Undergraduate Scholarships

Applications are now available for many scholarships that are awarded in late spring for the 2012-13 academic year. Deadlines vary. Applications can be submitted in hard copy or electronically. See below for details. Don't delay!

For questions about scholarships, click here.

Helpful advice for students from the 2009 Scholarship Workshop.
Take me to a story about the 2011 Scholarship Awards Ceremony.

SBS Competitive Scholarships (application required)
Ansin Study Abroad Fellowships | Scott J. Bacherman Fund
Bluestein Memorial Scholarship
Connor Internship Award
LeBovidge Undergraduate Research Scholarship
Merriam Internship Scholarship
Power Up for College Success Scholarship
SBS Dean's Opportunity Scholarship | SBS Internship Award
SBS Spring Study Abroad Scholarship
Sutton Scholarship | Wikander Scholarship

Other SBS Scholarships
Class of 1945 Merit Scholarship | Der Hagopian Scholarship | HOPE Scholarship
West End House Scholarship

Be sure to check with your department for other available scholarships.
The Center for Family Research also offers awards for graduate and undergraduate students. Click here for more information.

Ansin Study Abroad Fellowships

The Ansin Study Abroad Fellowship has helped SBS students travel to places like China, Korea, Spain, France, Australia, England, Italy, Senegal, Denmark, Scotland, Puerto Rico and more.

Ronald Ansin and his family established the Ansin Study Abroad Fellowship in 1999. Mr. Ansin is the father of two UMass Amherst alumni, Ken '87 and Bob '96, who were both political science majors. This award helps undergraduates to live and study overseas. Since its inception, the Ansin Study Abroad Fellowship has provided scholarships to more than 200 individuals.

Eligibility: All College of Social and Behavior Sciences majors who plan to study abroad are eligible to receive a fellowship to help offset some expenses. Applicants must be participating in programs approved by the UMass International Programs Office.

Selection: Based on financial need and/or academic excellence, a committee chooses recipients in the spring semester for study abroad programs during the following summer, fall or for yearlong programs. Approximately 20 fellowships ranging from $500 - $2,000 are given annually.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, April 12, 2012.
The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to the Ansin family upon return from the study abroad program and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

Recent Ansin Fellowship recipients
Mello Barros ’12 (political science/accounting)
Claire Bronchuk '12 (political science/business management
Abel Ortiz '11 (anthropology/Spanish)
Steven Jango-Cohen '11 (communication/ Spanish)
Jonathan Johanntoberns-Tabb '11 (political science and history)
Jessica Aither '11 (anthropology)
Sara Mitra Afzal ’09 (journalism)
Karl Salomon '08 (economics and legal studies)
Kathryn Huston '08 (journalism and political science)
Tarra Louis-Charles '08 (legal studies)
Lauren Spinney '09 (STPEC)
Daniel Torres '07 (political science and economics)
Elnara Eynullayeva ’07 (economics and Japanese language and literature)
Stephanie Feuer-Beck ’06 (psychology and elementary education)
Dan Maltzman '07 (legal studies and political science)
Lily Pfannebecker '07 (political science and legal studies)
Mike Sances ’06 (political science)
Tessa Simonds '08 (STPEC)

Scott J. Bacherman Fund

The Bacherman awards were established in memory of Scott J. Bacherman ’76 to help UMass Amherst undergraduates interested in the fields of journalism, broadcasting, electronic media, entertainment/music industry, or affiliated fields to develop the necessary skills, experiences, and networking opportunities to enter their chosen field. Scott J. Bacherman ’76 served as Program Director of WMUA from 1973 to 1975. He instituted 24-hour operation of the station with paid management staff beginning in the summer of 1975. Scott founded Greenfield-based WPOE in 1976 and went on to a career as manager and owner of numerous commercial radio stations. Before his death in August 2002, he was Regional Executive Vice President of Clear Channel Communications, acting as chief operating executive of 34 radio stations in New England and Virginia in addition to the KQS Network in Boston.

Bacherman SCHOLARSHIP: One award of up to $5,000 towards educational costs at UMass Amherst.
Eligibility: The successful applicant will:

Be a freshman, sophomore or junior with a declared major in Journalism, Communication, or BDIC with a Journalism or Communication concentration;
Have a career focus in journalism, broadcasting, electronic media, entertainment/music industry, or affiliated fields;
Be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5; and
Have demonstrated financial need, as determined by the UMass Amherst Financial Aid Office. Preference will be given to residents of Massachusetts.

