Thurgood Marshall Fellowships

Western Michigan University Graduate College Thurgood Marshall Fellowship

About the Thurgood Marshall Fellowship

Applicants must hold United States citizenship and shall exemplify the values and accomplishments of Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Son of a dining-car waiter and schoolteacher and also counsel for the NAACP beginning in 1934, Thurgood Marshall successfully argued the landmark Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), which nullified the legal basis for racial segregation. He held that the American constitution, as the basis of law, permits and requires changes to accommodate a deeper understanding of human values. In his view, the noblest citizens are those who labor toward this refinement. 

Thurgood Marshall applicants must have submitted an application for admission to a master’s or doctoral program at WMU. Thurgood Marshall Fellowships are awarded only to students who have been admitted to a master’s or doctoral program and only to applicants who are embarking on a first master’s degree or first doctoral degree. At the time of accepting a Thurgood Marshall Fellowship, a student may not have accumulated more than nine credit hours toward a graduate degree at WMU. 

There are two levels of Thurgood Marshall Fellow: 

• Master’s level Thurgood Marshall Fellows are awarded for one full year with the possibility of renewal for one additional year. In addition to a stipend (see details in the application), recipients receive a tuition scholarship. Master's level recipients receive nine hours of tuition each semester and three hours each session while on appointment. Master’s level Thurgood Marshall Fellows shall be appointees of the Graduate College, and in this capacity they shall, at the discretion of their program, work for 10 hours weekly as a graduate assistant in teaching, research, or service.
• Doctoral level Thurgood Marshall Fellows are awarded for one full year with the possibility of yearly renewal up to a maximum of three additional years. The fellowship includes a stipend (see details in the application) plus 24 credit hours of tuition (up to nine credit hours in the fall and spring semesters, and up to three credit hours in each of two summer sessions). Doctoral level Thurgood Marshall Fellows shall be appointees of the Graduate College, and in this capacity they shall, at the discretion of their program, work for 10 hours weekly as a doctoral associate in teaching, research, or service.

To hold a Thurgood Marshall Fellowship, a student must maintain good academic standing (GPA of 3.0 or higher) and register for at least six credit hours in each of the fall and spring semesters, and three credit hours in each of the two summer sessions. A Thurgood Marshall Fellow must also perform satisfactorily as a graduate assistant or doctoral associate.

Contact

If you have questions about the application process for this award, please contact Tony Dennis. 

Updated: Oct. 2024