Show Me The Money!

Ways to Get Funded for Doing What You’re Passionate About

By Clare Gaughan and Bailey Vergara

Honors students are known for dreaming big. Many come into the Honors Program already knowing what they’d like to accomplish during their time at Iowa: ideas for research, creative projects, study abroad trips, or service-learning experiences. 

However, funding restrictions can often stop students from pursuing the projects they’re passionate about. 

Luckily, it’s our mission at Honors to help students discover what motivates them, and that includes providing honors students with scholarship opportunities to fund that exploration. 

Presidential Scholars Program

Joining the Presidential Scholars Program (PSP) comes with a stipend of $1000 a year to help further students’ academic pursuits, perfect for those seeking to “push the limits of their potential at Iowa and beyond,” according to the PSP website.

But money is not the only thing one gains from becoming a presidential scholar. Students also find themselves embedded into a community of success-driven peers who support each others’ academic journeys every step of the way.

Deva Manikandan, a presidential scholar and second-year undergraduate, says her favorite part of the program is getting to know students from all walks of life. Hearing about her friends’ unique career trajectories have helped her learn more about the different opportunities around campus.

“You get to meet such a diverse group of people,” Manikandan said of her time in the program. “As peers, we learn and grow from each other all the time.”

Another unique aspect of the presidential scholar experience is the program’s dedicated staff. Dr. Candice Wuehle, a PSP advisor who teaches a seminar for scholars, has developed bonds with her former students that have lasted for years.

“It’s been really meaningful and special to see the PSP students grow,” Wuehle said. “I definitely didn’t, when I was in undergrad, have a professor that I was that closely in touch with the whole time. So I hope it feels supportive and important.”

For first-year Honors students thinking of applying to become a presidential scholar, Wuehle emphasizes that it is perfectly fine for a student to have a nontraditional application, as long as they demonstrate curiosity, openness, and a willingness to communicate.

Honors Program Scholarships

For any honors student looking for financial support, there are plenty of program scholarships to apply for without a prescribed goal. 

Last year, Honors awarded 195 scholarships in 20 different categories.

A general scholarship application, available to all honors students at the end of the first semester, matches the student to a scholarship based on their resume, transcript, and personal essay. 

Dr. Wuehle, who also serves as the Honors Program scholarship coordinator, pointed out that there are some scholarships only available to first-year students, including the $1500 Rhodes-Dunlap Scholarship.

“We have so many awards for you guys,” Wuehle stressed. “You have a real shot if you apply.”

Honors Experiential Learning Grant

Experiential learning is part of all honors student’s journeys, and it can be done in a variety of ways, some of which may have financial expenses attached to them. To help with this, the Honors Program offers an experiential learning grant to support students with a simple   application process.

This learning grant, which is typically around $500, is offered once and can be used for research, travel, internships, or presentations. Students should not be wary of this application process, which can be submitted at the start of fall and spring semesters, as it is straightforward and functions as a place to describe the plan and logistics for an experiential learning project. 

Sydney Dial is a fourth-year student majoring in biology. Among her multiple experiences, she has worked as a direct support professional, a patient care technician, and an honors peer mentor in the Blank Honors Center. 

Dial suggested to students pursuing honors experiential learning projects to “cast a broad net on things you’re interested in.”

She advised first year students to start brainstorming and planning early, both to have the time to apply for grants and to work their project time around their class schedule. 

Research Grants

Many students want to get involved within the University of Iowa research community, but they might be unsure of how exactly to get started. Additionally, students already engaged in their projects may find difficulty in the funding of their research or other necessary expenses. 

Fortunately, the Office of Undergraduate Research [OUR] works with students to assist them in their endeavors and make research accessible. For example, the OUR holds seminars and workshops to help undergraduate students pitch their research plans and design posters. 

Riley McCoy is a second-year ambassador for the OUR and a member of the Honors Program. He is majoring in biomedical engineering, and researches a variety of topics in neuroscience labs, such as trying to understand the development of Alzheimer's. McCoy recommended that the best way to get started in undergraduate research is to first volunteer in labs. Additionally, he advised to not be afraid to reach out and send emails to professors with ideas or questions. 

McCoy stated, “Research has helped me fulfill a lot of the requirements of the Honors Program, but in a meaningful way.”

The funding McCoy has received has given him many opportunities such as being able to intend an international conference in San Diego. He suggests taking advantage of every opportunity available to use, such as applying for awards and grants.

Honors TAs for Intro to Honors and Second Year Seminar

A pair of honors program courses, Intro to Honors HONR:1000 and Honors Second Year Seminar HONR:2990, help students get the most out of their honors education and propel them to University Honors, the recognition awarded at graduation. Honors students serving as undergraduate teaching assistants (TAs) play an important part in instruction for these courses, providing feedback to students and serving as a relatable contact for members. Past students are excellent candidates to apply for a future TA role. 

In addition to the funding they receive, TAs report gains in both personal and professional development.

“Being a TA has allowed me to grow in my connection to the honors program as well as helped me to make valuable connections with my peers,” Ava Schaldecker, a chemistry major, wrote after serving as an honors TA this past year. “As well, I was able to work on my leadership skills and grow confidence in myself,” she added.

Honors Writing Fellows

Honors students who are passionate about writing or mentoring might be interested in becoming an Honors Writing Fellow. Fellows receive $700 a semester for their first year in the program and $800 for every subsequent semester.

Each of the program’s 25-30 fellows is assigned to a course on campus, where they provide feedback on writing assignments and offer one-on-one tutoring to struggling students. Many fellows might find that interacting with students is their favorite part of the job.

Honors Writing Fellow Disha Patel certainly does. As an avid writer, Patel appreciates when others take the time to comment on her work, and she enjoys filling that role for other emerging writers.

”When I meet with students and talk with them, […] when they reaffirm that I’ve helped them, it feels so good,” Patel said. She recalled helping a student in her first semester who told her that she was the best tutor they had ever had. 

“It felt really good,” she added, “to know I made an impact on someone in that way.”