically underrepresented backgrounds who demonstrate scholarly promise at OSU. This award—formerly offered as partial tuition support for former McNair Scholars – has been expanded to include additional scholar programs and a 9-month fully funded fellowship with an accompanying tuition waiver.
- The Thesis or Dissertation Completion Award, has been separated into two different awards: the Thesis Completion Award (for master’s students) and the Dissertation Completion Award (for doctoral students). The Graduate School anticipates awarding 8-10 students per award, per award period.
- The Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring by a Graduate Student or Postdoc Award, has been separated into two different awards: one specifically for graduate students and one specifically for postdocs. Recipients will have direct and significant involvement with undergraduate student researchers, a demonstrable commitment to the research mentorship of undergraduate students, and a record of effectiveness and impact with respect to undergraduate student research and success.
- The Graduate School has increased the request amount for the Professional Development Award. For this award, graduate students may now submit proposals for reimbursement up to $500 for trainings, resources, and activities that contribute to professional skills development.
- Formerly offered as the Diversity Advancement Fellowship, the Graduate School has renamed this award as the Prestigious Diversity Fellowship. It remains a lucrative financial award that supports new graduate students with their transition to graduate education and celebrates their future contributions at OSU.
For your reference you can find a complete list of Graduate School competitive awards here: or at gradschool.oregonstate.edu/awards
Additionally, the nomination deadline for the following Graduate School awards is October 5, 2020:
Delson Bridge to the Future Fund
· The Delson Bridge to the Future Fund assists domestic and international graduate students in the final phase of their graduate education to pay research expenses, publication costs, and other incidentals that stand in the way of completing their graduate studies at OSU. Graduate programs that become aware of emergency situations involving students at the end of their programs may submit requests for limited assistance to offset financial difficulties and promote degree completion. For the 2020-2021 award cycle, we plan to offer up to three awards at $1,000 each. Awards will be made on a one-time only basis, typically during a student’s final term in the graduate program, and are intended to help offset the cost of degree completion.
· Nomination period September 1, 2020 – October 5, 2020
Jesse M. Bell Memorial Graduate Student Loan
· The Jesse M. Bell Memorial Graduate Student Loan Program, created by the estate of Jesse Bell, provides loans for meritorious graduate students. These non-need-based loans are available on a one-time basis to domestic and international enrolled graduate students to assist with educational expenses associated with their advanced degree. Loans up to $5,000 are anticipated and will be dependent upon the merits of the case, the loan demand, and the current balance available in the loan fund.
· Nomination period September 1, 2020 – October 5, 2020
Thank you in advance for all you do to support our graduate students. We look forward to reviewing your nominations and making awards to your students. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the information listed above please email me or Graduate.Scholarships@oregonstate.edu.