Distinctive Undergraduate Scholarships

Some distinctive scholarships for which UNDERGRADUATES are eligible:

The following examples of undergraduate scholarship programs possess self-evident value and distinction. They also provide important credentials for persons who aspire to compete for any of the several postgraduate fellowship opportunities described on this site. For instance, undergraduates whose research has been funded through the McNair Program, the Truman Foundation, or the Barry M. Goldwater Foundation stand to impress postgraduate scholarship panels with the already-contributive nature of their work and scholarly prospects.

Similarly, undergraduates who take advantage of study-abroad programs and scholarships can speak with greater authority in a Rhodes, Marshall, or Fulbright application about the foreign universities and programs of study pertinent to their research plans. The Office of Postgraduate Fellowships urges students to contact the UNT International Programs Office (565-2207) to ask about opportunities for study aborad.

Deadlines may vary from year to year. Confirmation is the responsibility of the applicant.

Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship

The Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program was authorized by the United States Congress in 1986 to honor Senator Barry M. Goldwater, who has served his country for 56 years as a soldier and statesman, including 30 years of service in the U.S. Senate. The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation is authorized to award undergraduate scholarships to eligible students for study in the fields of mathematics and the natural sciences as preparation for careers in these areas. Students may also pursue those engineering disciplines that contribute significantly to the technological advances of the United States. The enabling legislation was aimed at alleviating a critical current and future shortage of scientists and mathematicians. The Foundation will award undergraduate scholarships to outstanding students in the spring for use during the following academic year.

Requirements: These awards will be made on the basis of merit to two groups of students--to sophomores who will be college juniors in the following academic year and to juniors who will be college seniors in the following academic year. "Sophomore" is defined as a student who plans two more years of full-time undergraduate study beginning in September of the year in which the grant would be awarded. At UNT students must have a G.P.A. between 3.8 and 4.0. Scholars must maintain full-time standing and continue in good academic standing. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, a resident alien, or in the case of nominees from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Mariana Islands, a U.S. national. Nominations from resident aliens must include a letter of the nominee's intent to obtain U.S. citizenship. It is expected that students selected as scholars will pursue advanced degrees. Students who plan to study medicine are eligible for a Goldwater Scholarship if they plan a research career rather than a career as a medical doctor in a private practice. The University of North Texas may nominate up to four students who are currently sophomores or juniors. The Foundation will not solicit or accept applications directly from candidates.

Amount of Grant: Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $7,500 annually. Scholarship monies not used during one academic year are not transferrable to the succeeding academic year. Junior-level scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of two years of scholarship support and senior-level scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of one year of scholarship support. Senior-level scholarship recipients who were nominated as juniors and then extend the length of time to earn their baccalaureate degree must be renominated during the next year's competition.

Deadline: To allow the University of North Texas Faculty Screening Committee to judge the relative merits of applications and assemble requisite nomination dossiers, all applications must be submitted by October 8 c/o the Office of Postgraduate Fellowships, Chestnut Hall 117. This will permit the screening committee sufficient time to meet its January 12 mailing deadline. Students having an interest in this award should contact Dr. James Duban, Director, Office of Postgraduate Fellowships, at (817) 565-2820, or obtain further information from the Goldwater Scholarship Review Committee, P.O. Box 6330, Princeton, NJ 08541-6330.

Priyanka Agarwal (2000), Daniel Birt (2003), Leian Chen (2000), Stephen Chen (2002), Derek Choi (2001), Shinjita Das (2003), Mabel Feng (2002), Marcos Flores (2000), Patrick Goodwill (1998), Haley Hagg (2001), Robert Adam Horch (2001), Jason Keith (1999), Justin Kugler (1999), Anthony Leung (1996), Vivian Liang (1996), Andrew S. Liu (2003), Chieu Nguyen (2004), Christopher Own (1997), Priscilla Pang (2002), Anneke Post (1998), Alison Rogers (1998), Shaun Stewart (2001) Jason Tibbels (1996), and Emily Witten (1999) have received the Goldwater Scholarship.

The Morris K. Udall Scholarship in National Environmental Policy

The Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation was authorized by the United States Congress in 1992 to honor Congressman Morris K. Udall and his legacy of public service. For three decades, Congressman Udall served his country with distinction and honor. Congressman Udall has had a lasting impact on this Nation's environment, public lands, and natural resources and has instilled in this Nation's youth a love of these resources. Congressman Udall has also championed the rights of Native Americans and Alaska Natives and used his leadership in the Congress to strengthen tribal self-governance. The Udall Foundation pays tribute to the leadership and vision of Congressman Udall and establishes in his name programs to encourage the continued use, enjoyment, and exploration of our Nation's rich and bountiful natural resources; to develop resources to properly train Native Americans and Alaska Natives in the areas of health care and tribal public policy; and to develop resources to properly train professionals in environmental public policy.

Under the enabling legislation, the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation is authorized to award scholarships to undergraduate students who intend to pursue careers related to environmental public policy and to Native American and Alaska Native undergraduates who intend to pursue careers in health care and tribal public policy. Typical areas of study include environmental engineering, the natural sciences, natural resource management, the social sciences, and Native American public policy. It is anticipated that candidates' plans of study will include course work in ethics and public policy and/or public or community service experiences in the area of the candidates' career fields.

