Scholarships

 Submit a 2024 Recommendation for Biology Scholarship.  If you do not have an emich email address, please address the prompts here and email the text of your recommendation in the body of an email (rather than an attachment) to Dr. Emily Grman by February 7, 2024. 

A number of scholarships are available to support undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a degree in biology or a related discipline. Scholarships for students taking field courses and science education students are accepted on a rolling basis. Students are encouraged to apply for all scholarships for which they are eligible. Each award type has its own application form that must be completed. For questions about scholarships, please contact Dr. Emily Grman.

Applications for Biology Department scholarships are due on January 31, 2024. 

Undergraduate Scholarships

  • Scholarships for Students Interested in Research

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     2024 Application for Undergraduate Brown/Hellwig Research Fellowships and Apprenticeships

            • Don Brown and Meta Hellwig Undergraduate Research Fellowships: Scholarships of $2,000 awarded to students doing research mentored by a Biology Department faculty member regardless of major. They are intended for junior or senior students with at least one semester of previous research experience. The primary selection criteria for Fellowships are quality of the proposal and feasibility of accomplishing the stated goals within the award period.
            • Don Brown and Meta Hellwig Undergraduate Research Apprenticeships: Scholarships of $1,000 awarded to students working with a Biology Department faculty member regardless of major. Applicants beginning research projects are encouraged to apply for Apprenticeships. The primary selection criterion for Apprenticeships is the apparent value of the learning experience to the student.
            • Symposium Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) award: This award allows selected students to participate in extended research with a Biology Department faculty member. Fellows receive a renewable $1000 annual award that is applied to their student account, $500 for the fall term and $500 for the winter term of the award year. Additional funds will be available to purchase research supplies. Fellows will present the results of their research at EMU's annual Undergraduate Symposium. Priority will be given to applications from full-time students (12 credit hours or more in the upcoming semester) who are new to EMU (freshmen or transfer students).
  • Science Education, Biology, Botany, and Field Course Awards

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    2024 Application for EMU Biology Undergraduate Non-Research Awards

    • The Bert Johnson Scholarship: Awarded to promising biology majors (sophomore, junior, or senior) with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA and a minimum 3.5 GPA in biology. Awardees must have at least 8 hours of college biology with at least 4 earned at EMU.
    • The Stephen and Christine Liu Scholarship: Awarded to a promising biology major with sophomore, junior or senior standing and a minimum 3.51 GPA.
    • The Minnie J. Neary Scholarship: Awarded to a promising biology major.
    • The Grace E. Wertenberger Scholarship: Awarded to a promising biology major with a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrated financial need.
    • The Dr. Shih-An Yu Memorial Endowed Scholarship: Awarded to a promising biology student.
    • The Mary A. Goddard Testimonial Endowed Scholarship: Awarded to biology students with at least 72 credits, 45 of which were earned at EMU and 18 hours of which were biology, with a minimum 3.2 GPA overall and 3.5 GPA in biology. 
    • The Richard A. and Elizabeth V. Giles Botany Endowed Scholarship: Awarded to a biology major (sophomore, junior, or senior) intending to pursue a career in botany. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA overall and in biology with at least eight hours of college biology courses including four hours of botany at EMU.
    • The Michigan Garden Club Scholarship: Awarded to a student with sophomore or junior standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0 studying botany, forestry, conservation, environmental science, horticulture, floriculture, landscape design, agronomy, plant pathology, or any field of study. Additional application materials may be required after submission of the form. The recipient must be willing to share a photograph for publication by the Garden Club. The award will be available in the fall following application and the awardee must still be enrolled at EMU in the following winter semester. 
    • The Fred & Ford Bryan Undergraduate Endowed Scholarship: Awarded to students with a 3.0 minimum GPA intending to teach physical science or natural science, or to a history major intending to teach high school. 
    • The Suzanne J. Stevens Science Education Endowed Scholarship: Awarded to students in good standing, with preference for science education majors or minors who are intending to teach science at the elementary or middle school levels, or are currently teaching at those levels. Preference will be given to a student returning to school after an absence or career change. 
    • The Don Brown and Meta Hellwig Study Scholarships ($250 to $1,500) are intended to help defray expenses related to taking a field biology course away from the EMU Campus. Field courses offered through EMU are given preference. Enrollment in a field course is required for this award. Biology (graduate and undergraduate), Environmental Science & Society, and Secondary Education Biology Majors are given preference. Other majors will be considered as funds permit. The main selection criterion will be the apparent value of the learning experience to the student.

Graduate Scholarships

  • Don Brown and Meta Hellwig Graduate Research Awards

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    Scholarships of up to $4,000 awarded to students doing summer research. To apply, complete the 2024 Application for Graduate Brown/Hellwig Research Awards: https://forms.gle/nqTRp22RKfxZd9T29

  • Science Education and Field Course Awards

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    2024 Application for Science Education and Field Course Awards

    • Don Brown and Meta Hellwig Special Study Scholarships: Graduate students are eligible for Don Brown and Meta Hellwig Special Study Scholarships ($250 to $1,500), which are intended to help defray expenses related to travel and costs to take a field biology course away from the EMU Campus. Summer field courses offered through EMU are given preference. The main selection criterion will be the apparent value of the learning experience to the student.
    • The Fred C. and Ford R. Bryan Scholarship for Teaching Science: This scholarship is for students who intend to teach natural or physical sciences at the middle or high school level. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need. Awards may also be made to in-service natural or physical science teachers taking undergraduate biology classes at Fish Lake or the EMU Parsons Center.
    • Suzanne Stevens Scholarship for Teaching: This scholarship is intended for students with a science education major or minor with preference given to students returning to school after an absence or after a career change and to students teaching or planning to teach science at the elementary or middle school level.
    • Mary Goddard Scholarship: This scholarship is intended for students who plan to teach biology or general science or plan a career in biological research. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 overall and 3.5 in biology or elementary science is required. The student must have 72 hours earned college credit with at least 45 hours earned at EMU. Biology majors and minors must have a minimum of 18 hours of biology. Elementary science majors must have 18 hours in the Elementary Integrated Science Program with at least six hours in biology.
  • Graduate Teaching Assistantships

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    For questions about graduate teaching assistantships, contact Dr. Cara Shillington, biology graduate coordinator.
    Teaching assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis to highly qualified, graduate degree-seeking students in the Biology Department. These awards provide a stipend as well as 18 hours of tuition remission per year. Interest in a graduate teaching assistantship should be indicated upon application to the graduate program. Admission application should be completed by February 1st to ensure consideration for a fall semester assignment. Complete this Google Form to indicate your interest in a position. Two letters of recommendation are required. International students for whom English is a second language must be in residence in the United States for at least one year to be eligible to receive an assistantship.