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EIP/McNair Presidential Scholarship

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Application and Award Schedule

 

We accepting applications for the 2009-2010 academic year.

 

Application deadline: June 30, 2009

Notification of Awards: September, 2009

Beginning date for tenure of awards: September 30, 2009

General Information

Description of the award

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 range from $3,500-$4,500 for the 2009-2010 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.

Applicant Eligibility

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 2009-2010 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.

Application Process

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, 2009:
  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.

Presidential Scholarship Requirements and Restrictions

Requirements

  1. All scholarships involve three consecutive quarters of work by a student on a specific research project.
  2. All projects require a project advisor with knowledge and qualifications in a discipline appropriate to the student’s project that will work closely with the student. EIP/McNair suggests a minimum of two student-advisor meetings per month and requires that these meetings be conducted in person.
  3. The applicant may list only one person as the official project advisor, and the advisor must have a faculty appointment at the University of Washington.
  4. Recipients of the scholarship must submit a final research proposal, including the project’s prediction(s), specific aims, methodology, and timeline signed by the student and the faculty advisor to EIP/McNair in early Fall Quarter.
  5. All projects are expected to result in a substantial research paper that must be submitted to the student’s faculty advisor for evaluation.
  6. All scholarship recipients are expected to present their research findings in a formal oral or poster presentation at the annual UW Undergraduate Research Symposium.
  7. All scholarship recipients are expected to orally present their research findings and experiences at the EIP/McNair Annual Spring Research Conference (to be held in May of 2010).
  8. All scholarship recipients are expected to attend the EIP/McNair presidential scholars' seminars and rehearsals.
  9. The project’s faculty advisor must submit an assessment of the student’s work at the end of the scholarship period.
  10. All scholarship recipients must enroll in an independent study course listed by the faculty sponsor’s department.
  11. Failure to abide by or perform any of these requirements will result in termination of the scholar's stipend award.

Restrictions

  1. Parents, guardians, other immediate relatives of applicants, and EIP/McNair staff members may not write reference letters or serve as the applicant’s advisor on their Presidential Scholarship projects.
  2. No advisor may work with more than one EIP/McNair Presidential Scholar.
  3. Students may only submit one application.
  4. Joint projects by two or more students may not be submitted.

Application Evaluation Process

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.

Early Identification Program
375 Schmitz Hall - Box 355845
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington 98195-5845
206-543-6460 (Office)
206-543-2746 (Fax)
eip@u.washington.edu