The College of

Arts and Sciences

Scholarships

Scholarship application announcements will be circulated by email to undergraduate majors each semester.

• Arrington Family Scholarships
  Undergraduate history majors who combine academic strength with demonstrable financial need should apply. GPAs of less than 3.5 will be considered.
• Berlin B. Chapman Endowed Scholarship
  Awards will be given to full-time undergraduate or graduate students working toward a degree in history at OSU. Preference will be given to applicants whose main focus of study is Oklahoma History (funding available fall only). 
• Gabriel Endowed Scholarship
  Applicants must be history majors and show evidence of financial need, exhibit strong leadership ability and good character, and demonstrate high academic achievement.
• History Department Advanced Degree Fellowship
  Applicants must be Oklahoma high school graduates and senior undergraduate history majors at Oklahoma State University applying for admission to the OSU History graduate program. To qualify for this award, provide a draft of your statement of intent with your application. The award is contingent upon admission to and enrollment in the OSU History Department Master’s Degree program.
• History Department Undergraduate Research Paper Awards Funded by the History Scholarship Fund
  The award will recognize the best papers in any area of history written for a history course taken at OSU by a history major during the spring, summer, or fall semesters. The papers submitted for the competition will be judged according to the following criteria: 1) Originality. Each paper should develop a clear thesis and should not be simply descriptive. 2) Research. Each paper should utilize both primary and secondary sources and should include documentation and a bibliography. 3) Writing and Style. Each paper should be well-written, thoroughly proofread and conform stylistically to the Chicago Manual of Style.
• Homer L. Knight Outstanding Senior Award
  The Head of the History department and two members of the faculty will select a senior history major, who has demonstrated exceptional achievements in scholarship, honors, awards, leadership, and/or service.
• John and Cindy Dobson Endowed Scholarship
  Applicants must be history majors, show evidence of financial need and demonstrate high academic achievement. This award requires a letter of recommendation from a faculty member. Remember, our History faculty are not just willing, but thrilled to support students. Ask a familiar instructor to send a letter of support to the Chair of the Scholarship Committee. If you are applying for more than one award, notify your recommender. To ensure their letter arrives on time, reach out to your recommender within five days of your application submission. Faculty letters are due by Monday, February 17.
• Outstanding Junior History Major
  Applicants must be graduates from an Oklahoma high school and have completed at least 59 hours with a 3.5 GPA or better overall and at least a 3.75 in history courses.
• Outstanding Sophomore History Major
  Applicants must be a graduate of an Oklahoma high school and have completed at least 27 hours with a 3.5 GPA or better overall and a 3.75 or better in history courses. They should plan to teach American History in some fashion during their professional careers. This may include at the post-secondary level. If qualified applicants are not found, faculty may nominate a student.
• Ted L. Agnew Memorial Scholarship
  Undergraduate history majors, especially those who will be juniors and seniors in the fall, who have shown their excellence in recent achievements will be preferred.
• Thomas M. Steele Research Scholarship/History Scholars Program
  To ensure a good experience in the Thomas M. Steele Research Scholarship/History Scholars Program, students are encouraged to apply to research within themes run by department faculty or our campus and community partners. In 2025, this program will be conducted through the Stillwater History Museum at the Sheerar. Below, indicate your interest in one of the following themes by providing the corresponding letter, telling the semester you would like to participate, and describing how your participation will advance your professional and personal goals.” (Alternatively, you may describe a theme that you would like to explore. In this case, explain how this internship will advance your professional and personal goals, tell the semester you would like to participate, and identify the names of two potential supervisors.

   

  This award requires a letter of recommendation from an OSU faculty member. Ask a familiar instructor to send a letter of support to the Chair of the Scholarship Committee (Dr. Brandy Thomas Wells). If you are considering asking History faculty, know that these instructors are willing and thrilled to support students. To ensure this letter arrives on time, contact your recommender within five days of your application submission. Faculty letters are due by Monday, February 17.
  
  The following Sheerar projects would include organizing the collection, digitizing it, and developing a display/mini exhibit to showcase the research.
  1. The evolution of recipes and food practices in Stillwater and Payne County from the 19th century to the present. Topics may include, but are not limited to, the relationship between food and gender roles, family dynamics, and cultural traditions.
  2. Oklahoma's Black communities in Stillwater and surrounding areas during the 19th and early 20th centuries focused on the resilience and contributions of Black Americans despite the challenges of segregation and racial discrimination. Topics may include the establishment of Black-owned businesses and churches,
  Washington Schools, and the possible impact of Klan activities on the community.
  3. Studio photography in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the late 18th and mid to late-19th centuries. Research topics include biographical studies of the photographers Helt and Cunningham, the identities and stories of the individuals depicted, photographic practices and aesthetics of the era, and themes such as weddings, family, and gender dynamics.   
• Townsend Memorial Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Paper
  The paper submitted must deal with any aspect of American History prior to 1914, utilize both primary and secondary sources and follow the Chicago Manual of Style. It must have been written by a history major for a history course taken at OSU during the spring, summer, or fall Semesters. Applicants must intend to teach American History in some fashion during their professional careers. This may include at the post-secondary level.
• Townsend/Minnie DeWitt Minority Scholarship
  It is the purpose of this scholarship to recognize achievement by minority students in the study of history at Oklahoma State University. Applicants who plan to teach American History in some fashion during their professional careers are preferred. This may include at the post-secondary level.