Scholarships and Awards

The Department of History and Geography is pleased to be able to offer its students numerous undergraduate scholarships and awards funded by alumni, friends of the university, and foundations that share and support the goals of the Department, College, and UTA.

How do I apply?

Application is by faculty nomination or self-nomination. Applications and/or nominations will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year with a final annual deadline of February 1st. To apply for one or more of the scholarships below, send materials for forwarding to the awards committee to Dr. Paul Conrad at paul.conrad@uta.edu.

 

Faculty may also send nominations for forwarding to the awards committee to Dr. Paul Conrad

Contact

Paul Conrad

Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin (2011)

Associate Professor (2015) & Ph.D Advisor

Paul Conrad

Email: paul.conrad@uta.edu

Office: 322 University Hall

Areas: Native American History, North American West, History of Slavery

History and Geography

Department of History and Geography

the u t a logo

Email: history@uta.edu

Department Scholarships

$1,000

Open only to non-History majors

This competitive one-time award from the Department of History and Geography provides up to $1,000 to students who successfully complete a Minor in the History of Technology and Science (HoTS). Applicants must be non-History majors with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their History courses.

Prospective applicants should complete all HoTS Minor requirements no later than their next-to last semester of coursework at UTA to ensure that the full amount of the +History award is available to defray educational expenses during their last semester of study. (e.g. students expecting to graduate in the Spring semester should complete the HoTS Minor no later than the prior Fall).

(Note: Students who have been awarded a +History Prize are ineligible for the +History Fellowship)

Applications will include the submission of a short “impact statement” (est. 350-500 words) describing how a historically based understanding of STEM-related subjects has improved and/or enhanced their educational experience and preparation for professional life.

+History Fellowships are made possible thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors.

 

Contact your history advisor or email history@uta.edu for more information.

$500

Open only to undergraduate majors in the College of Engineering; College of Science; and College of Nursing and Health Innovation

This competitive one-time award from the Department of History and Geography provides up to $500 to students who successfully complete a Certificate in the History of Technology and Science (HoTS). Applicants must be undergraduate students pursuing a major in the College of Engineering, College of Science, or College of Nursing and Health Innovation with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their History courses.

Prospective applicants should complete all HoTS Certificate requirements no later than their next-to last semester of coursework at UTA to ensure that the full amount of the +History award is available to defray educational expenses during their last semester of study. (e.g. students expecting to graduate in the Spring semester should complete the HoTS Certificate no later than the previous Fall).

Applications will include the submission of a short “impact statement” (est. 350-500 words) describing how a historically based understanding of STEM-related subjects has improved and/or enhanced their educational experience and preparation for professional life.

+History Prizes are made possible thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors.

 

Contact your history advisor or email history@uta.edu for more information.

$3,000

This one-time award provides up to $3,000 to offset costs associated with intensive summer foreign language study or a study abroad experience. Applicants must be declared History majors who have achieved Sophomore or Junior standing and have completed a minimum of four (4) semesters of coursework in a single foreign language with a minimum GPA of 3.25 in History and 3.5 GPA in all language courses.

The department’s Foreign Language Acquisition Awards are made possible thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors and matching funds from UTA’s McDowell Center for Global Studies and Department of Modern Languages.

 

Contact your history advisor or email history@uta.edu for more information.

Chair's Excellence Scholarships

Freshmen $1,500 per year for four (4) years

Transfer $1000 per year for four (4) years

The Department of History and Geography’s most generous award, the Chair’s Excellence Scholarships, fund incoming Freshman and transfer students pursuing majors in History.

Freshman applicants must have a minimum 3.25 high school GPA. The scholarship renews automatically for up to four consecutive years provided that the recipient maintains status as a History major with a minimum 3.25 GPA in History courses and a minimum overall GPA of 3.0.

Transfer applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA in all college-level courses with a minimum 3.25 GPA in any History courses. The award renews automatically for up to four consecutive years provided that the recipient maintains status as a History major with a minimum 3.25 GPA in History courses and a minimum overall GPA of 3.0.

Applications for both awards consist of full transcripts and a short essay written in response to a provided prompt.

Chair’s Excellence Scholarships are made possible thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors.

 

Apply through ScholarShop or email history@uta.edu for more information.

Eligibility for FTIC: Recipient of UTA merit scholarship such as the Mavs Academic Scholarship, the Presidential Scholarship or other scholarships award on academic merit.

