Fellowship and Award Opportunities for Entomology Graduate Students

Entomology & Plant Health Students graduating at UNL
Pictured above left to right: Lindsay Overmyer, earned a Doctor of Plant Health (DPH), and Natalia Bjorklund, Annie Krueger, and Surabhi Gupta, all earned a Ph.D. in Entomology.



Entomology graduate students are eligible for numerous competitive scholarships and fellowships. Some are offered through the department, colleges, or university, while others are available from professional societies or organizations. Below is a partial list of awards and fellowships for which entomology graduate students are eligible. 



Administered by the Entomology Department

  • Fred Clute Memorial Scholarship - established for students in the entomology department who have expressed a desire to pursue a career in structional (building) pest management. This award was established by the family and friends of Fred N. Clute, and with the support of Rhodes Chemical Company. Mr. Clute (1932–2002) worked for Evans Orchard Supply Company in Kansas City before joining Rhodes Chemical Company in 1966. He spent most of his 36 years with Rhodes educating, training, providing customer service and support, and solving problems. His greatest satisfaction was in sharing his experience, knowledge and wisdom with others. He received many awards from the state pest control associations throughout the Midwest, and attended the Purdue Pest Control Conference no fewer than 18 times. The kindness and generosity of Mr. Clute's family and friends in supporting the growth of our students is greatly appreciated!
  • Charles Glenn Murphy Scholarship/Fellowship - created in Charlie's name to honor his love for insects and help a selected student achieve their dreams to become an entomologist and create a better world.
  • Earl and Bertha Ramsey Scholarship - Warren and Una Emmerson created the Ramsey Memorial Fund to honor Una's parents' lives and in memory of their loving family. The scholarship is needs-based and awarded annually.
  • Myron H. Swenk Memorial Fund - A scholarship grant-in-aid program designed to provide additional financial assistance to students. Funds are primarily used by students for traveling to professional meetings.  The fund was established in 1970 in honor of Myron H. Swenk, Entomology Department Head from 1919-1941, by his sister, Iva B. Swenk, as part of her estate.  The Nebraska Foundation manages the fund by investing the principal in appropriate financial instruments. The executive committee of the Lawrence Bruner Club, under the guidance of the club's faculty advisors and department head, review requests for scholarship grant-in-aid and authorize the allocation of funds. Application forms are available from members of the Bruner Club Executive Committee.

Administered by ARD (Agricultural Research Division)

  • Hardin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship – ($3,000 plus $2,000 for program enhancement, e.g., travel): For graduate students conducting research in the general area of plant physiology (with particular emphasis on genetic mechanisms influencing plant responses to stress conditions) are eligible for nomination.
  • Shear-Miles Agricultural Scholarship/Fellowship - The Shear-Miles Agricultural Scholarship and Fellowship was established at the University of Nebraska Foundation with a gift from the estate of Dorothy S. Miles who planned the gift as a memorial to both her father and father-in-law, Cornelius Lott Shear and George Miles. This endowed fund provides scholarships and fellowships to benefit the Agricultural Research Division and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Both provide a $2,000 stipend, which will be distributed on an academic-year basis and is to be an additional stipend over and above the regular assistantship rate for the student's department. This is not to be used in lieu of other dollars which the academic unit or department/school would otherwise allocate to the recipient's assistantship. Both stipulate that only students on Graduate Research Assistantships are eligible for consideration; students paid from fellowship funds are not eligible. Nominees may be either beginning graduate students or students in progress, but all nominees must have identified a thesis topic that would clearly be considered "basic research in agriculture" as stipulated in the Widaman Trust and the Shear-Miles Fellowship agreements. Preference will be given to Ph.D. graduate research assistants, although exceptional M.S. students may also be considered; only students with high scholastic merit and research potential should be nominated. Students who receive these awards are not eligible for the award in subsequent years; this is a one-time award.
  • Larrick/Whitmore Graduate Student Travel Grant - Supports graduate student travel to professional and scientific meetings. The deadlines for submissions are April 6 (for travel June and after), September 14 (for travel October and after) and January 6 (for travel March and after). Students may only receive one travel grant per degree program (one for M.S. and one for Ph.D.). This grant is awarded by the Agricultural Research Division (ARD).
  • Widaman Distinguished Graduate Assistant Award - The Widaman Trust was established in 1975 through a generous gift provided to the University of Nebraska Foundation by Ms. Blanche Widaman who asked that the income from the trust be used for basic research in agriculture and that the funds be used for scholarships or fellowships for graduate students conducting basic research in agriculture.

