University Distinguished Professors Excellence in Doctoral Studies Award

This award recognizes exceptional achievement in doctoral studies. Applicants must demonstrate excellence in scholarship through publications and other accomplishments appropriate for his or her academic field. Students from any discipline who meet eligibility requirements may apply. Students may nominate themselves. K-State faculty may also submit nominations. The University Distinguished Professors Graduate Student Award is intended for students with an outstanding record of scholarship and may not be awarded every year.

2024-2025 Award Information

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered for this award:

  • Enrolled in the fall 2024 semester, must not graduate prior to fall 2024

Application

Application deadline: May 1, 2024

The application may be submitted directly by students or by K-State faculty by completing the online application form (access below).The application form will be avialable January 16, 2024.

The following items must be uploaded in the application form as PDF documents. Please include the applicant's name and description of the document in the file name (e.g., WillieWildcatMPLetter).

  • Applicant's curriculum vita
  • Letter from applicant's major professor that summarizes the student’s qualifications, highlights exceptional achievements, describes student’s potential as a researcher/scholar, and indicates why the student deserves the award. The major professor’s letter should indicate status of any publication(s) being sequestered due to pending patent application.
  • Letter from another faculty member who is familiar with the student's research. The letter should summarize the student’s qualifications, highlight exceptional achievements, describe student’s potential as a researcher/scholar, and indicate why the student deserves the award.
Submit an application

Selection of Recipients

The recipient(s) will be selected by an interdisciplinary committee of graduate faculty and a member of the University Distinguished Professors group. The funds will be awarded without restriction to race, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, or disability.

Use of Awards

Funds may be used for dissertation research or travel, planning postdoctoral moves, or other expenses. Funds from this award are not to serve as a replacement for a GRA/GTA stipend, but are to be used to support the recipient’s dissertation, e.g. costs associated with doing research off-campus or at another institution.