Apply
We invite students to apply for our scholarships on the UMass Amherst scholarship system, AcademicWorks, umass.academicworks.com. The AcademicWorks system provides a brief description of our awards, instructions to apply, and application deadlines. When logging in to the system for the first time, students will be asked to complete the general application. Once the general application has been submitted, the system presents a list of scholarship opportunities from across campus, including those history department scholarships for which the student is minimally qualified and for which they may apply. Notifications about awards, including those for which students have been nominated, are sent to the student’s university email account, and posted to their AcademicWorks dashboard.
About the awards
RICHARD W. BAUER SCHOLARSHIP
The Richard Bauer Scholarship is awarded annually to recognize a student majoring in history with exceptional academic achievement in that subject. Exceptional academic achievement includes but is not restricted to course grades and GPA. Funding for this scholarship varies annually.
To be considered, a 3.5 GPA minimum in history is required. Applicants need to provide a résumé, the name and email address of one member of the history department who has agreed to provide a reference and a short essay of no more than two pages on why they are a strong fit for the award. These materials should be submitted with the Richard W. Bauer Scholarship application which can be found on the UMass Amherst scholarship system, AcademicWorks.
NICHOLAS CARR BERGSTEIN SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship commemorates the life of Nicholas Carr Bergstein, a UMass student who planned on becoming a high school history teacher but sadly passed away in 2015. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student majoring in history with preference given to someone planning a career in teaching. Special consideration is given to students who are enrolled in the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) at UMass. Candidates interested in pursuing careers in higher education may also be considered along with students involved with mentoring, tutoring, or those considered commendable teaching assistants. Nicholas Carr Bergstein was very active in the LGBTQ community and a remarkable young man who was committed to inclusion regardless of sexual orientation, race, sex, or any other defining factors. The scholarship committee takes into consideration students who have shown a demonstrated commitment to diversity and tolerance either through volunteer work, academics, or a combination of other endeavors.
Annual funding for this scholarship varies. To be considered, students need to provide a résumé, the name and email address of one member of the History Department who has agreed to provide a reference and a short essay of no more than two pages on why they are a strong fit for the award. These materials should be submitted with the Nicholas Carr Bergstein Scholarship application which can be found on the UMass Amherst scholarship system, AcademicWorks.
PAUL GIGUERE SCHOLARSHIP
This award, which was established to honor the memory of Paul E. Giguere, provides scholarship support to undergraduates majoring in History. Students who wish to apply must: be enrolled full-time and have completed a minimum of one semester at UMass Amherst (a student having status as a second-semester first-year or higher may apply); have a minimum GPA of 2.75, and demonstrate financial need as determined by the University's Financial Aid Services office. Preference will be given to students who have served or who are currently serving in the military, who show an interest in pursuing a career in teaching or writing, or are previous recipients of this scholarship.
Funding for Paul Giguere Scholarship varies annually. However, recipients can usually expect an award amount of approximately $1,500. To be considered, students need to provide a résumé, the name and email address of one member of the history department who has agreed to provide a reference and a short (no more than 1 page) essay on why they believe they are a strong fit for the scholarship. These materials should be submitted with Paul Giguere Scholarship application which can be found on the UMass Amherst scholarship system, AcademicWorks.
LOUIS S. GREENBAUM HISTORY WRITING PRIZE
Professor of history and scholar Louis S. Greenbaum began his teaching career at UMass Amherst in 1955. A specialist in 17th- and 18th-century European history as well as in the history of the Church, Public Health and Medicine, and European Historiography, Professor Greenbaum inspired, challenged, and guided hundreds of aspiring students of history and faculty alike until his retirement in 1992. That same year the Louis Greenbaum Writing Contest was established by his colleagues in honor of Professor Greenbaum and in recognition of his tireless dedication to and remarkable talent for the teaching of writing. The prize recognizes outstanding papers written for history courses. All topics are eligible, and essays by majors and non-majors may be entered. There are two divisions: a class-essay division for papers of eight to 12 pages, and a term-paper division for longer research papers.
Papers are nominated by faculty, but students who believe that their work is particularly strong are encouraged to ask their instructors if their papers might qualify. Nominations are normally due by the end of March each year. Students may check for nominations on their AcademicWorks dashboard and will be notified by email when they are chosen to receive the award.
LOUIS GREENBAUM HISTORY HONORS RESEARCH AWARD
This award honors the life and work of Louis S. Greenbaum, professor of history at UMass Amherst from 1955–1992. Professor Greenbaum specialized in 17th- and 18th-century Europe, Church history, and the history of public health and medicine in France. The award supports rising seniors enrolled as majors in the Department of History who are writing an honors thesis. The award may be used for expenses such as, but not limited to, travel to a research collection, the acquisition of research material by the university libraries or expenses related to conducting and transcribing oral history interviews.
To be considered for this award, students need to provide a one-page single-spaced proposal related to their honors thesis and a detailed budget. The proposal should describe the activity that they wish to fund in the upcoming academic year and how it will advance their scholarly or academic aims. Proposals are accepted in the spring and occasionally in the fall. Application materials should be submitted with the Greenbaum History Honors Research Award application which can be found on the UMass Amherst scholarship system, AcademicWorks.
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY SUMMER INTERNSHIP AWARD
This award is funded by the history department to assist outstanding majors who are pursuing summer internships. All applications from History majors undertaking summer internships with appropriate organizations are welcome, but preference is given to students with unpaid internships. A strong academic record and some indication that the internship will include pre-professional training (e.g., preparation of a tangible product, acquisition of a new marketable skill, etc.) are positives for applications.