In awarding scholarships, the Foundation Board of Trustees will consider the student's field of study and career objectives and the extent to which that individual has the commitment and potential to make a significant contribution to his or her field.

Requirements: To be considered for nomination as a Udall Scholar, a student must:

• Be a matriculated sophomore or junior pursuing a degree at the time of nomination. "Sophomore" is defined as a student who plans two more years of full-time undergraduate study beginning the next academic year. "Junior" is defined as a student who plans one more year of full-time undergraduate study beginning the next academic year.
• Have a college grade-point average of at least "B" and be in the upper fourth of his or her class.
• Be a United States citizen or a permanent resident alien.

All candidates must be nominated by their college or university. The Foundation will not accept applications directly from candidates.

Amount of Grant: Each scholarship covers eligible expenses for tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum of $5000. Scholarship recipients are eligible for one year of scholarship support. Scholars selected during their sophomore year may be renominated during the next year's competition. Junior nominees may not be renominated.

Dates: The deadlines for submitting completed applications to the UNT Faculty Screening Committee is February 5. Dr. Duban will provide students with copies of the application materials.

Jeffrey Crow (1998) was a Morris Udall Summer Intern. Emily Witten (1999) was a Morris K. Udall Scholar.

Rotary Ambassadorial and Cultural Scholarships

The primary objective of these scholarships is to promote international understanding, as scholars are expected to serve as ambassadors of goodwill during the term of their scholarships.

Academic-Year Ambassadorial Scholarship. Candidates may be of any age as long as they have completed two years of university study or appropriate professional experience prior to the commencement of the scholarship. This award provides funding for transportation, tuition, fees, room and board and limited language training (as assigned by The Rotary Foundation) up to a specified financial limit for one academic year of full-time study in another country. The current value of the award is $26,000.

Cultural Scholarship. This scholarship may be either a three- or six-month award for intensive language training and cultural immersion in another country. Applications will be considered for candidates interested in studying Arabic, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili or Swedish.

Eligibility requirements for Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarships are the same as those for Academic-Year Ambassadorial Scholarship, with the additional requirement that candidates have at least one year of university level training or equivalent experience in their proposed language. This award provides tuition and fees, reasonable room and board (usually home stay accommodations) and the cost of round-trip transportation up to a designated limit.

Excerpted from the Rotary Foundation website.

When students win, their departure is delayed by a year. For example, a student who wins an Ambassadorial Scholarship in the spring of 2006 will not travel abroad in 2006-2007, but rather in 2007-2008. Students interested in this scholarship should contact Dr. James Duban (jduban@unt.edu).

Judy Anderson (1999), Michael Atkins (2002), Elizabeth Crafton (2001), Jared M. Crebs (2003), Chad Davidson (1999), Kelly Doley (2004), Laura Dominguez (2004), Audrey Easley (1999), Rachel E. Harris (2004), Rosie Hatch (2002), William Haywood (2001), Lynsay Houchen (2002), Laura Howe (2001), Jacqueline Keggins (2002), Patricia Lozoya (2002), Angela Lynch (1999), Katharine F. Park (2003), Tanya Schuessler (1998), Sandra Tyson (2003), Devon C. Wootten (2003), and Tamaki Yanagita (2002) are Rotary Scholars.

Named after Challenger astronaut Ronald E. McNair, the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program prepares UNT students who aspire to doctoral study. The UNT McNair program offers students opportunities to nurture their academic goals. To ensure success in the classroom and with themselves, students attend skill-building seminars that enhance their ability to achieve while helping them evaluate their own academic and personal profiles.

Selected students receive stipends to conduct research under the guidance of faculty mentors from the disciplines in which they hope to pursue graduate study. Upon concluding their fellowships, the students formally present their research to faculty and peers.

Requirements: Low-income, first generation college students are invited to submit an application to this program. Students are selected on the basis of their potential for pursuing doctoral studies. UNT sophomores, juniors, and seniors with a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or above may apply.

Students who wish to be considered should submit an application to the program. Interested students must provide the following information: (1) a completed application for the McNair program; (2) a current UNT transcript; (3) a list of academic and extracurricular honors, distinctions, and scholarships; (4) a list of memberships in academic organizations and participation in academic activities; (5) previous research experience, if any; (6) two letters of recommendation, one from a faculty member; (7) if known, the name and telephone number of a faculty member wanted as a potential mentor; (8) a three-hundred-word statement on why the applicant wants to participate in the McNair program.

Amount of grant: Research fellows receive $1,000 each fall and spring semester and $2,400 for an eleven-week summer research program. With assistance provided by the McNair program, fellows are invited to attend professional conferences with their mentors where they can meet distinguished scholars in their chosen fields.

Dates: Application is on-going. Contact Judy Morris, director, Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program, University of North Texas, P.O. Box 310888, Denton, Texas, 76203-0888; phone, (940) 565-2973. (Excerpted from "The Ronald E. McNair Baccalaureate Achievement Program.)


See the UNT McNair Program website for information about current McNair scholars at the University of North Texas.