We are grateful to alumni and other individuals who have made financial gifts to the Department of Physics at Western Michigan University.
Thanks to their generosity, we’ve established endowments to support teaching, travel and scholarships for our outstanding undergraduate and graduate students.
Your donation will continue to make possible an extra margin of excellence in physics at WMU. We welcome your general gift to the department or gift in support of a specific scholarship program. Click on the button and search for Physics and select a fund of your choice.
Undergraduate awards and scholarships
Haym Kruglak Student Teaching Excellence Award
Dr. Haym Kruglak was a WMU professor of physics from 1954-77. He established this fund to recognize a senior physics with secondary education major who demonstrates outstanding effort in practice teaching.
Nathan L. Nichols Physics Scholarship
Dr. Nathan Nichols was a WMU professor of physics from 1955-80. This scholarship was established by his family and friends to recognize physics majors who have achieved a 3.0 overall grade point average.
Paul Rood Physics Scholarship
Dr. Paul Rood was chair of the WMU Department of Physics from 1944-64 and a professor here for 48 years. Established through a generous gift from the Rood family, these scholarships are awarded to students who maintain a 3.0 GPA in their physics and overall coursework.
Charles J. Wilcox Memorial Award (part of the Department of Physics Quasi Endowment)
Made possible by donations from family and friends in memory of former graduate student Charles Wilcox, this award is given annually to an outstanding graduating physics major at WMU.
Graduate awards and scholarships
George E. Bradley Award (part of the Department of Physics Quasi Endowment)
Dr. George Bradley was chair in the Western Michigan University Department of Physics from 1964-71 and a professor here for 24 years. He established a trust fund to annually recognize a student who has completed the requirements for a master’s or doctoral degree in physics. The award recognizes exceptional overall performance with particular emphasis on excellence in research. In addition to a monetary award, the recipient’s name is added to a plaque displayed in the George E. Bradley Physics Commons.
George and Jean Bradley Graduate Physics Scholarship
Established in 1986 from the trust fund of Jean Bradley, this scholarship is awarded annually to assist graduate students with their studies.
David Carley Memorial Graduate Award (part of the Department of Physics Quasi Endowment)
This award was funded by donations from family and friends in memory of David Carley and is given to graduate students in need of financial assistance.
Leo R. Parpart Physics Scholarship
Each year, our faculty recommends recipients for this scholarship award, established by Leo Parpart in 1994. Preference is given to female applicants from Asiatic countries who are committed to returning to a teaching or research position in the physical sciences in their home country.
Dr. Robert E. Shamu Endowment for Physics
Dr. Robert Shamu was professor in the WMU Department of Physics from 1967-04 and chair from 1996-99. The endowment was established through donations from family, friends and colleagues to support educational experiences for graduate students. Preference is given to funding department colloquia expenses and student conference travel and registration fees.
Haym Kruglak Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award
Dr. Haym Kruglak was a WMU professor of physics from 1954-77. He established this fund to recognize students who have demonstrated outstanding effort in teaching. Physics graduate students who serve as teaching assistants in the WMU Department of Physics are eligible to apply. Decisions are based upon faculty recommendations and the cumulative record of the student's teaching evaluations. Students may receive this award more than once.