The Department of Geography raised funds in 2019 in commemoration of the department’s 75th anniversary to provide financial support to outstanding undergraduate students seeking professionalization as geographers through experiential learning beyond the classroom. Undergraduate Enrichment Awards are intended to provide financial support to undergraduates engaging in geographic research or pursuing internships in for which funding is essential to be able to effectuate that work. Some examples of enrichment activities might include professional internships, which may be unpaid or do not qualify for GEO 399 academic credit, independent research or research in support of a geography professor or a geography doctoral student. The awards will help undergraduate students enhance their skills to be more competitive for graduate programs or professional employment after completion of their undergraduate degree.

Eligibility:

Students who meet the following criteria will be eligible for the award:

• Are full-time University of Kentucky undergraduate students, with a declared major or minor offered in the Department of Geography
• Have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Have completed at least 60 hours toward the bachelors’ degree, and at least 12 hours in geography at the University of Kentucky

Possible awards of $400-$600 are available in accordance with the scope of the proposed activity. Applicants are eligible for the award once during their tenure at UK. Funding is only for the undergraduate student. Faculty and graduate student mentors cannot receive these funds.

Application:

Students who wish to request support from the awards must submit a 300-500 word description of the proposed activity (see below for criteria) and a scope of work (beginning date, ending date and weekly schedule to completion) to the Dr. Liang Liang and Dr. Tony Stallins. Students who request support must discuss how the proposed activity serves to enhance their undergraduate education. A departmental committee will review applications on a rolling basis.

Meaningful research work requiring sustained effort can be supported. Please estimate the number of hours per week and estimated start and stop date of the proposal research activity. Describe the skills that will be learned and developed, as well as any questions that are guiding the research. If this is research for/with faculty and graduate students, please describe the supervision.

Internships can also be supported. In your proposal, please describe the skills that will be learned and developed. GEO 399 is the Geography Department course for students working 10 hours or more per week in an internship for at least 14 weeks or a total of 140 hours. If students wish to be considered for internship credit with their funding, please note this in the proposal. 

Students who receive an award will need to write a brief (200-300 words) report about their award that may potentially be displayed on the Department of Geography and College of Arts and Sciences websites.

Questions and applications for Undergraduate Enrichment Awards may be submitted to the Dr. Liang Liang and Dr. Tony Stallins.