The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
Chapter 143
National/Local Scholarships and Awards 

National                

Will you be entering graduate or professional school in the fall of 2009?  If so, you may be eligible to apply for next year's PKP Graduate Fellowship.  The Graduate Fellowship Program reflects Phi Kappa Phi's ongoing commitment to academic excellence in higher education.  Established in 1929, the program annually provides 60 Fellowships of $5,000 each and 40 Awards of Excellence of $2,000 each, on a competitive basis, to students for first-year graduate study.  Every chapter has the opportunity to submit one nominee, and each person nominated receives an Active for Life membership in the Society.  The Graduate Fellowship Program has become one of the largest and most respected scholarship programs in the country. 

Note: Students registering in a professional school such as law, medicine, or engineering as well as individuals pursuing academic programs in fine, applied, and performing arts are eligible. The awards are intended for the support of students undertaking first-year graduate study on a full-time basis. To be considered for an award, the applicant must not have prior graduate credit.

YSU has a long history of national scholarship winners. Thomas Wakefield, Economics and Mathematics major, was awarded a National Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship for post-graduate study during the 2003 academic year.  He was one of 52 students nationwide to receive such an award from the national office.  In 2005, YSU student Jennifer Davidson won a national $2,000 Award of Excellence scholarship. In 2006, YSU student Angela Kwallek was one of 60 students nationwide to win a $5,000 national Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship; in 2007, YSU student Louise Popio was one of the 60 students who received a national Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship; and in 2008, YSU's Chad Miller received one of 60 national Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowships.

Applications for the current round of awards are due February 1, 2009. You may download an informational brochure and application at the following link:

<http://www.phikappaphi.org/Web/Scholarships/>.

(If you need Adobe Reader to open a file, you may download it at <http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html> or by clicking on the button: .) Any questions should be directed to Dr. Ron Shaklee. 
 

In a continuing effort to recognize and encourage academic achievement, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi offers the Study Abroad Grant Competition.

Open to qualified members and nonmembers in all fields of study, the competition is designed to provide funding as students seek knowledge and experience through studies abroad. The study-abroad experience must take place between May 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010; the application deadline is February 11, 2009.

Fifty $1,000 Study Abroad Grants will be awarded. For more information--and to download a pdf application packet that lists eligibility requirements--see <http://www.phikappaphi.org/Web/Scholarships/studyabroad.html>.

Phi Kappa Phi now awards several additional scholarships and grants, including the Emerging Scholars Award and the Love of Learning Award. The Emerging Scholars Award is given to 60 rising sophomores at a Phi Kappa Phi institution who show scholarly promise, and the Love of Learning Award supports non-academic post-graduation learning experiences.

In 2007, YSU student Lora Werkmeister received a $250 Emerging Scholar Award, and YSU student Karen Varga received a $500 Love of Learning Award. Karen participated in a year-long youth ambassador program in Spain.

For more information--and to download pdf application packets--see <http://www.phikappaphi.org/Web/Scholarships/emergingscholar.html> and <http://www.phikappaphi.org/Web/Scholarships/loveoflearning.html>. The application deadline for the former is July 14, 2008; and the application deadline for the latter is June 30, 2008.

Local             

As noted above, each Phi Kappa Phi chapter is permitted to nominate one student to compete for a PKP national fellowship. Our local chapter honors its nominee by awarding him or her the $1,000 John R. Loch Scholarship, also applicable to the nominee's graduate studies.  
 

The Mavrigian-Grim Scholar Awards are granted to select outstanding students who intend to pursue graduate work.  The scholarships are named in honor of  Dr. Gus Mavrigian and the late Dr. John Grim, long time active leaders of PKP.  Recipients of the award may receive up to $1,000 in scholarship funds.
 

The Gratia Murphy Award, established by Chapter 143 in 1994, honors the memory of Dr. Gratia Murphy.  Dr. Murphy, Professor of English, was a founding member of Chapter 143 and served for many years as the Chapter's secretary. This essay-competition award provides funds to a deserving student. Download an application form and instructions:  pdf version.
 

The Phi Kappa Phi Deans’ Scholar Award is given annually to select seniors with outstanding ability who intend to pursue graduate or professional studies.  Each award of $500 is given by the Dean of the respective undergraduate college, based on the student’s application for the Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship Award Competition.  The award recognizes excellence across all disciplines.