The Seeger Undergraduate Research Fellowship in the Humanities provides financial support to students pursuing rigorous, independent scholarship during the academic year, mentored by a faculty Humanities member. Proposals as part of humanities fields, (e.g., literature, history, philosophy, languages, cultural studies, art history, religious studies, musicology, theater studies) and those related to interdisciplinary research and collaborations within the humanities are encouraged.

Deadline for the 2025-2026 Academic Year
August 1, 2025

About the Award

AWARD

The award provides students with a $2,500 paid fellowship (non-credit-bearing) for one semester (approximately 10 hours per week), a $500 project supplies budget for the semester, and a $500 dissemination fund. 

ELIGIBILITY

The fellowship is available to undergraduate students at GVSU who have not completed the requirements for graduation. It is preferred that the student will be enrolled at GVSU as an undergraduate for at least one full semester of study beyond the semester in which the fellowship project is pursued. Successful applicants generally will have a 3.0 GPA or higher in their major. Please note that this fellowship cannot be awarded to support an independent study (399 or 499) or an Honors Thesis.

 All tenured, tenure-track, visiting, and affiliate faculty in the areas noted above are eligible to mentor Seeger Fellows.

Proposal Requirements

The application is a collaborative effort between an undergraduate and a faculty mentor. An undergraduate student may propose a scholarly project to a faculty member, or a faculty member may recruit an undergraduate student for a potential scholarly project. The student should complete the application process online, with the faculty member’s input (there are informational items that require detail from the faculty mentor to which the student applicant will not have access without thoughtful preparatory conversation with the mentor (the mentor’s academic background and ongoing teaching, service and scholarly obligations during the project period, for example). 

The proposal must include the following sections:

1. Project Description: Compose a comprehensive description of the project (Limited to 3 pages, 12-point font, double-spaced, 1-inch margins, exclusive of references). Your description should be succinct, well organized, and free of technical terms and jargon so that reviewers can understand the proposed project. Organize your project description using the following headings:
   1. Background & Goals – Provide an overview of the project, including its context and key ideas, problems, or questions it examines. Explain the intellectual significance of the project, emphasizing its value to humanities scholars and general audiences. Highlight how the project embodies the humanities in its subject, approach, and/or goals. Clearly articulate what the project seeks to accomplish, detailing its primary goals and the intended outcomes it aims to achieve.
   2. Approach - Describe the nature of the scholarly work. What are the types of activities, methods, or processes the student will engage in?  
   3. Audience – Who is the intended audience? How will the project outcomes reach that audience?
   4. Feasibility – What is the project's practicality, viability, and potential for success? What challenges do you anticipate, and how do you hope to address these challenges to ensure the success of your project?
   5. Resources – Describe the academic, budgetary, or other support needed to complete project.
   6. Timeline – Include a timeline of the project detailing the responsibilities of the student and faculty mentor at each stage. What are the significant tasks for the student?
   7. Describe how progress toward the project’s goals will be evaluated, highlighting specific criteria or benchmarks for success.
       
2. Student Engagement, Motivation & Competence/Preparedness
   1. Explain the student’s interest in the area of inquiry and their reasons for pursuing this particular project. This might include a discussion of intellectual preparedness (i.e., course, knowledge, and experiences) to undertake the project
   2. Provide a clear description of how engaging deeply with the project’s key questions or subject matter will contribute to the student’s academic, intellectual, or professional growth. Highlight specific ways in which the project aligns with the student’s broader learning goals or aspirations.
       
3. Mentorship Plan & Faculty Expertise: This should include the following:
   1. Describe the faculty mentor’s expertise and how it aligns with the student’s area of inquiry and needs for the project. 
   2. Explain the mentorship or apprenticeship approach, detailing how it will be tailored to the student’s specific goals and needs. Specify the roles and responsibilities of both the student and faculty mentor. Outline the steps and/or pedagogical techniques the faculty mentor will take to help the student grow as an independent scholar, including strategies to support their transition to contributing to scholarly conversations related to the project.
       
4. Commitment to the Project: Clearly describe the obligations of both the student and faculty member during the project period (the semester in which the fellowship is awarded) (e.g., teaching, coursework, research, or other professional and personal responsibilities). Provide a detailed plan for balancing these commitments to ensure the project is a priority. 
    
5. Intended Outcome/Plan: The student should describe the anticipated outcomes of the project and the plan they have for the project and its outcomes. Clearly describe thoughtful and intentional plans for how this project will impact future academic or career plans. If relevant, provide a clear and detailed plan for sharing the project’s outcomes with appropriate audiences as connected to the project’s subject matter and goals. 

The rubric for Seeger Fellowship proposal is available here.

How to Apply

The DEADLINE for the ACADEMIC YEAR award will be in August. The faculty and students should prepare the proposal per the requirements listed below. The proposal needs to be one complete PDF document submitted online. There is only one upload button, so please be sure your document is complete.

Application Form

Grantee Responsibilities

STUDENT SCHOLARS DAY
Seeger Fellows are required to present on campus at Student Scholars Day, or another venue as described in the fellowship proposal. Fellows are also encouraged to present on campus at departmental seminars, as well as present off campus at disciplinary conferences.

BUDGET TRACKING
Fellows and their mentors are responsible for monitoring this budget and initiating any reimbursements. Project funds are distributed through departmental transfers or Travel and Expense reimbursement. We process reimbursements and department transfer requests. We do not order supplies, make travel arrangements, etc. Please see the Budget and Reimbursement Information web page. We will follow the same process for Seeger Fellows as we do for our other programs..
 

SEEGER FELLOWSHIP REPORT
Successful applicants must provide a final report to the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship. The report will be due on the last Friday of classes of the project semester (i.e., the Friday before Exam Week).

Request Project & Dissemination Funds

Submit Your Report