Scholarships

Student conducting experiment in lab
Fellowships and scholarships acknowledge outstanding Department of Chemistry students and provide assistance in their studies. These scholarships augment awards made to students supported by Western Michigan University, the Lee Honors College and the American Chemical Society. Scholarships are open to declared chemistry majors and are awarded on the basis of criteria listed for each specific scholarship.

Deadline

Chemistry Scholarship Applications for fall 2024/spring 2025 are due March 1, 2024. All applications are to be submitted through ScholarshipUniverse.

ScholarshipUniverse

ScholarshipUniverse Instructions

 

Undergraduate scholarships

Dr. Susan Burns Scholarship

This scholarship was established by the Burns family as a memorial to faculty member Dr. Susan Burns, who passed away in 1999. Dr. Burns joined the WMU chemistry faculty in 1996 after serving as a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at the State University of New York-Syracuse, where she received her Ph.D. Dr. Burns conducted research on the interaction of natural organic matter (including humic acids) with pesticides in water. Her work significantly assisted Great Lakes researchers and regulators from the U.S. and Canada to better regulate pesticide use and disposal.

Eligibility requirements:

  • female
  • 3.0 minimum GPA
  • financial need

Donate to the Dr. Susan Burns Scholarship

Frederick W. Stanley Memorial Chemistry Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1996 by the family of Frederick Stanley. Stanley received his B.S. and M.S. degrees at WMU in chemistry.

Eligibility requirements:

  • junior or senior
  • 2.5 to 3.5 GPA

Donate to the Frederick W. Stanley Memorial Chemistry Scholarship

Lillian Meyer Scholarship

This scholarship was established in late 2005 by Ms. Christine Weisblat, wife of Dr. David Weisblat. It was instituted in honor of former department chair Dr. Lillian Meyer (1956-68).

Eligibility requirements:

  • female
  • junior or senior
  • 3.0 minimum GPA

Donate to the Lillian Meyer Scholarship

Mohammad Hossein Yassaman Endowment for Chemistry

This scholarship was established in 2016 by Dr. Hashem and Suzanne Akhavan-Tafti, in honor of Dr. Hashem's dear friend, Mohammad  Hossein Yassaman. Mohammad helped Dr. Hashem greatly during his school years in the U.S.

Eligibility requirements:

  • 3.0 minimum GPA
  • interested in development of renewable energy technologies

Donate to the Mohammad Hossein Yassaman Endowment for Chemistry

Marc W. Perkovic Memorial Scholarship

This annual scholarship was established in memory of Dr. Marc Perkovic, a valued faculty member who passed away in 2006.

Eligibility requirements:

  • conducting research in some field of chemistry
  • considering pursuit of advanced graduate training

Donate to the Marc W. Perkovic Memorial Scholarship

Lester Boyce Maile Endowed Scholarship

Eligibility requirements:

  • 2.5 minimum GPA
  • financial need

Donate to the Lester Boyce Maile Scholarship

Colonel Charles E. Bayliss Scholarship

This scholarship was established in memory of Colonel Charles E. Bayliss.

graduate Scholarships

Dr. Susan Burns Scholarship

This scholarship was established by the Burns family as a memorial to faculty member Dr. Susan Burns, who passed away in 1999. Dr. Burns joined the WMU chemistry faculty in 1996 after serving as a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at the State University of New York-Syracuse, where she received her Ph.D. Dr. Burns conducted research on the interaction of natural organic matter (including humic acids) with pesticides in water. Her work significantly assisted Great Lakes researchers and regulators from the U.S. and Canada to better regulate pesticide use and disposal.

Eligibility requirements:

  • female
  • 3.5 minimum GPA
  • financial need

Donate to the Dr. Susan Burns Scholarship

Frederick W. Stanley Memorial Chemistry Scholarship

This scholarship was established in 1996 by the family of Frederick Stanley. Stanley received his B.S. and M.S. degrees at WMU in chemistry.

Eligibility requirements:

  • 2.5 to 3.5 GPA

Donate to the Frederick W. Stanley Memorial Chemistry Scholarship

Lillian Meyer Scholarship

This scholarship was established in late 2005 by Ms. Christine Weisblat, wife of Dr. David Weisblat. It was instituted in honor of former department chair Dr. Lillian Meyer (1956-68).

Eligibility requirements:

  • female
  • 3.0 minimum GPA

Donate to the Lillian Meyer Scholarship

Mohammad Hossein Yassaman Endowment for Chemistry

This scholarship was established in 2016 by Dr. Hashem and Suzanne Akhavan-Tafti, in honor of Dr. Hashem's dear friend, Mohammad  Hossein Yassaman. Mohammad helped Dr. Hashem greatly during his school years in the U.S.

Eligibility requirements:

  • 3.0 minimum GPA
  • interested in development of renewable energy technologies

Donate to the Mohammad Hossein Yassaman Endowment for Chemistry

Dr. Hashem and SuzAnne Akhavan-Tafti Chemistry Fund

This scholarship was established in 2014 by Dr. Hashem and Mrs. SuzAnne Akhavan-Tafti.

Eligibility requirements:

  • historically underrepresented population

Donate to the Dr. Hashem and SuzAnne Akhavan-Tafti Chemistry Fund

Dr. Don Berndt Endowment for Chemistry

This scholarship was established in 2013 by Dr. Hashem and Mrs. Suzanne Akhavan-Tafti, in honor of Professor Emeritus Don Berndt.

Eligibility requirements:

  • 3.0 minimum GPA
  • serving the department as an effective teaching assistant in general or organic chemistry

Donate to the Dr. Don Berndt Endowment for Chemistry

Dr. Nagler Endowment for Chemistry

This scholarship was established in 2012 by Dr. Hashem and Suzanne Akhavan-Tafti, in honor of Professor Emeritus Robert Nagler. The fund will be used at the discretion of the chair of the Department of Chemistry to support a full-time chemistry graduate student with a GPA of 3.5 or higher from a historically underrepresented population.

Donate to the Dr. Nagler Endowment for Chemistry

Past recipients

 

WMU financial aid

Questions?

Contact Dr. Andre Venter.