The Kalamazoo College Office of the Provost administers privately funded grants to support faculty-led student research. See below for a description and eligibility information for each award. There is a common application form and materials for these awards, described and linked below.
The Wes and Lyle Bouwhuis Memorial Student Research Fund
Purpose
This generous endowment is intended to support Kalamazoo College faculty-mentored student research and creative activity during, but not restricted to, the summer. The award can provide student stipends, materials, and essential project-related travel to students engaged in research or creative activity under the mentorship or supervision of a Kalamazoo College faculty member in any department or program.
Eligibility
The award is open to any currently enrolled student at Kalamazoo College who is participating in faculty-mentored or supervised research or creative activity.
Cook-Lahti Award for Undergraduate Research or Creative Activity
Purpose
This generous grant is intended to support faculty-mentored or supervised student research and creative activity during, but not restricted to, the summer. The award can provide student stipends, materials, and essential project-related travel to students engaged in research or creative activity under the mentorship or supervision of a Kalamazoo College faculty member in any department or program.
Eligibility
The award is open to currently enrolled students at Kalamazoo College participating in faculty-mentored or supervised research or creative activity. Priority will be given to students with documented financial need.
Environmental Stewardship Grant
Purpose
This endowed grant, funded through the Larry J. Bell ‘80 Environmental Stewardship Center is intended to support mentored summer projects conducted by Kalamazoo College students. The award can provide student stipends, materials, and essential project-related travel to students engaged in research or creative activity under the mentorship or supervision of a Kalamazoo College faculty or staff member in any department or program. Proposals for projects that advance the goals of the Environmental Stewardship Center and the Kalamazoo College Climate Action Plan are preferred but any proposal related to sustainable practices on campus will be considered. Campus initiatives could include, but are not limited to: habitat restoration, invasive species control, native pollinator conservation, behavioral changes to promote sustainability or conservation, communication (written or visual) about climate change, composting, waste reduction, recycling and the energy-use monitoring/reduction of buildings. For more information, please visit: https://envirostewardship.kzoo.edu/summer-internships/environmental-stewardship-fellowships/
Eligibility
The award is open to any currently enrolled student at Kalamazoo College who is participating in faculty (or staff) – mentored or supervised research or creative project.
The J. Ward and Mary Greiner Fund
This one is unique, with its required multi-person, interdisciplinary approach.
Purpose
This endowed fund is intended to support interdisciplinary studies at Kalamazoo College. The donors seek to promote faculty-mentored or supervised student research or creative activity that involves multiple participants across at least two disciplines. The award can provide student stipends, materials, and essential project-related travel to students engaged in research or creative activity under the mentorship or supervision of Kalamazoo College faculty members in any department or program.
Eligibility
The award is open to any team of currently enrolled students at Kalamazoo College who are participating in faculty-mentored or supervised research or creative activity. The application must be submitted by a group of at least two students representing at least two academic departments or programs at the College. The application must be endorsed by at least two faculty members from at least two academic departments or programs at the College.
- A group of at least two students representing at least two academic departments or programs at the College
- Project and application must be endorsed by at least two faculty members from at least two academic departments or programs at the College
The Hearst Foundations Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Purpose
This grant funds mentored summer research projects conducted by Kalamazoo College students. The award can provide student stipends, materials, and essential project-related travel to students engaged in research or creative activity that is mentored by either a Kalamazoo College faculty member or a professional in their field of interest. Up to 10, $5000 stipends are available each year, with the goal to make awards to a variety of academic disciplines.
Eligibility
The award is open to currently enrolled students at Kalamazoo College participating in mentored research or creative activity. Priority will be given to students working on their SIP, but all students who are currently enrolled at time of application, and who will be enrolled the fall term following the summer their project is funded are eligible to apply.
The Hough Foundation SIP Grant
Purpose
This generous grant is intended to support an innovative and imaginative Senior Integrated Project in the natural sciences, mathematics or computer science, or modern and classical languages. It is funded by the Hough Foundation, whose mission includes the encouragement of lifelong success, and the promotion of positive contributions to society. Applicants are encouraged to follow their passion, largely unconstrained by budget.
Eligibility
The award is open to any rising senior (regardless of actual major) intending to carry out a SIP in the Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Computer Science or any department in the Modern or Classical Languages division. Grant recipients must agree to deliver a public presentation of their work in a special campus-wide forum during the winter or spring term of their senior year.
Interdisciplinary Fund for Complex Systems Studies
Purpose
This generous grant is intended to support interdisciplinary studies and complex systems research. This could include funding student research projects related to complex systems across multiple disciplines, enabling interdisciplinary study abroad opportunities centered on complex systems, and supporting student immersive capstone projects (SIPs, etc.)
Eligibility
The award is open to any Kalamazoo College student intending to carry out an interdisciplinary learning experience or research relating to complex systems. Grant recipients will be selected with input from relevant faculty in physics, computer science, psychology, or other departments doing work with complex systems.