Administered by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources

  • Mary and Charles C. Cooper/Emma I. Sharpless Fellowship – This fellowship was established to recruit exceptional graduate students capable of benefiting from further education into the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Funds are to be used to supplement an existing assistantship with offers of $3,000 for M.S. and $5,000 for Ph.D. students.
  • Holling Family Graduate or Undergraduate Teaching  & Learning Assistant Award - The Holling Family Award Program for Teaching Excellence was made possible by a gift from the Holling family to honor their pioneer parents. John Holling was a 1912 electrical engineering graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and his brother, Gustave Holling, attended the College of Agriculture before farming the family's land in the Wood River area. Awarded annually by the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Extension, and the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA). 

    The 2021 Holling Family Excellence in Teaching Award Program provided 3 awards for Graduate, Professional and Undergraduate Teaching and Learning Assistants. At least one of these awards will be presented to an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant/Learning Assistant. The award amount is $1,000. Please submit a complete nomination packet including the 2-page nomination form and letters of support: one from the graduate advisor or course advisor, and two from students served by the Teaching Assistant.
  • Johnson-Beck Graduate Student Fellowship for Nature Conservation - Awarded to current, full-time Ph.D. or M.S. student enrolled in a graduate program in the School of Natural Resources, the Department of Entomology, or a comparable degree program linked to CASNR. The Fellowship recognizes graduate student excellence in nature conservation research with superior professionalism and service to the University and/or community. Nominations accepted following announcement in the Spring.
  • Wirth/McGowen Memorial Fellowship, which benefits and supports the education and research efforts of graduate students pursuing degree programs that will contribute to significant advancements in ensuring global food and nutrition security for a growing world population through innovative research within agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. Applications are due around mid-October.

Administered by the Nebraska Center for Biotechnology

  • Milton Mohr Fellowship - Offers graduate fellowships ($1,000) for graduate students enrolled in biotechnology-oriented programs. Applications are due to the department in mid-March.

Administered by UNL Office of Graduate Studies

  • Office of Graduate Studies Funding webpage - Caroline Knuth, fellowship specialist
  • Graduate Fellowships  - The Office of Graduate Studies holds an annual competition for current graduate students who may apply for fellowship assistance for the next academic year. Awards range from the Presidential and Fling Fellowships (full funding, tuition remission, health insurance and some fees for one year) to smaller fellowships. Several fellowships of interest to entomology graduate students are listed below. Applications are due in early February.
    • Graduate Dean's Fellowship - The Dean's Fellowship will be awarded to advanced masters or doctoral students. The fellowship is $5,000. Nominees must be admitted into a graduate major, with a specific degree objective, have completed at least one year of coursework in their current program, and enroll full-time (or be eligible for full-time certification) during the academic year 2021-22. Department faculty and staff may nominate one current graduate student for each fellowship.  Nominators will be required to submit a nomination letter and the nominee’s CV.
    • The Fling Fellowship  - is awarded to advanced masters or doctoral students. Masters students must be within one year of graduation and doctoral students must be within two years of graduation. The fellowship is $20,000. This award also includes tuition, fees, and the University's portion of the student health insurance for one academic year.
    • Folsom Distinguished Master's Thesis and Dissertation Awards - Recognize the outstanding research and creative accomplishments of UNL graduate students.
      • The recipient of the Distinguished Master's Thesis Award will receive a $500 honorarium and a commemorative medallion.
      • The recipient of the Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award will receive a $1,000 honorarium and a commemorative medallion.
    • Graduate Student Excellence in Mentoring Award -  recognizes graduate students who have demonstrated excellence in mentoring undergraduate and other graduate students in research and creative activities. Faculty and staff may nominate a graduate student for this award. Nominators will be required to submit a nomination letter and submit the nominee’s CV.
    • Outstanding Graduate Research and Creative Activities Award - recognizes excellence in graduate student research and creativity at Nebraska.  Faculty and staff may nominate a student for this award.  Nominators will be required to submit a nomination letter and submit the nominee’s CV and summary of research or creative activity (max. 2 pages).
    • Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award - recognizes graduate teaching assistants who have demonstrated special effectiveness in teaching undergraduates at Nebraska.  Faculty and staff may nominate a student for this award.  Nominators will be required to submit a nomination letter and submit the nominee’s CV and statement of teaching philosophy (max. 2 pages).
    • Presidential Fellowship - is awarded to advanced doctoral or MFA students. The fellowship is $24,000. This award also includes tuition, fees, and the University's portion of the student health insurance for one academic year. Eligible students must be scheduled to graduate no later than August 2022.
  • Travel Grants - These grants provide support for student travel to present at professional conferences as well as student travel for work directly related to dissertation/thesis studies. The award will assist advanced Nebraska graduate students in sharing their scholarly and creative work beyond our state lines.  Students may request up to $1,500 per academic year. Please submit a completed application & supporting documentation at least 6 weeks prior to the proposed trip.

Administered by Professional Organizations