University Honors Program
Grants and Fellowships
This document describes the requirements and application process for the array of grants and
fellowships that are available to University Honors Program students.
The Honors Ambassadorial Grant
The Honors Ambassadorial Grant provides financial support for Honors students who are
engaging in scholarly or creative activities in a public venue or forum, such as an academic
conference, concert, stage performance, or exhibit (and thus, the Honors student serves as
an “ambassador” of the Honors Program). Such activities must be affiliated with a faculty
mentor, with a report on these activities to be submitted or presented to the Honors Program
upon their conclusion.
Honors Ambassadorial Grant Highlights
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Applicants must be in good standing within the Honors Program (i.e., not on probation)
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Items funded include registration, travel, lodging, meals, and other related items if
specifically approved
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Relevant information includes the conference/venue name, dates, location, description
of the project to be presented, and estimated cost
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A faculty mentor must be identified
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A report on the activities must be submitted or presented upon their conclusion
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Grant requests must be submitted at least two (2) months prior to the conference/venue/
event date
The Honors Undergraduate Research Opportunity
Program (UROP) Grant
The Honors Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) provides financial support
for Honors students who wish to engage in faculty-mentored research and creative activities
during the academic year. Participation in UROP is an intense and intentional program
designed to provide students with insight into the research process. “Research” is broadly
defined and includes disciplines in the arts, humanities, education, the social sciences,
and business, grounded in a study of history, theory, or practice.
Honors UROP Grant Highlights
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Applicants must be in good standing within the Honors Program (i.e., not on probation)
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Applicants must be eligible for work study
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UROP funds time spent doing the work, at an hourly rate that is commensurate with
university research assistants for a maximum of 15 hours per week for 15 weeks (i.e.,
one semester)
●
Relevant information includes a description of the project, a recommendation from
the faculty mentor, and estimated cost (for items other than time spent working on the
project)
●
A faculty mentor must be identified
●
The awardee must publicly communicate the results to the academic community as part
of the This is Honors component of LMU’s Undergraduate Research Symposium
●
Recipients of the Honors UROP may subsequently apply for an Honors Ambassadorial
Grant if also presenting their work at a venue other than LMU’s Undergraduate
Research Symposium, such as an external publication, conference talk, or poster
session
●
Grant requests must be submitted by the Friday of the fifth (5th) week of the semester
prior to the semester during which the work will be performed
The Honors Research Materials Grant
In very exceptional situations, the Honors Program will provide funds not for time spent doing
research, but for costs incurred as a result of this research. “Research” is broadly defined
and includes disciplines in the arts, humanities, education, the social sciences, and
business, grounded in a study of history, theory, or practice.
Honors Research Materials Grant Highlights
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Applicants must be in good standing within the Honors Program (i.e., not on probation)
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Items funded include consumable materials, paid services, and texts/media that will
become part of the Honors student’s personal library
●
Items that may not be funded include long-lived equipment or instruments that eventually
reside as part of a university laboratory or department
●
Relevant information includes a project description, budget with justification, and when
the work will take place (i.e., semester and year)
●
A faculty mentor must be identified
●
The awardee must publicly communicate the results to the academic community as part
of the This is Honors component of LMU’s Undergraduate Research Symposium
●
Recipients of the Honors Research Materials Grant may subsequently apply for an
Honors Ambassadorial Grant if also presenting their work at a venue other than LMU’s
Undergraduate Research Symposium, such as an external publication, conference talk,
or poster session
●
As purchases are made, expense reports with receipts must be submitted to the Honors
Program for approval and reimbursement (based on the project description and budget)
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Expenses that go over budget will not be reimbursed
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Projects that go under budget cannot “cash in” the remaining approved amount
●
Grant requests must be submitted at least two (2) months prior to the first materials
purchase
Honors Summer Research Fellowships
The Honors Summer Research Fellowship provides financial support for Honors students
who wish to engage in faculty-mentored research and creative activities during the summer.
“Research” is broadly defined and includes disciplines in the arts, humanities, education,
the social sciences, and business, grounded in a study of history, theory, or practice.
Honors Summer Research Fellowships are funded by donors and patrons of the University
Honors Program. When a fellowship is granted, it is given a specific name (e.g., Clint Albertson
Fellowship) based on the source of the fellowship funds. Aside from the source of funds, there
are no other differences between Honors Summer Research Fellowships with different names.
