American Studies Graduate Merit Scholarships 2016

AMERICAN STUDIES GRADUATE MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS 2016

The Department of American Studies will offer several scholarships to graduate students in 2016-17 to support their academic work and to facilitate degree completion.

AMST GRADUATE MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS FALL INTO TWO CATEGORIES, EACH WITH DISTINCT ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS (see below)

Students apply for either scholarship directly through STAR using the following dedicated link: https://www.star.hawaii.edu:10012/Scholarship_live/login.jsp?scholarshipID=B719

American Studies Dissertation Scholarship ($10,000)

$10,000 Dissertation Scholarships are designed for outstanding PhD students who will be working actively on a dissertation during the 2016-17 academic year. These scholarships are intended to allow recipients to focus on dissertation research/writing full-time for one semester. Recipients are expected, to the extent possible, to use the scholarship money as an alternative to paid employment for that semester in order to make significant progress on the dissertation.

Eligibility: Any PhD student in American Studies who has passed both Qualifying and Comprehensive Exams by the semester in which he/she receives the scholarship, and who plans to devote that semester to dissertation research/writing. (Should a recipient not achieve ABD status by that time, the scholarship will go to the first alternate.) The student must register for AMST800 during the semester in which he/she receives the fellowship.

Selection criteria: The selection will be based on the rigor and significance of the applicant’s dissertation project, soundness of the research/writing plan, the applicant’s academic record, and the student’s ability to prioritize the dissertation during the semester that the scholarship is awarded.

Application materials: Applicants must submit: (A) Name, UH ID#, e-mail, telephone number, date or projected date of ABD status, dissertation title, chair of dissertation committee; (B) Approx. 1000-1,500-word description of the dissertation project, including an overview, methodology, and chapter outline; (C) One-page (single-spaced) outline of the projected schedule for research and writing; (D) Two letters of recommendation (no required format), one of which must be from the chair of the dissertation committee. Letters should address the likelihood that this scholarship will significantly advance the student’s progress to degree.

Faculty will submit letters of recommendation via STAR. E-mails requesting recommendations will be generated automatically when students submit the email addresses of two faculty members. Students should first contact the professors to determine their availability. The e-mail generated by STAR will contain a link with further instructions for the faculty.

Application deadline: March 30, 2016. Please note: Scholarships will be disbursed from STAR approximately a week prior to the beginning of each semester, but it can take some weeks (even months for international students) before the funds appear in student accounts.

American Studies Graduate Merit Scholarships ($5000)

$5,000 merit scholarships are awarded to outstanding graduate students at any stage in their program. The scholarship is intended to assist in tuition payments, living expenses, and/or research costs.

Eligibility: Any MA or PhD student in American Studies. The student must be registered full time during the semester in which he/she receives the scholarship. Registration in AMST 700 or 800 counts as full time.

Selection criteria: The selection will be based on the applicant’s prior academic performance and statement of academic and professional goals, as well as letters of recommendation.

Application materials: Applicants must submit: (A) Name, UH ID#, e-mail, telephone number, degree program (MA/Ph.D.), and stage in the program during Spring 2016 (e.g. coursework, exam prep, thesis or dissertation). Applicants at the thesis or dissertation stage should please name the committee chair. (B) Approx. 750-word statement describing academic and professional goals, work done to date toward those goals, and the plans for degree completion, including ideas for thesis/dissertation project and/or exam fields; (C) UH transcript (copy is acceptable); (D) Two references from UH faculty, at least one of whom must be from the American Studies Department. In the case of students at the thesis/dissertation stage, one reference must be from the chair of the thesis/dissertation committee.

Faculty will submit letters of recommendation via STAR. E-mails requesting letters of recommendation will be generated automatically when students submit the email addresses of two faculty members. Students should first contact the professors to determine their availability. The e-mail generated by STAR will contain a link with further instructions for faculty.

The selection will be made by the American Studies faculty.

Application deadline: March 30, 2016. Please note: Scholarships will be disbursed from STAR approximately a week prior to the beginning of each semester, but it can take some weeks (even months for international students) before the funds appear in student accounts.

For inquiries, email Dr. Elizabeth Colwill, [email protected].