EIP/McNair Presidential Scholarship

Interested students must come in person to speak with an EIP/McNair Graduate Advisor and pick up an application. We do not send applications in the mail, over e-mail, or on the web.

Application deadline: June 30, 2008

Notification of Awards: September, 2008

Beginning date for tenure of awards: September 24, 2008

The Presidential Scholarship is intended to support students who have clearly demonstrated scholastic achievement, an interest in research, and graduate degree goals. The award will be $5,000 for the 2008-2009 academic year. Upon receipt of the award, students will be expected to submit a formal research proposal, conduct three consecutive quarters of research, meet regularly with the EIP staff, present their year’s work at both the Undergraduate Research Symposium and the joint Early Identification/McNair Program Annual Spring Research Conference, and comply with the other requirements of Presidential Scholars. Awards are contingent upon the continued availability of funds.

An applicant should be either an Early Identification Program or a McNair Program student who:

• is interested in pursuing a research project with the supervision of a faculty member for the three consecutive quarters of the 2008-2009 academic year;
• plans to attend graduate school; and
• has a minimum of 125 credits.

We give priority to students with a minimum GPA of 3.0, and who regularly use the services of our programs.

Students who wish to apply for this award are required to:

• discuss their interest in the scholarship with an EIP or McNair staff member (in person);
• construct a research project to be conducted over a three-quarter time period;
• contact a faculty member to supervise their research; and
• submit by June 30, 2008:

1. a preliminary proposal detailing the nature of the research problem to be studied, how this project prepares you for your present or future course of study and your personal goals;
2. two letters of recommendation (one from a faculty member who will serve as your project advisor, the other a character reference letter);
3. an official University of Washington transcript; and
4. a resume.

A committee composed of EIP/McNair staff and University of Washington faculty members will evaluate each application submitted for consideration. These persons are asked for their judgments about the quality and significance of the proposed project. The scholarship committee represents a diversity of disciplinary and cultural backgrounds.

Evaluators will consider the following issues:

1. The topic’s potential to significantly enhance the intellectual development of the applicant.
2. A clearly defined scope for the project and the feasibility of attaining the project’s objectives within the scholarship period.
3. The logic and rigor of the project.
4. The compatibility of the applicant’s demonstrated ability and academic background to the project’s demands.
5. The topic’s originality.
6. The strength of the faculty and character reference letters.
7. The applicant’s academic record.
8. The applicant’s level of involvement with EIP or McNair.

For questions about the application process or to pick up an application packet, please contact the EIP/McNair office at 206-543-6460, or through e-mail at eip@u.washington.edu.