Stuart R. Givens Memorial Fellowship

The Stuart R. Givens Memorial Fellowship recognizes resourcefulness, imagination, and significant ability among Bowling Green State University undergraduate students by supporting self-designed off-campus experiences. 

Learn more about the purpose of this fellowship.

Inspired by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Burch Fellows Program, the Stuart R. Givens Memorial Fellowship was initiated by friends of Dr. Givens to honor his passion for student learning. The fellowship supports self-designed off-campus experiences that will enable BGSU undergraduate students to pursue a passionate interest in a manner not otherwise possible through an academic program, regular summer job, enrichment program, or organized study abroad program.

To remain true to the spirit of the Givens Fellowship, students will be encouraged to think broadly in shaping their projects; that is, to look beyond activities that relate to their field of academic study. It is expected that the experience will make a demonstrable difference in their lives and help them grow both personally and intellectually. Up to three Givens Fellows will be chosen annually. Each will receive a cash grant of up to $7,500 to support the projects they have developed.

Please note: Fellowship funds are considered taxable income under federal regulations and a 1099 tax form will be issued at the end of the year.

Eligibility

The program is open to all full-time undergraduate students at BGSU, regardless of major or grade point average.

To be eligible, a student

  • Must have completed at least two semesters at BGSU before their fellowship experience and must expect to return to BGSU for at least two semesters prior to graduation.
  • Shall submit a proposal, budget, and risk management assessment by the published deadline. Additional recommended materials to submit by the deadline: Letter(s) of support that include details regarding the feasibility of the project from individuals who can speak to the proposal and applicant. Examples of these documents can be found on the Previous Recipients page.
  • Is expected to make a formal presentation on their fellowship experience in a public forum. The format and venue of the presentation will be recommended by the fund administrator.

If selected for the fellowship, students whose proposals involve international travel must attend an Education Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation conducted by the BGSU Office of International Programs and Partnerships. Additionally, a liability waiver and other documents may be necessary for the topic and scope of the project. 

Applicants who propose the same project for both the Givens Fellowship and the Hoskins Global Scholar Program cannot receive both awards, if selected.

Timeline

  • Online Application goes live: January 6, 2025
  • Workshop for Students in early February - check back for exact date and time
  • Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
  • Interviews: mid- to late March
  • Announcement of the 2025 Givens Memorial Fellowship recipient(s): early to mid-April

Updated: 11/19/2024 11:46AM