Selection: For each award, selection is based on financial need, academic merit and strength of completed application.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, April 12, 2012.
The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to the donors of the Bacherman Fund and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

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Bacherman INTERNSHIP: One award up to $3,000 to support a student internship in the field of broadcasting, media convergence or affiliated fields.

Eligibility: The successful applicant will:

Provide documentation of an unpaid summer or fall internship in journalism, broadcasting, electronic media, entertainment/music industry, or affiliated fields;
Be in good academic standing; and
Have demonstrated financial need, as determined by the UMass Amherst Financial Aid Office. Preference will be given to students who are involved in WMUA, WFCR, UVC-TV/19, The Daily Collegian and other campus media and entertainment organizations are encouraged to apply.

Selection: Selection is based on financial need, academic merit and strength of completed application.

Recent Bacherman recipients.
Michael Counos '13
John Brady Hamilton '11
William McGuinness '10
Vanuza Laveaux '09
Marisa Kanof '06

William M. Bluestein Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established by the late alumnus William M. Bluestein '78 to provide awards to undergraduate students with demonstrated interest in economics, technology or public policy. Bill also earned his MA and PhD in economics from UMass Amherst. At the time of his unexpected death in 2001, he was president and chief operating officer of Forrester Research, Inc. Known for his intelligence, humor, professional achievement and love of family, Bill was a tremendous advocate for UMass Amherst. He was the first in his family to attend college, which inspired his interest in working with and directly assisting students.

Eligibility: Students must have a demonstrated academic and/or career interest in economics, technology or public policy. Preference will be given to students who are first in their families to attend college who have demonstrated financial need, particularly those from middle-income families who qualify for financial aid, but not for free sources of funding.

Selection: One award of up to $2,000 will be made. Based on the completion of the application a College of Social and Behavioral Sciences committee chooses a recipient in the spring semester.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, March 15, 2012.
The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to the donors of the Bluestein Fund and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

Recent Bluestein Scholarship recipients.
Steven Jango-Cohen '11 (communication/ Spanish)
Elizabeth Paice ’09
John McLoughlin '07

Connor Internship Award

Paula Connor Meyer ’86 (communication) established this scholarship in honor of her father, who did not have the opportunity to attend college. The award provides financial support to undergraduate students who are taking advantage of work experiences in professional settings, through semester-long or summer internships.

Eligibility: Candidates must be in good academic standing and with at least 45 credits. Preference will be given to communication majors with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and who take unpaid internships that closely fit their professional interests. Applicants for the Connor Internship must submit an essay and a completed application form, along with proof of their internship opportunity. Applicants may choose to provide a statement of financial need.

Selection: Subject to the availability of funds, two awards of up to $1,800 will be made. A College of Social and Behavioral Sciences committee reviews all completed applications and chooses recipients in the spring semester.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, April 12, 2012.
The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to the donors of the Connor Internship Award and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

Recent Connor Internship Award recipients:
Amir Moini '11 (communication)
Allison Edles '07 (journalism and English)

Alan L. and Carol S. LeBovidge Undergraduate Research Scholarship

This scholarship was established by Alan LeBovidge ’64 (economics) and his wife Carol to provide undergraduates the opportunity to do meaningful research with a UMass Amherst faculty member in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Recipients receive a stipend to support up to 10 hours per week during one semester of substantive research assistance on a collaborative research project.

Eligibility: Students must be nominated by the SBS faculty member for whom they will be providing research assistance. Faculty may nominate only one student per year.

Selection: Five awards of up to $2,000 will be made. A review committee from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences will select recipients in the spring semester. Selection criteria are as follows:

Academic merit
Faculty recommendation
Quality of proposal, including an adequate description of the research plan
Preference will be given to applications that show genuine collaboration between the student applicant and the sponsoring faculty member.
Fit of research project with student’s academic and future goals
The degree to which the project provides the student with clear opportunities for research involvement and development of professional experience

Deadline to apply: Thursday, April 12, 2012.
The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to Mr. and Mrs. LeBovidge and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

Stories about recent LeBovidge Scholarship recipients:
Jessica Aither '11 (anthropology)
Sean Donovan ’11 (social thought and political economy)
Helena Taye '10 (political science)
Stephanie DeFranzo ’10 (sociology)
Caitlin Divver ’09 (sociology)

Merriam Internship Scholarship

Dwight Merriam’68 (sociology) established this award to honor the memory of his aunt Oreana Merriam, who taught for many years in the Home Economics Department at UMass Amherst. He also acknowledges his sisters, Deborah Merriam ’71 (education) and Dorothy Merriam ’86, MS ’00 (nursing), who benefited from their UMass educations.

