Student funding
Student funding

Undergraduate Awards and Scholarships

Award recipients

Vanetta Aaron Undergraduate Student Paper Competition in Race, Class, or Gender

Undergraduate majors in sociology are invited to submit papers on the topic of race, class, or gender to the annual paper competition. The student with the best paper, as selected by the sociology undergraduate committee members, will be awarded $100 and their name will be added to a commemorative plaque.

This competition is to encourage students and the department of sociology to honor the memory of Vanetta Aaron, M.A. (1970 – 1995). As an instructor in nationality and race relations, Vanetta Aaron committed herself to expanding the critical thinking of her students on these topics. Vanetta's own research focused on African American women and their family roles. Papers are encouraged from undergraduates who have written on any topic that addresses race, class or gender issues pertinent to sociology. Papers are typically due in the Fall semester.

Alan P. Bates Outstanding Undergraduate Award

Sociology majors who will graduate in the spring semester or who graduated in the previous fall semester are invited to apply for this award. Dr. Bates served as a professor and chair of this department from 1949 to 1978. In addition to having his or her name added to an honorary plaque in the sociology department, the winner will receive an award of $1,000. Applications are typically due in the fall semester.

To be considered for this award, students must fulfill the following criteria:

  • A 3.0 or better GPA in all courses and a 3.0 or better GPA in Sociology
  • A copy of a transcript or senior check
  • A cover letter describing your past or potential contributions to the community and/or the campus (Undergraduate Sociological Association) and how it is related to the "sociological imagination"
  • A vita or résumé summarizing your academic and work activities
  • An example of your creative activity in sociology (senior thesis, photo essay, term paper)

Alice Lou Crank Undergraduate Scholarship in Sociology

Freshman and sophomore majors in sociology are invited to apply for the Alice Lou Crank Undergraduate Scholarship in Sociology. This scholarship provides funds to a sociology major with fewer than 60 completed credit hours.

To be considered for this scholarship, students must submit the following materials:

  • A copy of your transcript, which shows that you have completed fewer than 60 credit hours
  • Documentation of overall GPA
  • A personal statement that discusses why you chose to major in sociology and what you hope to do with your degree

Alice Frost Howard Memorial Scholarship

The Alice Frost Howard Memorial Scholarship of $250 is awarded to an outstanding undergraduate student at Nebraska. Qualified students must be sociology majors and in their sophomore or junior year at the university.

Application materials are to include a one- to two-page statement of interest in the discipline and be accompanied by a writing example from a course in sociology (term paper, project, etc.). Applications are typically due in the fall semester. Please include a current address in your letter of application for notification purposes.

Ed A. Munoz Latina/o Sociology Excellence Award

The Ed A. Munoz Latina/o Sociology Excellence Award is awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student who demonstrates a focus on Latina/o culture or ethnicity through scholarly work or research. The award is to be used to attend the American Sociological Association annual meeting. Award recipients will also receive membership to an American Sociological Association's Latina/o Sociology section.

University Nebraska-Lincoln Opportunities Scholarship in Sociology

This scholarship is awarded to sociology majors at any stage (first-year, sophomores, juniors, seniors). To be eligible, students must have participated in the Nebraska College Preparatory Academy and be enrolled at Nebraska full-time in Fall 2020. Scholarship funds will be applied to that semester/academic year. Academic performance and progress at the university will be considered in the selection process.

Graduate Student Awards

Cheryl Applegate Teaching Award

An annual award established to recognize graduate students who display exceptional quality in teaching and working with undergraduate students. The intent is to encourage students to perform top quality work in teaching, instructional development, and working with undergraduates. The award is named in honor of Cheryl Applegate, an ABD graduate student who died of cancer before completing her Ph.D. work. Cheryl described herself as a Black-woman activist, a teacher, and social change maker.

Nicholas Babchuk Endowment for Excellence in Research by Sociology Graduate Students

Dr. Babchuk was a faculty member of the sociology department from 1959 to 1987. This award is used to support graduate student research in sociology, a priority to Dr. Babchuk throughout his distinguished career. Annual awards are made to support the research activities of an outstanding graduate student in sociology.

Alice Frost Howard Graduate Student Research Fellowship

Alice Frost Howard was the first woman to graduate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Class of 1876. The Alice Frost Howard Award is an annual award to outstanding female graduate students in sociology.

BOSR Summer Applied Experience

This is a 10-week (15 hours per week) summer position with the Bureau of Sociological Research (BOSR) which provides students the opportunity to gain research experience while working on data collection projects and all aspects of study design.

Joyce O. Hertzler Sociology Research Award

Joyce O. Hertzler was on the faculty of the sociology department from 1923 to 1961. This award provides graduate students and/or assistant professors in sociology support for scholarship activities.

Dan Hoyt Graduate Student Publication Award

Dr. Hoyt, current sociology faculty member, former chair, and alum, created this award to recognize the best high-impact peer-reviewed journal publication by a sociology graduate student.

David C. & Marilyn S. Moore University of Nebraska-Lincoln Graduate Student Quantitative Research Award

This award was created by Nebraska sociology alum, Dr. David Moore. Recipients will use the award to assist with expenses related to quantitative research methods training, most especially the ICPSR summer program, or quantitative research projects.

Sociology TA Professional Development Award

This award was created by retired Sociology faculty member and chair, Dr. Helen Moore, Emerita Aaron Douglass Professor of Teaching Excellence. It was established to recognize any doctoral student making good progress toward the degree and who has developed a course portfolio or scholarly manuscript that investigates student learning. Preference is given to sociology students teaching courses cross-listed with ethnic studies or women and gender Studies or with a focus on inequality.

Ed A. Munoz Latina/o Sociology Excellence Award

Ed A. Munoz is a department of sociology alumni, receiving his Ph.D. in 1995. Recipients must be either an undergraduate or graduate student who demonstrates a focus on Latina/o culture or ethnicity through scholarly work or research. The award is to be used to fund research, cover travel expenses associated with research activities, and/or attendance or participation in a conference. 

J.J & Eleanor S. Ogle Fellowship

This fellowship award is specifically designed to support outstanding graduate students. Recipient(s) of this award will able to focus solely on their own research or dissertation/thesis work.

James M. Reinhardt Graduate Student Research Fellowship

This fellowship is designed specifically to support graduate student research in the areas of criminology or delinquency.

Fernando I. Rivera Sociology Research Award

An award, created by Nebraska sociology alum, designed to support a sociology graduate student engaging in research in the area of sociology of health/medical sociology the opportunity to present at a national conference.

Scott C. Whiteford Graduate Student Support Award

Dr. Scott C. Whiteford, department of sociology alum, received his M.A in 2000 and his Ph.D. in 2004. This award was created by Dr. Whiteford to support sociology graduate students. Candidates should have an accumulative grade point average of 3.0 with preference being given to those who have demonstrated financial need.

Department of Sociology Research Award

An annual award established to recognize exceptional quality in research papers written in graduate courses. The intent is to encourage students to perform top-quality work on course papers, and for the department to recognize those papers that have exceptional potential to lead to publication.

Department of Sociology Teaching Award

An annual award established to recognize evidence of superior teaching as a teaching assistant (TA), recitation instructor, and/or primary instructor of a sociology class.