Professional Development Award
To encourage student participation in opportunities that help advance students’ scientific knowledge or career paths, the Graduate Student Association (GSA) provides professional development awards. The purpose of these awards is to aid students who otherwise would be unable to attend such opportunities without incurring financial hardship. Opportunities of this kind may include workshops, professional networking events, conferences, or trainings. Due to limited supply of funds, a student may receive only one professional development award per academic year (July-June – see below).
Any student submitting an application must be a member of an active department in the GSA. If your department does not have representation at the GSA meetings, applications will not be considered. Because of the numbers of applications received by the GSA, an award is not guaranteed and the amount of the award may vary. While the maximum award is $500.00, in many cases the award may be less. If a student has other sources of funding, it will not preclude receiving aid from the GSA, but the GSA recommends not depending on its support, if possible.
The application must be completely filled out and signed by the appropriate representatives. Any incomplete or unsigned applications will not be considered for funding. Since the fellowship is intended to support students who will experience financial hardship by attending a meeting, expenses such a food, lodging, transportation to and from the meeting, and registration fees are reimbursable. Rental cars, except in rare cases, are generally not considered necessary for attendance at a scientific meeting. The GSA reserves the right to grant awards as it deems necessary. All decisions are final. Completed applications must be submitted via email to umb.gsa.gcrep@gmail.com.
DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSION:
| Attendance Period: | Award applications must be submitted by*: |
|---|---|
| 1st Half – April through September | November 1 |
| 2nd Half – October through March | April 15 |
*If the student’s out of pocket costs already exceed $500 prior to attending the meeting, they may submit an application for the previous half deadline
The entire application may be downloaded from Graduate Student Association.