Endowed Scholarship Program
The Department is grateful to generous donors who have
provided funding to support graduate student education. These funds will be
awarded to deserving students on a competitive basis. Award recipients under the
mentoring of their major professor and departmental faculty will contribute to
the research and educational mission of the Department. Teaching in the undergraduate
program will be expected of recipients, and they must have strong oral
communication skills in English. The Scholarship Selection Committee shall select
the recipients and the Departmental Chair shall concur before an offer is extended.
There are two types of awards made as described below.
Departmental Graduate
Fellowship
The intent of this very competitive fellowship is to attract
the best available graduate students to join the Department of Agronomy at Iowa
State University. Students who have filed completed applications are nominated by
a faculty member for the fellowship.
A typical fellowship holder has
strong supporting letters, has demonstrated aptitude for graduate study, has
research experiences, and may be in a position to increase the department’s
diversity. A typical fellowship holder has a grade-point average normally
ranking in the top 10% of his/her peer group (B.S. or M.S. degree). GRE scores
are required, and a typical fellowship holder has scored extremely well
(normally 90th percentile or above) in at least one of the three GRE categories
and has scored well (normally 70th percentile or above) in at least one of the
other GRE categories.
1. Eligibility. Departmental graduate fellowships
are exclusively for students beginning new degree programs at ISU. Students
must pursue a M.S. or Ph.D. degree in an agronomic discipline; students in interdepartmental
majors are eligible if they have a major professor with budgetary appointment
in the Department of Agronomy.
2. Application. A student must apply to
Iowa State University and the application must be complete prior to
consideration for the fellowship. Students may be considered for the fellowship
any time of year, and decisions normally will be made within 7-10 working days
after the application is complete. One or more potential major professors must
agree to work with the student. The potential major professor shall submit to
the Scholarship Selection Committee (via the Graduate Student Coordinator in
1126 Agron) a letter detailing support for the student’s research and a
mentoring program (details below).
3. Conditions. The stipend will be equal
to a half-time assistantship plus an additional 50% of a half-time
assistantship ($30,780/yr beginning July 1, 2012). The University or Department
will pay tuition and fees. This award cannot be used with other ISU awards or
fellowships to enhance the annual stipend beyond the amount indicated. Awards
shall remain in effect for three years for M.S. or Ph.D. candidates, provided
the student is making good progress toward a degree and has not yet completed
requirements for graduation.
4. Departmental Duties. Fellowship
holders will have a teaching responsibility to the Department (approximately 20
hrs/week) for one semester per year while holding the fellowship. Teaching
duties will be negotiated with the Department Chair. Fellowship holders may
also be asked to participate in other Department of Agronomy functions,
particularly the annual meeting of the Baker Council, an advisory group of
distinguished scientists, university administrators, and other friends of the Department.
5. Evaluation Criteria. Evaluation
criteria for the fellowship include grades from previous degrees, external
activities and leadership potential, reference letters, research experiences, demonstrated
aptitude for graduate study, strength in oral communication skills in English, GRE
scores, and the potential to increase diversity within the Department.
6. Progress Review. An annual review of
the student's progress shall be the responsibility of the major professor, the
student's Program of Study Committee, and the Scholarship Selection Committee.
Failure of a student to maintain a non-research-credit GPA in the top
one-quarter of his/her peers or to make satisfactory progress in teaching
expectations or progress toward a degree may result in loss of the fellowship. For
early termination of the fellowship, the Scholarship Selection Committee shall
make a recommendation to the Department Chair who shall have final authority.
Departmental Graduate
Assistantship
A typical assistantship holder has strong supporting
letters, has demonstrated aptitude for graduate study, has research
experiences, and may be in a position to increase the department’s diversity. A
typical assistantship holder has a grade-point average normally ranking in the
top 20% of his/her peer group (B.S. degree). GRE scores are required, and a
typical assistantship holder has scored very well (normally 70th percentile or
above) in at least one of the three GRE categories and has scored well
(normally 60th percentile or above) in at least one of the other GRE
categories.
