Undergraduate Awards

The Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences offers awards for undergraduate majors (including coordinate Lyman Briggs majors). These awards are designed to encourage academic excellence, promote professional skill building, and enhance the quality of the students we graduate.

Below is a detailed description of each of our undergraduate awards including application and submission information. Click here for a summary of our EES undergraduate awards and their due dates.

 

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Student Self-nominated Awards with Faculty Mentor Guidance

Warren W. and Anneliese C. Wood Undergraduate Research Award

This award is made possible through the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. Wood to support undergraduate student-led research projects conducted under the mentorship of faculty in the Department.  Dr. Wood is a graduate of Michigan State University, receiving B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from the then Department of Geology. 

The purpose of this award is for undergraduates to request funding for non-salary research expenses including research equipment, sample analyses and supplies. Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received an award.  A self-nomination application should be completed, forwarded to your research mentor, and after approval submitted each Fall semester by October 31st and each Spring semester by February 14th. Funding decisions are merit based and will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Affairs Committee with final approval from the Department Chair.

Earth and Environmental Science Undergraduate Research Fellowship

The purpose of this award is to enhance access to undergraduate research experiences within the Earth and Environmental Science department. This fellowship provides financial support to cover the opportunity cost associated with the fellow's time, so that they can participate in Earth and environmental science research. The criteria for the fellowship are: (1) the student must be in academic good standing, (2) the student has a  research project (or an idea for one) under the supervision of a faculty member in EES, (3) the student can commit at least 100 hours of their time to the research project per semester, and (4) the student can enroll for 1 credit of independent research for each semester that you receive the award (except for the summer semester). Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a fellowship, however it is possible to apply for an additional fellowship as a continuation of a successful fellowship. 

To apply for the fellowship, the student must first secure an agreement from an EES faculty mentor. Then, the application consists of two statements written by the student: 

1. A statement describing the student's research project and how the student will achieve it during the 100 hours allotted (500 words maximum).
2. A statement of how receiving this award will impact the student's academic and career goals (250 words maximum).

For continuation applications, please appropriately reference the prior award, progress made, and address the need for continued fellowship support.

A self-nomination application should be completed, forwarded to your research mentor, and after approval submitted by October 31st for the spring semester research period and by February 14th for either a summer or spring semester research period. Funding decisions are merit based and will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Affairs Committee with final approval from the Department Chair.

Earth and Environmental Science Undergraduate Travel Award

This award is made possible through the generosity of Alumni and friends of EES to support undergraduate travel to professional meetings to present the results of their research or to defray travel costs to off-campus field courses (primarily intended for study abroad).

Undergraduates may request funding only for reimbursable travel expenses to meetings (except for meals and incidentals) or travel (not subsistence) to field courses.  Exact amounts subject to funding availability; see application for other terms, conditions, and limitations.  The field courses must transfer as undergraduate credit to MSU.  An application outlining the research to be presented or field course to be attended should be completed and submitted each Spring semester by February 14th and each Fall semester by October 31st.  Funding decisions will be merit based and will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Affairs Committee with final approval from the Department Chair.

Central Michigan Lapidary & Mineral Society (CMLMS) Scholarship

Awards are based on past academic performance, financial need and the potential for academic and later professional success. Proceeds for the scholarship are obtained from the CMLMS Annual Gem and Mineral Show. Applications are due February 14 each Spring Semester and should be submitted via the link below.

Lucile Drake Pringle and Gordon H. Pringle Endowed Fellowship

This award is intended to encourage students who have demonstrated capacity to achieve educational and professional goals, the motivation to achieve those goals and the initiative to seek opportunities to further their progress. Made possible by Gordon H. Pringle ’32, the fellowship was established in 1988 in memory of his wife and later, after his passing in 1998, renamed by his son Lewis G. Pringle for both of them.

Students can self-nominate or be nominated by faculty. To be eligible, students must be enrolled at MSU in the following fall semester. The self-nomination should be submitted as a single PDF document and includes:

1. A resumé (1 page maximum).
2. A statement regarding the student's professional goals and the student's achievements in the past year towards those goals (written by the student or by the nominator; 250 words maximum).