Eligibility for Transfer students: Recipient of UTA merit scholarship such as the Transfer scholarship or other scholarships awarded based on academic merit.

Amount: Variable, based on amount needed to pay full tuition and fees not covered by UTA-award merit scholarships, up to $7500 for four (4) years.

To Apply: Submit one letter of recommendation (by a previous instructor, if possible) and a personal statement. Applicant’s personal statement (500 words) should indicate why you’ve chosen to pursue a degree in history and what this scholarship would mean to you. It should be written by the applicant.

 

Apply through ScholarShop or email history@uta.edu for more information.

Eligibility: Any current UTA history major with financial need, or UTA History major enrolled within the last three years with financial need, who has 30 hours or less to complete the degree. Applicant must have a 3.25 GPA in history courses, minimum 3.0 GPA overall, and be Core Complete.

Award Amount: Variable, up to $6000 depending on tuition and fees; award may be used to pay previous semester’s balance. The award renews automatically for up to two consecutive semesters provided the recipient maintains status as a history major with a minimum of 3.25 GPA in courses.

To Apply: Email history@uta.edu with intent to apply and the name of a faculty member who has agreed to write a letter of recommendation. Attach a personal statement of about 500 words, explaining what a “Finish Strong” scholarship would mean to you. The personal statement should be written by the applicant.

Merit Awards

Maurice Lee Barksdale and C. Donald Babers are proud UTA alumni who have generously established an endowment to honor outstanding undergraduate students in the History and Geography Department. This endowment currently funds two (2) two-year scholarships for which recipients receive $1,000 each year. Applicants must have earned nine (9) upper-division credit hours in History with a GPA in History of at least 3.7. This GPA must be maintained for the scholarship to be renewed for the second year. Applications will include one or more letters of recommendation and a writing sample from a History course.

 

Contact Paul Conrad for more information.

This award is given to the best essay written during the previous calendar year by an undergraduate in a history course at UT-Arlington. Applications for this award will include the essay as well as a letter of support from the faculty member for whom the essay was written. Award amount varies, but in recent years has been at least $150.

 

Contact Paul Conrad for more information.

The Jenkins Garrett Award was established by the children of Jenkins Garrett to honor their father for his generous contributions of Greater Southwestern Studies archival materials to UTA Libraries' Special Collections Division. The annual award of $500 recognizes the best graduate student paper researched primarily in the Special Collections Division of the UTA Libraries. Application materials will include the essay and a letter of support from the professor of the course in which the essay was written.

 

Contact Paul Conrad for more information.

The Virginia Garrett Award in Cartographic History commends the vision and commitment of Mrs. Virginia Garrett in interpreting and preserving cartographic history. Each year the Garrett Endowed Chair in the History of Cartography, Dr. Imre Demhardt, selects the best undergraduate or graduate student research paper in cartographic history. The award consists of a $500 cash prize and recognition at the Virginia Garrett Lectures, or, in alternate years, at the fall meeting of the Texas Map Society. Self-nominations for this award will include the essay and a letter of support from the professor for whom it was written.

 

Contact Paul Conrad for more information.

Ms. Virginia M. Lepenski has generously supported an annual scholarship award of $1,000 to a full-time student majoring in History who demonstrates financial need. Requirements for this award include a FAFSA submission, junior standing, an overall GPA of 3.5, one or more letters of recommendation, and a personal statement of 500-1,000 words addressing the student’s decision to major in history and their career goals.

 

Contact Paul Conrad for more information.

The Joseph and Barbara Penshorn award recognizes exceptional students majoring in the academic field of History. This award is granted to a student who has demonstrated an outstanding track record of success within the major. Selection is based on GPA, credit hours, one or more letters of recommendation, and a sample of written work. The award amount in recent years has been $1,000.

 

Contact Paul Conrad for more information.

Established to commemorate the Department of History and Geography’s longest-serving faculty member, the Rodnitzky Prize in the History of Popular Culture is open to History students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels interested in pursuing projects that explore and interpret expressions of popular culture such as music, film, etc. The prize provides up to $500 to support research-related expenses and/or conference travel.

Prospective awardees should submit applications one full semester in advance of their expected date of need. Applications for prizes to be utilized during a Spring semester are due to the Department no later than October 15; applications for Fall semester prizes are due by March 15.

Requirements for this award include a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 with a minimum GPA of 3.5 in History courses. Applicants should include a narrative statement describing the nature of the proposed research project along with a letter of support from a sponsoring faculty member.

 

Contact Paul Conrad for more information.