Kamber and Griffith Student Research Fellowship
Purpose
This fellowship is intended to support female students participating in undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) research under the supervision of a faculty or research mentor at Kalamazoo College or other academic or research institution. The earnings on this endowment will support: travel funds, materials and equipment, and stipends.
Eligibility
The award is open to any Kalamazoo College student who identifies as female intending to carry out STEM research at Kalamazoo College or other academic or research institution. While the fellowship is open to all female students, applications from first generation college students are highly encouraged.
Seminary Hill Sustainability Grant
Purpose
This generous grant is intended to support a student internship within the sustainability field – preferably focusing on sustainable agriculture or sustainable architecture. The grant is named after the Seminary Hill Orchard & Cidery in the Catskills (NY) which is a Passive House-certified, orchard-driven cidery. The grant provides up to a $5000 stipend for an unpaid internship each year.
Eligibility
The award is open to any currently enrolled student at Kalamazoo College who has an unpaid internship that is aligned with the purpose of the grant.
Undergraduate Project Grant
Purpose
This project grant is an opportunity for Kalamazoo College students to create and try out their own ideas, or expand on an existing project or internship. The goal is to give students experience articulating an idea, writing a grant proposal and budget, managing their own project, and assessing the outcomes. While it is not required to be conducted in conjunction with a faculty member, we encourage you to get feedback from a faculty or other research mentor. This can be a standalone endeavor, or an independent component of an existing summer project or internship.
Eligibility
- Must be a currently enrolled Kalamazoo College student at the time of application. Priority is given to first-year and sophomore students.
- Project must take place in its entirety during the summer.
- Awards range from $250 – $1000.
- Can be a standalone project, or an additional independent component of another project or internship.
Virupannavar Family Merging Rivers Fund for Hindu Faith & Cultural Studies
Purpose
This generous grant is intended to support student projects related to Hindu faith and/or cultural studies. These might include, but are not limited to, Integrative Cultural Research Projects (ICRP) during study abroad, Senior Integrated Projects (SIP), social justice initiatives, internships and externships, and various student opportunities in a variety of departments.
Eligibility
Must be a currently enrolled Kalamazoo College student conducting a project related to Hindu faith and/or cultural studies.
Application Deadline
The application is due by 11:59pm on the Sunday at the start of Week 5 of Spring Term. References have until 11:59pm on the Sunday at the start of Week 6 of Spring Term to submit their reference form on your behalf. The grant recipient will be notified on Friday of Week 7 of Spring Term.
Required Application Components
The following application components are required. You should carefully review the information page for the program(s) to which you are applying in order to understand the specific priorities and interests of the funder and adapt your application materials accordingly.
Project Proposal
- Format
- Respond thoroughly to a series of short answer questions covering the following topics:
- Outline the project
- Include outcomes and student learning goals
- Demonstrate how the project connects to your educational and career goals
- Explain how the project connects to your field of study
- Describe the nature of the collaboration with your faculty mentor (and the other student participants, if applying for Greiner award)
- For Hough Grant Applicants
- Demonstrate the ways in which the project is innovative and imaginative (Hough Foundation applicants)
- For Environmental Stewardship and Seminary Hill Sustainability Grant Applicants
- Write a brief personal statement of 150-250 words about your commitment to environmental stewardship practices and your understanding of how the work described in your proposal addresses the goals of the Kalamazoo College Climate Action Plan or sustainable campus practices in general.
- Respond thoroughly to a series of short answer questions covering the following topics:
Budget
The majority of our institutional grants award a maximum of $5000.
Fill out the budget worksheet thoroughly and thoughtfully. Make sure to clearly explain how each item relates to the success of your project, and how you determined the amount needed for each line item. Please keep in mind that your budget needs may not be fully covered due to fund limitations, but it is important to ask for what you really need, and to have a full understanding of the investment needed to achieve your project goals.
Here are the budget categories to address:
- Stipend (covers lodging and food costs)
- Equipment
- Supplies
- Travel
- Conference Registration
- Training Fees
- Books
- Printing
- Miscellaneous
Resume
Your resume should focus on your experiences and accomplishments throughout your college career. Prior to uploading it into your application, you should use the ResumeAI service offered by the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) to get your resume into great shape. We also recommend that you utilize the CCPD resources at the Career Studio or set up an individual appointment via Handshake. This exercise will serve you well for the grant application and all other positions you seek in the future.
Recommendations
Two recommendations are required (the Hough Grant allows up to three). Please note that, rather than a separate letter, your reference will be sent a link to a form to complete after you submit your application.
- One reference must be from the faculty/staff mentor affiliated with your project that describes the nature and extent of the collaboration, as well as addressing your qualifications to complete the project.
- One reference must be from an individual other than the faculty/staff mentor. It should be from someone who can speak to your abilities as a scholar and can attest to key skills (disciplinary, project management, language skills, etc) that will allow you to successfully complete the proposed project
