College of Arts and Sciences | CAS Search | CAS-ITGeography - Geology

Awards and Scholarships

The Department awards several scholarships and academic prizes to our majors each year in order to recognize/reward exceptional studentship.  Among these are:

Eunice Blackburn Geography Capstone Scholarship

Established:  1989

Qualifications:

  1. Must be a senior Geography major having completed at least 90 semester hours.
  2. Must have demonstrated substantial academic achievement both in the major and overall
  3. Financial need will be a consideration
  4. Must pursue either student teaching or professional practice.  If the student fails to take either experience, the award funds will revert to the Endowment.

Stipend amount depends upon interest earned by the scholarship fund.  No award will be less than $250.00

Harry O. Lathrop Memorial Award

Established:  1954 

Qualifications:

  1. G.P.A. minimum of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
  2. 48 semester hours at ISU, including spring semester of current academic year
  3. Junior-Senior standing
  4. Extracurricular activities:
    • Involvement in the Geography or the Geology Club
    • Attendance of field trips
    • Attendance of professional meetings and/or field conferences
    • Presentation of student research at professional meetings
    • Publications

Stipend amount depends upon interest earned by the scholarship fund.  Historically the amount is about $300.00.

George R. Means Geography Scholarship

Established 1994

Qualifications:

  1. Must be enrolled at Illinois State University
  2. Must have a 1st or 2nd major in Geography
  3. Must be a Sophomore, Junior or Senior
  4. Must have a minimum 2.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale 

A minimum of $5,000.00 in scholarship funding will be available per year. The Scholarship Committee will determine the number of scholarships awarded per year.  A student may receive this scholarship for up to three years.

Margaret Means Endowment Stipend

Established 1994

Qualifications:

  1. Must be enrolled at Illinois State University
  2. Must have a 1st or 2nd major in Geography
  3. Must have a minimum 2.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale
  4. Must be involved in any of the following:
    • Practice Teaching
    • Unpaid Internship
    • Off campus travel and formal study

Candidates must show strong promise for a career in teaching or service to humankind: must have potential to become a positive influence in society, and must be of high character. 

Awards will be up to $2,000.00 depending on activity and circumstances. The Scholarship Committee will determine the number of scholarships awarded per year. 

Arthur W. Watterson Undergraduate Award

Established 1966/modified 2002

Qualifications:

  1. Quality of Admissions essay
  2. ACT score, class rank

$250 stipend awarded to at least two students.

Charlena Wallen Scholarship

Established 2003

Qualifications:

  1. Academic scholarship including but not limited to: GPA, class rank, and ACT score.
  2. Available monies will be evenly split between the two programs
  3. Preference will be given to incoming freshmen, but all admitted students are eligible.
  4. Candidates that have been awarded Presidential, Provost’s, Dean’s, or Minority Scholarships are not eligible.
  5. The scholarship recipients will be selected whenever the admissions deadline is that year.
  6. If the award is declined, the Awards Committee will select another candidate.

The aim of this scholarship is to attract the top candidates admitted to the Geography and Geology programs to attend Illinois State University.   $250 stipend awarded to at least two students.

Illinois Geographical Society Outstanding Senior

Established in Twentieth Century

Restricted to one student per four-year college/university

 Qualifications: 

  1. Overall grade point and Geography grade point at least 3.5/4.0.
  2. Evidence of special academic achievement (e.g., individual research project, senior thesis, honors paper, assistance with faculty research, paper presented at Illinois Geographical Society meeting).
  3. Evidence of contribution to department or discipline (e.g., lab assistant, discussion section leader, committee member, leader in Geography Club or Gamma Theta Upsilon, holding a Geography-related job, securing a Geography-related internship, special presentations to or research for the local community).

Aim of award is to honor the top Geography senior at each four-year institution in Illinois.  A stipend of $100 goes to each recipient plus free registration and banquet ticket at the annual meeting of the Society.