The award provides financial support to undergraduates who have an interest in public policy, law, ecological conservation, and/or real estate development for summer or semester-long unpaid internships. In addition, the Merriam Internship Award will strive to establish a mentoring relationship between recipients and Mr. Merriam. Through this advisor/student dialogue, Mr. Merriam will offer his experience and vast network of contacts, giving students a significant competitive advantage upon graduation.

Eligibility: Preference will be given to students of junior standing who are taking an unpaid internship and have financial need as determined by the UMass Amherst Financial Aid Office. Candidates must be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Evidence of internship placement is required.

Selection: Two awards of up to $2,000 will be made during the spring 2011 semester to support students taking summer or fall semester internships. The SBS scholarship committee will review applications and make selections based on the criteria detailed above.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, April 12, 2012. The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to Mr. Merriam and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

Click here for a profile about Dwight Merriam '68, who created the Merriam Internship Scholarship.

Recent Merriam Internship Scholarship recipients
Laura Molyneaux '12 (economics)
Jessica Arthur '11
Rod Motamedi '08

Power Up for College Success Scholarship

The Power Up Scholarship for first-year students was created and is supported by contributions from alumni of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Read more about the Power Up for Success Program.

Eligibility: Students must demonstrate financial need as determined by the UMass Amherst Office of Financial Aid. Applicants must be incoming first- year students who are registered for the Power Up for Success Program and have demonstrated financial need. Preference is given to students with declared majors in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Selection: Based on completion of the application, which includes a one-page essay, a scholarship committee will select the recipients. Approximately ten awards will be made, covering the cost of the Power Up for College Success program, including textbook and rooming fees.

Applications will be posted during the summer.

Social and Behavioral Sciences Dean's Opportunity Scholarship

The SBS Dean’s Opportunity Fund was created and is supported by contributions from alumni of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Eligibility: Students must be juniors with declared majors in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Candidates must also have a 3.5 GPA or above and 45 residential credits. Qualified students automatically receive notification of eligibility early in February. If you believe you are eligible, but did not receive an email invitation, please contact Jackie Brousseau-Pereira at scholarships@sbs.umass.edu.

Selection: A College of Social and Behavioral Sciences committee reviews all completed applications, including the one-page essays, and chooses recipients in the spring semester. Typically, twelve awards of $1,000 each are made each year.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, March 15, 2012. The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to the donors of the SBS Dean’s Opportunity Fund and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

Stories about recent SBS Opportunity Scholarship recipients.
Mello Barros '12 (political science/accounting)
Jonathan Johanntoberns-Tabb '11 (political science and history)
White-Sullivan, Conor '10 (anthropology)
Tradd, Alex '09 (psychology)
Aaron Manier '08 (psychology)
Kara Cunningham '08 (anthropology and journalism)
Kathryn Huston '08 (journalism and political science)
Ronit Krieger '08 (psychology)
Rod Motamedi '08 (economics)
Gregory Callanan '07 (economics and marketing)
Alina Catrinou '07 (psychology and biology)

Social and Behavioral Sciences Internship Award

The Social and Behavioral Sciences Internship Award was created and is supported by contributions from alumni of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Eligibility: Candidates must be in good academic standing with at least 45 credits. Preference will be given to students with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and who plan to complete unpaid internships during the summer or fall that closely fit their professional interests. Evidence of internship placement is required.

Selection: Approximately 5 awards of up to $2,000 will be made. A College of Social and Behavioral Sciences committee reviews all completed applications and chooses recipients in the spring semester.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, April 12, 2012. The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to the donors of the SBS Internship Award and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

Stories about recent SBS Internship recipients:
Emily White '12 (sociology)

Social and Behavioral Sciences Spring Study Abroad Scholarship

This scholarship opportunity is made available through generous donations from alumni of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, in particular, Jeffrey Katz ’69 (economics) and Thomas Whitford ’77 (psychology).

