Established in honor of the Department’s 75th Anniversary

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. UEA 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. UEA will help undergraduate students enhance their skills to be more competitive for graduate programs and/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 in Geography, Mapping & GIS, or Urban Studies.
• Have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, or petition by the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).
• Have completed at least 60 hours toward the Bachelors’ degree, and at least 12 hours in Geography at the University of Kentucky, or petition by the DUS.

Limits:

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/or graduate student mentors cannot receive these funds.

Application:

Students who wish to request support from the UEA 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 DUS. Students who request support for UEA must discuss how the proposed activity serves to enhance their undergraduate education and professionalization in geography. The UGC will review applications on a rolling basis.

Criteria for proposed activities:

• Meaningful research work of at least 40 hours will be supported. 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.

• Internship of at least 40 hours will be supported. Describe the skills that will be learned and developed. (If students are receiving GEO399 credit, they will need to discuss this proposal with the faculty member directing GEO399. GEO399 requires more hours.)

Publicity:

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

Contact:

Questions and applications for Undergraduate Enrichment Awards may be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies.