Graduate Fellowship Awards

The Society of Indiana Pioneers annually provides Graduate Fellowship Awards to support research in pioneer Indiana history leading to a master’s thesis or a doctoral dissertation.

Two graduate fellowships are awarded annually: $2,000 to support research for a master’s thesis and $3,000 for doctoral dissertation research in the pioneer period of Indiana history, defined as before 1850.

The Society of Indiana Pioneers is pleased to support research at the graduate level in the pioneer period of Indiana history; such research helps the Society to carry out its mission.

Deadline

The deadline for application is April 15th of each year.

Eligibility

Only students at graduate institutions in Indiana are eligible for these fellowships. The applicant must be working on research for their master’s thesis or performing their doctoral research in the field of Indiana pioneer history prior to 1850.

Selection

The Fellowship committee will notify recipients of the fellowship awards promptly after deadline for applications, following the review process.

Requirements

Fill out the Graduate Fellowship Award cover sheet.
Send a description of your master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation (not longer than two single-spaced pages)
A resume or curriculum vitae of not more than three pages.
Three letters of recommendation from people familiar with your work. One of the recommendations must be from the professor directing your research and the department chair. Applicants are responsible for contacting all persons providing recommendations.

Expectations

Research supported by the fellowship should be done between summer following the April deadline and summer following the November award.
The fellowship recipient must submit a one-page description of the specific research supported by the fellowship to the Society at the end of the fellowship period (this may be included in the Society’s annual Yearbook as information for the membership.)
A copy of the final master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation should be deposited with the Society for their archives.
Fellowship recipients are expected to attend the annual meeting of the Society of Indiana Pioneers in Indianapolis in November to present briefly about their Indiana pioneer research project.

How to apply

Please complete the Graduate Fellowship Award cover page form and mail it with the materials described above to:

Graduate Fellowship Committee
The Society of Indiana Pioneers
140 N Senate Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2207

Download the Graduate Fellowship Award cover sheet