Awards & Grants

College of Liberal Arts Student Research Fund

The College of Liberal Arts Student Research Fund supports the research of students enrolled in CLA degree programs.  The Fund supports research projects that grow out of the Liberal Arts curriculum:  these projects may include, but are not limited to, Master’s theses, senior projects, senior theses, or independent studies conducted in any CLA department.  Funded projects must have a faculty sponsor.

Students may use these grants ($500 maximum) to cover the expense of, for example, materials, software, postage, copying, and travel.  Grant money may not be used for tuition, secretarial assistance, entertainment, or for compensating each and every participant in a study.

Students may apply for support to present research at academic or professional conferences but these proposals will be given less priority than proposals for conducting original research.

A project need not be limited to a single academicyear; however, grant money must be spent before the end of the fiscal year on June 30. When the project is completed, applicants must submit a  copy of  the research to the Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.

How to Apply for a Small Grant for Independent Student Research

First, talk it over with a sponsor

You must discuss your research idea with a faculty member who agrees to serve as sponsor. Working closely with your sponsor, determine:

• the problem to be explored
• the objectives of the project
• the activities to be undertaken
• a budget

Then, write the proposal

Your proposal should be brief—no more than 1000 words, or four double-spaced pages—yet informatively specific and rigorously organized.  The proposal must include five sections:  Problem, Objectives, Activities, Budget, and Contact Information.

1. Problem:  Describe the problem you wish to explore, or the question to which you seek an answer.
2. Objectives:  Describe the anticipated outcomes of your project (“To learn …” “To discover…”  “To create …”).  If appropriate, describe the social and/or scholarly benefits of the project.
3. Procedures:  Describe what you will do to complete the project.  Be sure to aim this description toward generally educated readers who will not be familiar with your professional jargon. At the same time you should thoroughly describe your methods so it is clear how you will be able to answer the problem described in Section 1.  Include a timeline with estimated date of completion.
4. Budget:  Itemize the costs of completing your project.  All items requested in the budget should be accounted for in your Procedures.  Please remember that grants are limited to $500.
5. Contact Information:  Please include your e-mail address.

Finally

Every proposal must be signed by the applicant, the faculty sponsor, and the Chair of the sponsor’s department.  Submit your application to the Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.

Deadlines For Submission of Proposals

October 1 for the funding of projects that will be undertaken in the Fall or Winter Quarters;

January 15 for the funding of projects that will be undertaken in the Winter or Spring Quarters;

April 1 for the funding of projects that will be undertaken in the Spring or Summer Quarters.

COLA Student Travel Fund

Award applications are due each October 7 and April 15, to assist (up to $250) travel abroad (i.e.:  outside the US), for “educational purposes” broadly construed. Students may apply to the Fund for support of travel outside the United States in pursuit of educational goals, for example participation in a study abroad program or other academic project. You need not be enrolled in formal coursework or a program of travel, but if this is part of your proposal, you must include proof of acceptance into the program at the time of application.  Note the degree of your language preparation, if applicable.

All applications should include:

• A brief description of the travel, its purpose and its value to the student’s educational or professional enrichment.
• The duration of the period to be spent abroad.
• A brief budget itemizing expenses.
• The signature of the student’s adviser and department chair.

Submit applications to M. Ann Howard, Sr. Associate Dean (mahgsh@rit.edu)

The Ruth M. and Brackett H. Clark Scholarship

The Clark Scholarship supports internships and co-ops for students enrolled in the degree programs of the College of Liberal Arts. It is intended to assist students who wish to accept professionally valuable internships and co-ops that do not include sufficient levels of support. Awards shall be based on academic merit or financial need, at the discretion of the award committee, and though the Scholarship is available to both men and women, preference shall be given to women enrolled in the programs of the College.

The College of Liberal Arts awards Clark Scholarships each spring to Liberal Arts degree program students planning to go on a co-op or internship during the next four quarters (i.e.: summer, fall, winter and spring). Normally the Clark Scholarship will provide partial support for the internship or co-op.

For a copy of the application form click here.

COLA Alumni and Friends Scholarship

The Alumni & Friends Endowed Scholarship supports students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership abilities in the College or RIT, are enrolled full time in a Liberal Arts undergraduate degree program, and are in good academic standing.  Eligible students must have a GPA of at least 3.0 in their degree program.  The Scholarship rewards students who have exercised leadership in improving the life of the RIT community.

The deadline for applications is the first Friday in April.

The Alumni & Friends Endowed Scholarship is administered by a committee appointed by the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.  Applications must include the following:

• A letter of support from the Chair of the student's programattesting to his or her good academic standing.
• Either a letter from a faculty member who can speak to the student's performance in a particular course or a letter from a member of the RIT community who has observed the student's work in a leadership capacity.
• A short essay of 250-500 words.  In this essay the student should describe a specific event or activity in which she or he took a leadership role, explain that role, and discuss the benefit to the College or RIT community.

Examples of leadership include but are not limited to:  serving as an officer in an active club or student organization, organizing an important event, or making a significant contribution to the College or RIT community independently of any particular club or organization.

Students should ask that their letters of support be sent directly to the address below.

Submit completed applications to:

M. Ann Howard
Sr. Associate Dean
RIT College of Liberal Arts
mahgsh@rit.edu

Miller Fellowship Recipients

The Miller Research Fellowship Committee invites project proposals from tenured and tenure-track faculty in the College of Liberal Arts for the Paul and Francena Miller Research Fellowship. Established to assist faculty in the social sciences and humanities in the pursuit of their scholarly and professional projects, the fellowship supports Liberal Arts faculty in their significant contribution to the larger academic and professional discourse of their discipline or disciplines by the publication or public presentation of their own scholarly or professional work.

Past Recipients: