Awards & Grants for Graduate Students at the University of Mississippi
The Graduate School at the University of Mississippi offers various awards and travel grants for qualifying graduate students. We also honor our colleagues who go above and beyond in the service of graduate students.
Awards and Grants
We continue to offer Graduate Student Research Awards with support from the Office of the Provost to select graduate students each year. Research Awards are like the Travel Awards but are intended to provide funds to support thesis/dissertation research in cases where the advisor/lab is not able to do so.
- For the 2024-2025 academic year, we anticipate being able to make 5-10 Research Awards.
How much money does the Graduate Student Research Award Program give qualifying graduate students?
The Graduate Student Research Award Program makes available limited support for a graduate student who is completing thesis or dissertation research.
- The award is available for up to $600, provided that there is a minimum of $300 of financial support from other university sources (e.g., from the department or college or external grants) applied FIRST (the total award from other sources and the Graduate School cannot exceed the cost of completing the thesis/dissertation research).
- If there is not at least $300 in support from other university sources, the maximum award from the Graduate School is $200.
In addition, a student cannot receive both a Research Award and Travel Grant in the same year, except in the case of SEC Emerging Scholars.
How do I apply to the Graduate Student Research Award Program?
Students should complete the Graduate School Research Award Application Form and submit it via email to gschool@olemiss.edu with the subject line Graduate Student Research Award Form.
- Please note that funds are limited.
- We will support as many applications as we can while funds last.
Note, students pursuing research that requires special review (i.e., human subjects and animal subjects), should include documentation of approval from the appropriate review body at the institution with the application form.
Updated 1/29/2024
The Graduate Student Travel Grant program makes available limited support for a graduate student who is first author on a research presentation and/or recognized through an award for original research/scholarship.
- For the 2024-2025 academic year, we anticipate being able to award approximately 100 graduate students with a Travel Grant.
How much money does the Graduate Student Travel Grant give qualifying graduate students?
Remember that the Graduate Student Travel Grant is only for those graduate students that are the first author on a research-based presentation and/or are recognized for their original research and scholarship.
- The travel award will provide $200 for presentations at professional meetings.
- However, a grant of up to $300 will be available provided that there is a minimum of $300 of financial support from university sources (i.e., from the department or college or external grants) applied prior to the $300 offered by the Graduate School.
A student is only eligible to receive one travel award (regardless of the amount) in an academic year.
How do I apply to the Graduate Student Travel Grant?
To apply for the Graduate Student Travel Grant:
- Any student requesting funds must submit a Travel Authorization Form and the Graduate Student Travel Format least 10 days prior to the date of the trip.
- Students who do not apply for funding by the deadline (10 days prior to the date of the trip) will receive $50. The reduced funding is subjected to the same limit of one travel award in an academic year (the academic year is considered to run from July to June in this case).
Keep in mind: The Graduate School will not process any travel award forms received on or after July 1 for travel that occurred prior to that date.
What do I need to submit with my application?
The following items must accompany the Travel Authorization Form and Graduate Student Travel Form:
- Conference announcement
- Acceptance letter from the conference
- Abstract
Forms must be signed by the department chair and the student requesting travel funds.
Upon return from the conference, the student must submit a Travel Reimbursement Form. Only the amounts authorized will be reimbursed. All receipts from your travel MUST be attached to your Travel Reimbursement Form (gas, hotel, registration, flights, etc.). Students must submit all final documents and receipts within 30 days of the return from the trip or they will be ineligible for future travel grants.
Due to limited funding, only one award per fiscal year may be granted to an individual. All applications require the signature of the department chair or graduate program coordinator before evaluation and approval by the Graduate School and must be submitted at least 10 days prior to the date of the trip.
Phi Kappa Phi is the nation’s oldest, largest and most selective honor society for all academic disciplines. Membership is based on a student’s sound character and academic standing. Graduate students must rank in the top 10 percent of their class.
Spring 2021 inductees include:
- Yodit Fikre Aberra
- Tareq Aldosari
- Samson Arega Bekele
- Taylor Alexandra Burchell
- Byron Chandler
- Dana Evans
- Latoya Faulk
- Megan Recole Garner
- Bailey Grantham
- Rodrigo Guajardo Garcia
- Reginald Maurice Herrington
- Andrew Scott Johnson
- Hanna Kim
- Lydia Caroline Lytal
- Kacee Mariah McKinney
- Lucille Elizabeth Moore
- Jenna Myers
- Zebiba Miftah Nassir
- William Neal
- Kailey Alise Oubre
- Brooke Ramsey Riley
- George James Ririe
Recognizing our outstanding colleagues
Established in 2004, this award is given annually to an individual (faculty member, staff member or student), a group of individuals or an academic program who/that exemplifies a commitment to the cause of enhancing diversity at the graduate level. The purpose of this award is to highlight best practices and to honor those who are responsible for creating or enhancing an inclusive environment for graduate education.
Former honorees include:
- Dr. Jaime Harker, Professor of English (2025)
- Dr. Marquita Smith, Associate Professor of Communication & Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Research (2024)
- Dr. Patrick Alexander, Associate Professor of English & African-American Studies (2023)
- Psychology Department (2021)
- Educational Leadership Graduate Program (2020)
- Criminal Justice Graduate Program (2019)
- Dr. Derrick Harriell, Professor of English and African American Studies (2018)
- Dr. Cecille Labuda, Professor of Physics and Department of Modern Languages (co-winners, 2017)
- Department of Pharmacy Administration (2016)
- Dr. Dan Jones and Department of Civil Engineering (co-winners, 2015)
An excellent graduate education can only occur if the students have excellent graduate faculty. Established in 2013, this new award is to recognize and reward graduate faculty members who have had an exceptional impact on graduate students in supervision of student research or professional practice. Additional criteria include excellence in graduate classroom instruction and in having a positive influence on the graduate curriculum.
Former honorees include:
- Dr. Jay Watson,Howry Chair in Faulkner Studies and Professor of English – (2025)
- Dr. Colin Jackson, Professor of Biology – (2024)
- Dr. Jaime Harker, Professor of English – (2023)
- Dr. Todd Smitherman, Professor of Psychology – (2022)
- Dr. Leigh Anne Duck, Associate Professor of English – (2021)
- Dr. John Neff, Associate Professor of History and Director of The Center for Civil War Research – In Memoriam
- Professor Beth Ann Fennelly, Professor of English (2019)
- Dr. Arunachalam “Raj” Rajendran, Chair and Professor of Mechanical Engineering (2018)
- Dr. Kelly Wilson, Professor of Psychology (2017)
- Prof. Matthew Long, Associate Professor of Art (2016)
- Dr. John Rimoldi, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry (2015)