1. Eligibility. Departmental graduate assistantships
are exclusively for students beginning their M.S. degree at ISU. Students must
pursue a M.S. degree in an agronomic discipline; students in interdepartmental
majors are eligible if they have a major professor with budgetary appointment
in the Department of Agronomy.
2. Application. Students will be
considered for these assistantships during the spring semester. To be eligible,
students must have submitted their complete application materials by February
1. One or more major professors must agree to work with the student. The major professor
shall submit to the Scholarship Selection Committee (via the Graduate Student
Coordinator in 1126 Agron) a letter detailing support for the student’s
research and a mentoring program (details below). The student will be notified
by March 1 whether an offer is forthcoming. The Department subscribes to the
national acceptance deadline of April 15 but encourages earlier decisions. The
number of assistantships offered will be determined by funds available after
awarding fellowships and the anticipated acceptance rate for departmental assistantship
offers.
3. Conditions. The stipend will be equal
to a half-time assistantship ($20,520/yr beginning July 1, 2012). The University
or Department will pay tuition and fees. Awards shall remain in effect for three
years, provided the student is making good progress toward a degree and has not
yet completed requirements for graduation. Based on stipulations of donors of
specific funding sources, additional expectations may be required of the
student. These will be clearly stated in the Letter of Intent or in the letter
offering the departmental assistantship.
4. Departmental Duties. Departmental assistantship
holders will have a teaching responsibility to the Department (approximately 20
hrs/week). Teaching duties will be negotiated with the Department Chair. After
four semesters of teaching (fall and spring semesters with summers free to work
on their research), assistantship holders will be excused from further teaching
as they finish their degree requirements. Assistants may also be asked to
participate in other Department of Agronomy functions, particularly the annual
meeting of the Baker Council, an advisory group of distinguished scientists,
university administrators, and other friends of the department.
5. Evaluation Criteria. Evaluation
criteria for the assistantship include grades from previous degrees, external
activities and leadership potential, reference letters, research experiences, demonstrated
aptitude for graduate study, strength in oral communication skills in English,
GRE scores, and the potential to increase diversity within the Department.
6. Progress Review. An annual review of
the student's progress shall be the responsibility of the major professor, the student's
Program of Study Committee, and the Scholarship Selection Committee. Failure of
a student to maintain a non-research-credit GPA in the top one-half of his/her
peers or to make satisfactory progress in teaching expectations or progress
toward a degree may result in loss of the assistantship. For early termination
of assistantships, the Scholarship Selection Committee shall make a
recommendation to the Department Chair who shall have final authority.
Scholarship Selection
Committee
The Department Chair shall select the Scholarship Selection
Committee consisting of five faculty members that represent the breadth of the
Department. The Department Chair, or designee, shall chair the committee. This
committee shall evaluate the applications and give its recommendation for
funding to the Department Chair who will be responsible for final selection of
the award recipients and for extending an award offer to the student. The Scholarship
Selection Committee shall also be involved in evaluating annual progress of a
student in meeting departmental expectations and in advancing toward a degree
in conjunction with the major professor and Program of Study Committee.
Information for
Faculty
Agronomy faculty are expected to help recruit outstanding
graduate students to the Department. They are encouraged to communicate with
students before or after students have completed their applications for admission
into graduate school. As part of the selection process for a departmental graduate
fellowship or departmental graduate assistantship, a student must be nominated
by a faculty member who provides a supporting letter. In addition to the
qualifications of the student, the Scholarship Selection Committee will
consider the strength of the supporting letter in recommending awards. The
letter should outline a) the strengths of the student and how the student will fit
into the faculty member’s research program, b) the mentoring program for
professional development the faculty member will offer the student, c) an
initial research plan, d) the funding the faculty member has available to allow
the student to conduct the research, and e) a statement on life experiences (if
applicable such as extra-curricular activities, employment, unusual
circumstances) that the student has demonstrated or overcome. The Scholarship Selection
Committee will view favorably a convincing commitment made by the major
professor to strongly mentor and support the student.
Contact
Ms. Jaci Severson
Graduate Programs Coordinator
1126 Agronomy Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011-1010 USA
Telephone: (515) 294-1361
Fax: (515) 294-8146
gradprograms@agron.iastate.edu
Date last modified: 10/30/2012