The Kalamazoo College Office of the Provost administers four 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.

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 SIP 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. One grant will be awarded in the spring of 2022 for a 2022-2023 SIP project.

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.

Undergraduate Project Grant

Purpose

This project grant, started for the summer of 2023, 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.

Application Deadline

The application is due on Friday of Week 4 of Spring Term. References have until Friday of Week 5 of Spring Term to submit their letters 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.

Applicant Statement

• Format
  • 2 pages in length (exception is Greiner application, which allows up to 3 pages)
  • 11 or 12 point font size, Times New Roman or Arial font
  • 1 inch margins
  • Will need to be uploaded as a PDF file
• Address 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)
  • Demonstrate the ways in which the project is innovative and imaginative (Hough Foundation applicants)

Budget

Fill out the budget worksheet thoroughly and thoughtfully. Make sure to clearly explain how each item relates to the success of your project. 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.

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 VMock service offered by the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) to get your resume into the “green zone.” 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.

Recommendation Letters

Two letters of recommendation are required (the Hough Grant allows up to three).

• One letter must be from the faculty 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 letter must be from an individual other than the faculty 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