students getting scholarships

Scholarship Opportunities

The Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at Western Michigan University offers various scholarships, grants, awards, and fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students, funded through endowments and gifts. Graduate students can receive teaching and research assistantships, which are awarded competitively, and the department also provides financial support for attending research conferences.

Departmental scholarships and awards

Each spring, the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences provides scholarships and awards to undergraduate and graduate students. Recipients must attend the department's annual award ceremony in April to receive their scholarships or awards. Please apply at the scholarship universe website.

Advisory Council Field Camp Scholarship
  • Supports undergraduate and graduate student attendance at summer field camps
Alan Kehew Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports a graduate student focused on glacial geology/geomorphology or hydrogeology. It covers travel expenses for field work, conference attendance, or enrollment in the hydrogeology field course.
Core of Four Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports one or more undergraduate students completing core geology courses to prepare for future employment. Eligible students must be juniors or first-year seniors with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, have completed a physical geology course and at least two additional specific courses, and have documented volunteer service within the last four years.
Envirologic Technologies Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports full-time undergraduate or graduate students in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences. Preference is given to students who have overcome challenges (such as socioeconomic or educational disadvantages, disabilities, or being first-generation college students), or who are from underrepresented groups at WMU. US citizens with financial need and a minimum GPA of 3.0 are given priority.
Department Graduate Student Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports graduate students working on a thesis or dissertation that uses core materials from MGRRE and is advised by a faculty member in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences. First preference is given to students researching cores from the Michigan Basin, focusing on topics like geochemistry, geomechanics, petrology, and stratigraphy, with potential applications to oil, gas, or mineral exploration.
John and Kelly Grace Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports undergraduate students, with preference given to those majoring in science education, mineralogy, petrology, economic geology, or crystallography.
Laton-Lambright Field Camp Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports undergraduate and/or graduate students to attend the WMU Hydrogeology Field Course.
Lauren D. Hughes Environmental Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports junior-level undergraduates and master’s-level graduate students in water-related programs. Applicants must demonstrate an interest in water quality through previous activities or accomplishments.
Lloyd and Marilyn Schmaltz MGRRE Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports junior undergraduate Geology majors, with preference for students who have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and show a strong professional interest in geology through extracurricular activities. An interest in Michigan geology is also a key factor.
Randall Kerhin Graduate Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports full-time graduate students, with preference given to those with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
W. David Kuenzi Memorial Scholarship 
  • This scholarship is open to all undergraduate majors and minors, as well as graduate students, with no specific restrictions.
Roger and LuAnne Steininger Geology Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports undergraduate majors who are juniors or seniors with demonstrated financial need. Applicants must show a commitment to a geology career through extracurricular involvement, such as field trips, club participation, or volunteering.
Shirley J. Aiken Geosciences Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports junior or senior undergraduate majors, with preference for geochemistry students interested in the mining and mineral industry. Students with a background in volunteerism and those pursuing multidisciplinary majors like biology and geology or chemistry and geology are also given positive consideration.
Tom Straw Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports one or more undergraduate or graduate students.
William and Linda Harrison MGRRE Scholarship
  • This scholarship supports undergraduate or graduate students working directly with the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education (MGRRE) at WMU.

Department-affiliated scholarships that require additional application materials

Douglas Daniels Endowed Geosciences Scholarship and Award

Application and Eligibility Information

Kalamazoo Geological and Mineral Society Scholarship

Application Information and Eligibility

College of Arts and Sciences scholarships

University scholarships

Undergraduate students
Graduate students

Additional external scholarships

  • The West Michigan Chapter of the Air & Waste Management Association (WM-AWMA) is pleased to announce the availability of individual scholarships, each in the amount of $5000, to be awarded to selected students pursuing a career in environmental studies. Scholarship eligibility requirements and application instructions are listed on our website at wmawma.org/scholarships/. Applications must be submitted online before 12:00 midnight on March 1st. 
  • The Andrew Mazola Memorial Scholarship, established by the Michigan Section of the AIPG, is a $4,000 award for undergraduate geology students enrolled in an accredited Michigan college or university. The scholarship supports education costs and encourages student involvement in AIPG.
  • The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) offers $750 award for students attending field courses. The deadline for students to apply for Scholarships for Field Study from NAGT and AWG is February 14 - coming right up! 
  • The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports outstanding graduate students pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees in STEM fields and STEM education. It provides three years of funding to individuals with potential for significant research achievements. The program encourages applications from women, underrepresented minorities, people with disabilities, veterans, and undergraduate seniors.
  • A variety of scholarships with different deadlines are available for undergraduate and graduate geology students through partnering professional societies such as AAPG, AGIAGUAIPG, AWGGSA, NABG, NGWA, SEG