To be considered, students need to provide a transcript showing courses taken and grades received through the immediately preceding semester, the name and email address of the person who has agreed to serve as a reference, and a letter of interest that describes the internship in as much detail as possible (hours, days, duration, etc.) including what the student expects to produce or learn and how the internship relates to their study of history and career aspirations. These materials should be submitted by this year’s deadline with the Department of History Summer Internship Award application found on the UMass Amherst scholarship system, AcademicWorks.
DAVID H. MAC DONNELL SCHOLARSHIP
The scholarship fund was established by David H. MacDonnell to support and encourage students studying history. It is awarded to a rising junior history major with preference given to a student specializing in Irish or British history. The scholarship may also be awarded to a history major focusing on American history, especially one with an interest in British or Irish connections. A 3.0 GPA minimum is required. The MacDonnell Scholarship may be renewed for senior year if the recipient maintains their GPA.
Although funding for the scholarships varies on an annual basis, awards have been approximately $900 in the past. To be considered, students need to supply the name and email address of one member of the History Department who has agreed to provide a reference and a short (no more than one-page) essay on why they believe they are a strong fit for the scholarship. These materials should be submitted by this year’s deadline with the application for the David H. MacDonnell Scholarship found on the UMass Amherst scholarship system, AcademicWorks.
HISTORY DEPARTMENT OPPORTUNITY AWARD
Established by Professor Emeritus Ron Story, this award is given to history majors who have made a particularly outstanding contribution to the History Department’s undergraduate program. Students are nominated by faculty.
Nominations are normally due each year by the end of March. Students may check for nominations on their AcademicWorks dashboard and will be notified by email when they are chosen to receive the award.
UMASS OXFORD SUMMER SEMINAR SCHOLARSHIPS
Every year the history department and the Frederic Gilbert Bauer Endowment fund several scholarships to students accepted to the UMass Oxford Summer Seminar at Oxford University. Students applying to the Oxford Summer Seminar are automatically considered for the scholarship. Since the Oxford program has a rolling admissions policy, the history department will give scholarship priority to seminar applications that are submitted early. For more information about the Oxford program, visit the Oxford Summer Seminar website. Although funding for the scholarships varies on an annual basis, awards have been approximately $1,500 in the past.
Students may check for nominations on their AcademicWorks dashboard and will be notified by email when they are chosen to receive the award.
POTASH TRAVEL GRANT FOR LATIN AMERICA, SPAIN, OR PORTUGAL
The Potash Travel Grant is awarded each spring by the history department to a student who plans to engage in research or pursue a course of study at an established university in Spain, Portugal, or a Latin American country. Applicants must be in good standing and enrolled as an undergraduate in the Certificate Program in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies and have a working knowledge of the appropriate language as defined by the Certificate Program regulations. The award will go to the student with the best travel and research proposal. Although funding for the Potash grant varies annually, applicants can usually expect an award of $3,000.
To be considered, students need to submit a research proposal of no more than four pages, a transcript showing courses taken and grades received through the immediately preceding semester, the name and email address of the faculty member who has agreed to serve as a reference, and evidence of a working knowledge of Spanish or Portuguese. Proof of language proficiency may be demonstrated by presenting a letter from a member of the Spanish and Portuguese Department or by a transcript showing completion of the necessary coursework as defined by the Certificate Program in Latin American Studies. These materials should be submitted by this year’s deadline with Potash Travel Grant application found on the UMass Amherst scholarship system, AcademicWorks.
JAMES AND CYNTHIA REDMAN SCHOLARSHIP
The James and Cynthia Redman Scholarship honors the life of James O. Redman, father of Professor Sam Redman. Jim Redman attended the University of Minnesota, where he graduated with a BA in history, becoming most interested in modern European and American history. Redman later attended law school and enjoyed a successful career as an attorney in Minnesota. This scholarship honors his legacy by helping to defray costs, purchase books, and generally support the work of undergraduate history majors at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Preference is given to first-generation college students, students aspiring to teach history at any level, or military veterans.
Awards are made annually in the spring and the size of the award will vary however recipients can expect an amount of approximately $500. To be considered, students need to provide a résumé, a short (no more than one-page) essay on why they believe they are a strong fit for the scholarship, and a letter of reference from one faculty member of the history department. These materials should submitted by this year’s deadline with the Redman Scholarship application found on the UMass Amherst scholarship system, AcademicWorks.
SIMON & SATENIG ERMONIAN SCHOLARS
Krikor Ermonian, who graduated from UMass Amherst’s School of Engineering (Class of 1952), has a profound interest in history, and he established this award in honor of his parents. A faculty committee selects the Ermonian Scholars, who must be juniors or above, based on academic performance in history courses, overall GPA, the number of honors courses completed, and the level of courses taken within the history program.
Nominations are normally due each year by the end of March. Students may check for nominations on their AcademicWorks dashboard and will be notified by email when they are chosen to receive the award.
ROBERT H. MCNEAL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship is named after the late Professor Robert McNeal, a former colleague who served as chair of the history department in the early 1970s. It is awarded annually to the graduating senior History major(s) with the highest overall GPA after having taken at least 100 graded credits at the university.
Nominations are normally due each year by the end of March. Students may check for nominations on their AcademicWorks dashboard and will be notified by email when they are chosen to receive the award.
HAROLD W. CARY PRIZE
The prize is named after Professor Harold W. Cary and is awarded annually to the graduating senior history major(s) with the highest GPA in History courses.
Nominations are normally due each year by the end of March. Students may check for nominations on their AcademicWorks dashboard and will be notified by email when they have been chosen to receive the award.
HOWARD H. QUINT PRIZE
This award honors Howard Quint, a former chair of the history department, who played a key role in the establishment of the university’s honors program, now Commonwealth Honors College. Students from all majors are eligible to compete for this prize; seniors are judged on the basis of writing nominated by their professors.
For more information about the Howard H. Quint Prize, please visit the Commonwealth Honors College website.