Honors Summer Research Fellowship Highlights
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Applicants must be in good standing within the Honors Program (i.e., not on probation)
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Open to non-graduating Honors students only
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Items funded are flexible depending on the proposed summer work, but typically include
travel, work-related materials, and other incidental costs
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Funds may not be used as a stipend solely for time spent doing research
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Fellowships may not exceed $5,000
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Relevant information includes a description of the project, a recommendation from the
faculty mentor, and budget with justification
●
A faculty mentor must be identified
●
The awardee must publicly communicate the results to the academic community as part
of the This is Honors component of LMU’s Undergraduate Research Symposium
●
Recipients of the Honors Summer Research Fellowship may subsequently apply for an
Honors Ambassadorial Grant if also presenting their work at a venue other than LMU’s
Undergraduate Research Symposium, such as an external publication, conference talk,
or poster session
●
Grant requests must be submitted by the Friday of the third (3rd) week of the spring
semester prior to the summer during which the work will be performed
2012 University Honors Program Summer Research
Fellowship Competition
Deadline: Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Honors Summer Research Fellowship provides financial support for Honors students
who wish to engage in faculty-mentored research and creative activities during the summer.
“Research” is broadly defined and includes disciplines in the arts, humanities, education,
the social sciences, and business, grounded in a study of history, theory, or practice.
These awards seek to help make LMU Honors Program students more competitive for major
post-graduation scholarships as well as expand their intellectual horizons in ways that exceed
the normal boundaries of the classroom. In other words, what could you do over the summer
that would make you a “shoe-in” for a major scholarship? What project, if only you had the
money, would you undertake to create new knowledge and expression? These grants can be
used for local, national, and international research, creative projects, service projects, and
social justice issues. If you can conceive it, we can fund it!
Eligibility
Open to current non-graduating LMU Honors Program students in good standing. Students
currently on probation are not eligible for summer research fellowships.
Funding
$30,000 will be awarded in various amounts depending on the project. Each project proposed
must cost no greater than $5,000, unless evidence is produced to show that the remainder of
the expenses will either be funded from another source or covered by the recipient.
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the academic or creative merit of the student's research,
or the level of research involvement in the faculty mentor's project. Acceptance to the program
is also dependent upon the level of support from the faculty mentor, the student's overall
progress, and available funding.
How to Apply
Submit the following items by the deadline to the Honors Program Administrator, Meghan
Alcantar, in University Hall 4506. No electronic submissions are allowed.
Cover Page
The application cover page asks for general information about you; please make sure that
all information is accurate and complete. The cover page form is available at the end of this
information sheet.
Project Description
Please describe your project in no more than two double-spaced pages. Your description
should include an introduction providing information about what you hope to accomplish during
the project period. Describe the problem and how you will go about conducting the research
or approaching the creative project. Include a statement about your background preparation
for this project. Are there specific courses you have taken which serve as preparation for your
project? Are there other experiences in your background which support your research? Lastly,
include a description of how you and your faculty mentor will be collaborating. This section
should include how often you and your faculty mentor will meet.
Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
Include your CV or a summary of your relevant course work, academic accomplishments,
service, and leadership experience as a student at LMU.
Faculty Mentor Letter of Endorsement
The letter of endorsement from the faculty mentor should describe the educational significance
of the project for the student, and how the project relates to the mentor's work. Faculty may
submit this letter directly to the Honors Program Administrator, Meghan Alcantar.
Budget
List and justify how your funds are to be allocated, not to exceed $5,000. Your project may cost
less than this amount.
2012 University Honors Program Summer Research Fellowship Competition
Cover Page
Deadline: Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Name:
Student ID#:
Faculty Mentor:
Campus Address:
E-mail Address:
Telephone:
Major(s):
Minor(s):
Expected Graduation Date:
GPA:
Project Title:
Project Duration:
How have you participated in the University Honors Program? Please state how you
have been involved outside of Honors classes (e.g., SHAC, Honors Passport Events,
Summit, etc.).
Have you studied abroad? If so, when and where, and what impact did it have on you?
If you have not studied abroad, where would you choose to go and why?