Scholarships for Symposium Presenters

Undergraduate Scholarships

One common application, due by the second Friday following the Symposium, allows undergraduate students who participate in the current year Symposium to apply for scholarships to assist with their continued undergraduate studies:

• The Ronald W. Collins Memorial Endowed Scholarship for Undergraduate Symposium Participants 
• Undergraduate Symposium Silver Anniversary Scholarship Series (8 awards)
• Barry A. Fish Undergraduate Symposium Scholarship
• Elwood J. C. Kureth Scholarship
• Bruce K. Nelson Scholarship
• John W. Porter Student Research Excellence Scholarship
• Robert Neely Endowed Scholarship for the Undergraduate Symposium
• Dale and Gloria Heydlauff Undergraduate Symposium Student Excellence 
• Bette Warren and Sally McCracken Endowed Scholarship for the Symposium        
• Joe & Mae Butcko Endowed Design Expo Scholarship 

Online Application for Undergraduate Scholarships for Symposium Presenters

The Lerner Family Scholarship in Jewish Studies

Endowed by EMU's Political Science Professor Jeffrey Bernstein, this scholarship is named in memory of his grandparents, Yetta and Sol Lerner, and his mother, Eileen Lerner Zirin.

As EMU Jewish Studies’ first endowed scholarship, it offers an award of $500 annually to an outstanding student who presented on a topic connected with Jewish Studies at the Undergraduate Symposium during the current academic year. The scholarship is neither need-based nor attached to financial aid. The student need not have been enrolled in a Jewish Studies class. 

Application for the Lerner Family Scholarship in Jewish Studies due two weeks after the current year Symposium. Complete online application. 

Symposium Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF)

For the 2023-24 academic year there are 19 undergraduate students, from across a variety of academic disciplines, working with faculty mentors as Symposium Undergraduate Research Fellows. These annual student awards may be renewed upon student interest, faculty mentor support, and available sponsorships. Each fellow is expected to conduct research during the appointed academic year and present the outcomes of the research at the Undergraduate Symposium. Undergraduate students, especially students new to EMU, may contact Amy Bearinger or visit the SURF homepage. 

Graduate Level Awards

Eastern Michigan University is pleased to announce the availability of up to twenty $1,000 awards to encourage student participants in the Undergraduate Symposium to continue their graduate studies at EMU. Consideration for an award requires:

• Participation as a student presenter in the current year.
• Completion of undergraduate degree by the following August
  Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• Application and admission to a graduate degree program at Eastern Michigan University. Students admitted into a certificate only program do not qualify. 
• Enrollment as an EMU graduate student for the following fall, full or part-time.

If more than 20 students apply and meet the minimum eligibility requirements, all applicants will be ranked by GPA and award offers made as funding allows. Completed applications due by the second Friday following the Symposium.

Online Application for Graduate School Fellowship Award for Symposium Participants

William Fennel Symposium Faculty Mentor Award

It is the outstanding commitment of our faculty to provide extraordinary leadership and guidance to undergraduate students and their research experience that is recognized by the William Fennel Symposium Faculty Mentor Award.

Awarded annually, the honored faculty will be publically recognized and receive a recognition memento plus an award of $1,000. The Undergraduate Symposium participant and student nominator of the honored faculty mentor will receive a $500 credit to the nominator's student account. Nominations for this award must be initiated by a current year Symposium student participant after the conclusion of the student's presentation experience at the Undergraduate Symposium. Completed applications due by the Friday following the Symposium.

Online Application for The William Fennel Symposium Faculty Mentor Award