Department of History
Graduate Fellowships and Awards

Each year, the Department of History grants several competitive fellowships and awards ranging from $500 to $10,000. Enrolled graduate students are expected to apply regularly for all awards as eligibility allows.

Paper Awards

• Annie White Mell American Independence Award: Awarded annually to a graduate for the best original research paper in the field of American colonial history.
• Colonial Dames Award: Awarded biennially (odd-numbered years) to a graduate for the best paper in colonial or early U.S. history.

Research/Writing Fellowships

Open to All Graduate Students

• Donna J. Bohanan Graduate Award: Awarded biennially (even-numbered years) to outstanding graduates, with preference given to those studying topics in European history.
• Edna Floyd Booth Award: Awarded annually to assist graduates with travel costs associated with thesis or dissertation research.
• Department Summer Fellowship: Awarded annually to 2 or 3 graduate students to defray the costs of research and/or writing (can only be held once).

Open to PhD Students Only

• Glenn Feldman Award: Awarded annually to an outstanding doctoral candidate to help with costs associated with dissertation research or writing (can only be held once).
• Milo B. Howard Research Award: Awarded annually to doctoral candidates to help with travel costs associated with dissertation research.
• Marguerite E. Scharnagel Fellowship: Awarded annually to an outstanding doctoral candidate in the final phase of dissertation writing.
• Forman Writing Fellowship: Awarded annually to 1-2 doctoral candidates; provides one semester of funding to complete their dissertation without additional department obligations.
• Graduate Instructional Fellowship (GIF): Awarded annually to 1 – 3 doctoral candidates; provides one or two semesters of funding (based on department need and funding) to complete the dissertation while teaching one section of a survey course per semester.  

Application Process

Applications are due to the Director of Graduate Studies (ekmclean@auburn.edu) and Jenny Bynum (bynumje@auburn.edu) by March 1, and decisions are announced by the end of the month. Successful applicants will have funds dispersed to their bursar’s account at the end of the spring semester (sometime in late April or May).

Applications should include:

• Letter of application that describes the applicant’s project and its significance, the intended use of the award (and names the specific awards for which they are applying), and projected outcomes from the award period
• CV
• A letter of recommendation from a primary advisor
• A budget for the award period (in applications for research support)
• Statement of teaching philosophy (in applications for the GIF)

The selection committee will evaluate applications based on a holistic assessment of the following criteria:

• Seniority
• Financial need (as outlined in budget)
• Demonstrated record of efforts to obtain additional funding in and/or outside the department (success is not required)
• Merits and feasibility of project plan

At the end of each award period, recipients must submit a brief report on their accomplishments and have it signed by their primary advisor. Failure to complete this report will negatively impact future funding applications.