Eligibility: Any student with a major in the Social and Behavior Sciences majors who plans to study abroad during the spring 2011 semester is eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Selection: Based on financial need and/or academic excellence, a committee chooses recipients in
the fall semester for travel abroad in the spring. Approximately twenty scholarships will be given this
academic year with an average award of $1,500.

Applications for this scholarship will be posted in the fall.
The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to the donors of the SBS Study Abroad Scholarship.

Read a story about the 2012 SBS Spring Study Abroad Scholarship recipients.
Read a story about Jeffrey Katz '69 whose generous donations have helped make this scholarship possible.

Sutton Scholarship

This scholarship was established by Matthew Sutton ’86 (political science) and honors his parents, the late Gordon Sutton, former University of Massachusetts Amherst Professor of Sociology, and alumna Dolores (Dee) Sutton ’78 (environmental design).

This scholarship provides financial support to undergraduate students who are attending the University after overcoming personal and/or financial hardship.

Eligibility: Preference is given to students in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and demonstrated financial need, determined by the UMass Amherst Financial Aid Office.

Selection: One award of up to $2,000 will be made. A selection committee reviews completed applications and chooses a recipient in the spring semester. This scholarship may be renewed.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, March 15, 2012. The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter to Mr. Sutton and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

Recent Sutton Scholarship recipients.
Katrina R. Cessna '08 (political science and BDIC)
Elettra Pauletto '07 (psychology and French)

Lawrence and Anna Wikander Scholarship

The Lawrence and Anna Wikander Fund was created by Dean Richard Wikander ’84 MA, ’91 PhD (anthropology) in honor of his parents. This fund provides scholarship support to a student who has chosen to earn a General Educational Development (GED) credential rather than a traditional high school diploma.

Eligibility: Students who are enrolled full- or part-time at UMass Amherst, have demonstrated financial need (as determined by the Office of Financial Aid), and are in good academic standing. Although preference will be given to candidates whose majors are the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, students from the College of Humanities and Fine Arts and the College of Natural Sciences are also eligible. The award is non-renewable.

Selection: One award of approximately $1,000 will be made. A scholarship review committee reviews completed applications and chooses a recipient in the spring semester.

Deadline to apply: Thursday, March 15, 2012. The recipients of this award will be expected to write a thank-you letter Dean Wikander and attend the scholarship reception on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Click here for pdf application. Click here for .doc application.

Click here for story about Richard Wikander, who created the scholarship.

Recent Wikander Scholarship recipients.
Amanda Lincoln '09 (biochemistry and animal science)

Class of 1945 Merit Scholarship

To qualify, students who are SBS majors must have Junior status with a 3.5 GPA or above, and 45 residential credits. Students who complete the SBS Opportunity Scholarship application (above) will be considered for this scholarship by a College of Social and Behavioral Sciences committee in the spring semester.

David J. Der Hagopian Scholarship

Provides a scholarship award of up to $10,000 per year for four years to one incoming full-time freshman who is a resident of Florida. The Scholarship will be renewed to the student for up to seven semesters.

Criteria: The award is based on merit and need. The recipient must remain in good academic standing with a GPA of at least 3.0 to be eligible for renewable each semester. The recipient must demonstrate financial need and be eligible for University financial aid.

Click here for story about David Der Hagopian, who created the scholarship.

Recent Der Hagopian Scholarship recipients.
Stephanie Wamboldt '07 (legal studies)

HOPE Scholarship

Established to provide scholarship support to graduates of Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School who plan to attend the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The recipient should exhibit financial need, but also have leadership qualities and a desire to achieve.

Criteria: Student should exhibit financial need, possess leadership qualities and the desire to achieve. These qualities will be determined by representatives of Dennis-Yarmouth High School.

Click here for story about Tim Barabe '75, who created the scholarship.

Political science major Pantos Yantsides ’08, a recipient of the Hope Scholarship, wrote to Mr. Barabe, "I wish to express my sincerest and heartfelt gratitude for the support that your grant has made in my life. I cannot articulate how your financial aid has benefited me."

The West End House Scholarship

Established by Henry Barr '68 (government), the West End House Scholarship provides financial aid to students who have participated in the West End House Boys & Girls Club who are attending UMass Amherst. Directors and Counselors of the West End House will nominate incoming students who they believe to be positive representations of the Club. Partially based on financial need. Students will not need to fill out an application.

Criteria: Must have participated in West End House Boys & Girls Club, final nominations made by Club Directors.