The Honors Program

MEMORANDUM

Fall 2009 Honors Thesis Research Grant applications are now available.

There will be two rounds of awards during the 2009-2010 school year. The first will support students who will graduate in May 2010. The application deadline for the first round is Wednesday, September 30, 2009. A second round of awards will be made in the spring term and will support students from those programs which begin the honors research experience in the spring term of the student's junior year and other students whose projects are sufficiently well-planned that they could begin work over the summer.

Funds from the Honors Thesis Research Grant program may be used to support any legitimate cost directly connected to the undertaking of the honors project: laboratory equipment or supplies, computer software or time, costs related to field research, artistic supplies or equipment, books or periodicals not available through normal library sources, illustrations and duplication—among others. Travel will be supported only where such travel is absolutely essential to the project and only for the actual cost of transportation. Except in unusual circumstances, individual awards will not exceed $500. Any equipment or non-expended supplies purchased under the program become the property of the department at the conclusion of the project. We will set up university accounts for all successful applicants in their departments as the means of dispersing funds.

Please note: Projects with an international dimension may qualify for a supplemental award for up to $500 from The Center for Global Initiatives (in addition to the Honors Thesis Research Grant from the Honors Office).  Priority for these supplementary grants from The Center for Global Initiatives will be given to proposals which pertain to international topics and which involve travel either within the United States or abroad.  A student must receive an Honors Thesis Research Grant in order to receive the supplemental award from The Center for Global Initiatives.  If a student receives both awards, the letter of notification from the Honors Office will contain that information.

We are also very pleased to announce the Gordon P. Golding Honors Research Award, which is designated for students doing research on slavery or some other aspect of African American history and culture.  We would appreciate your assistance in publicizing this new funding opportunity.

Your help is crucial to the successful operation of the program.  Would you please:

(1)  Make your honors students (or prospective honors students) aware of the existence of the program and distribute the application form and recommendation form to interested students.  All applicants must be eligible to participate in departmental honors AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION.

(2)  Establish a departmental deadline for the completed applications AND thesis advisor recommendation to be returned to you.

(3)  If there are two or more applications from your department, rank order them in terms of overall merit and indicate your ranking in the space provided on the application form (page 1).

(4) RETURN THE COMPLETED APPLICATIONS TO THE HONORS OFFICE,  CB# 3510, 225 GRAHAM MEMORIAL, NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2009

Grants will be made in mid-October.

Thanks for your help and give me a call (843-7755) if you have questions or concerns.

cc:            Department Chairs, Department Managers