Self-nomination packets are due February 14 each Spring Semester and should be submitted via the link below.

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Faculty Nominated Awards

The following awards do not require application by students but faculty may send nominations to the Undergraduate Affairs Committee. Students are encouraged to discuss nominations with faculty for the following:

Outstanding Senior

The Outstanding Senior Award is given to the one or two graduating seniors with most exemplary academic achievements in Geological Sciences or Environmental Geosciences. The committee will consider academic achievement to include GPA, faculty nomination, research achievements, quantity and difficulty of courses completed, and other scholarly activity (e.g. internship activities in geosciences or environmental sciences). The nomination packet should be submitted as a single PDF document and includes:

1. 500 word essay: statement of rationale for why the student is deserving of the award (written by the faculty nominator)

Applications are due February 28 each Spring Semester and should be submitted via the link below.

Estwing Departmental Service Award

Sponsored by the Estwing Manufacturing Company since 1990, this scholarship is awarded to a geology student with outstanding contributions to the department in the areas of academic excellence, research and/or departmental service. The nomination packet should be submitted as a single PDF document and includes:

1. 500 word essay: statement of rationale for why the student is deserving of the award (written by the faculty nominator)

Applications are due February 28 each Spring Semester and should be submitted via the link below.

 

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Undergraduate Director Nominated Awards

Max L. Anderson Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 2019 in order to support the education of Earth and Environmental Science undergraduate students. Dr. Max L. Anderson '69 earned a B.S. degree in Geology and M.A.T in Earth Sciences from MSU in 1971, and he was supported during his education by a Board of Trustees Scholarship, which was critical to avoiding significant debt due to tuition. The purpose of this scholarship is to pay back some of the investment MSU made in Dr. Anderson's education and help other students finance their degrees. He taught Earth science at Proviso West High School in Illinois for three years before he obtained an M.S. and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan. He then taught at the University of Wisconsin at Platteville in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department from 1979-2012, serving as department chair for 20 of those years. The activity that brought Dr. Anderson the biggest sense of accomplishment was working with students as an academic/career advisor. To be eligible, students must be enrolled at MSU in the following fall semester.

Anna Lee Flory Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in memory of Anna Lee Flory, a Sophomore studying geological science and teaching, who passed away unexpectedly in 2013. Anna was a graduate of Hudsonville High School and attended Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She then transferred to MSU, following in her father’s, older sister’s, and uncle’s Spartan footsteps. While at MSU, Anna was pursuing a teaching degree with a major in Earth Science. She fell in love with the outdoors and geology after participating in the Hudsonville Summer Science Institute. This scholarship supports participation in intensive geology-related field study including geology field camp, field trips, and student field-work, as these activities apply classroom knowledge and transform students into skilled geologists. To be eligible, students must be enrolled at MSU in the following fall semester.

Wayne B. & Marian R. Henderson Scholarship

Established in 1995, this scholarship in named in memory of Wayne Henderson and his wife Marian. Wayne was a former geology student at MSU and worked tirelessly to spread understanding of the geological sciences. To be eligible, students must be enrolled at MSU in the following fall semester.

Graham Ryder Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 2006 in memory of Dr. Graham Ryder Ph.D. '74. Dr. Ryder was a premier lunar scientist who pioneered the exploration of the Moon and important concepts regarding lunar evolution. He recieved a B.Sc. from the University of Wales at Swansea in 1970 before coming to MSU for his doctoral work on the petrology of igneous rocks. After post-doctoral study at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, he was employed in the Lunar Curatorial Facility at NASA Johnson Space Center and from 1983-2002 worked at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, TX. Honoring his contributions to research, this scholarship supports students engaged in research within the EES department. To be eligible, students must be enrolled at MSU in the following fall semester.

John T. Wilband Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1989 in memory of Dr. John T. Wilband, former EES faculty member and field camp director. Funds were made possible by Wilband’s family, friends, colleagues and students. The recipient will attend field camp this summer. 

Earth and Environmental Sciences Alumni Field Camp Scholarship

Funding provided by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences for support of student attendance at Field Camp.