Scholarships and Awards

Freshmen $1,000 per year for four (4) years

Transfer $500 per year for four (4) years

The Department of History and Geography’s most generous award, the Chair’s Excellence Scholarships, fund incoming Freshman and transfer students pursuing majors in History.

Freshman applicants must have a minimum 3.5 high school GPA. The scholarship renews automatically for up to four consecutive years provided that the recipient maintains status as a History major with a minimum 3.5 GPA in History courses and a minimum overall GPA of 3.25.

Transfer applicants must have a minimum 3.25 GPA in all college-level courses with a minimum 3.5 GPA in any History courses. The award renews automatically for up to four consecutive years provided that the recipient maintains status as a History major with a minimum 3.5 GPA in History courses and a minimum overall GPA of 3.25.

Applications for both awards consist of full transcripts and a short essay written in response to a provided prompt.

Chair’s Excellence Scholarships are made possible thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors.

Maurice Lee Barksdale and C. Donald Babers are proud UTA alumni who have generously established an endowment to honor outstanding undergraduate students in the History and Geography Department. This endowment currently funds two (2) two-year scholarships for which recipients receive $1,000 each year. Applicants must have earned nine (9) upper-division credit hours in History with a GPA in History of at least 3.7. This GPA must be maintained for the scholarship to be renewed for the second year. Applications will include one or more letters of recommendation and a writing sample from a History course.

$3,000

This one-time award provides up to $3,000 to offset costs associated with intensive summer foreign language study or a study abroad experience. Applicants must be declared History majors who have achieved Sophomore or Junior standing and have completed a minimum of four (4) semesters of coursework in a single foreign language with a minimum GPA of 3.25 in History and 3.5 GPA in all language courses.

The department’s Foreign Language Acquisition Awards are made possible thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors and matching funds from UTA’s McDowell Center for Global Studies and Department of Modern Languages.

$1,000

Open only to non-History majors

This competitive one-time award from the Department of History and Geography provides up to $1,000 to students who successfully complete a Minor in the History of Technology and Science (HoTS). Applicants must be non-History majors with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their History courses.

Prospective applicants should complete all HoTS Minor requirements no later than their next-to last semester of coursework at UTA to ensure that the full amount of the +History award is available to defray educational expenses during their last semester of study. (e.g. students expecting to graduate in the Spring semester should complete the HoTS Minor no later than the prior Fall).

(Note: Students who have been awarded a +History Prize are ineligible for the +History Fellowship)

Applications will include the submission of a short “impact statement” (est. 350-500 words) describing how a historically based understanding of STEM-related subjects has improved and/or enhanced their educational experience and preparation for professional life.

+History Fellowships are made possible thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors.

$500

Open only to undergraduate majors in the College of Engineering; College of Science; and College of Nursing and Health Innovation

This competitive one-time award from the Department of History and Geography provides up to $500 to students who successfully complete a Certificate in the History of Technology and Science (HoTS). Applicants must be undergraduate students pursuing a major in the College of Engineering, College of Science, or College of Nursing and Health Innovation with a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their History courses.

Prospective applicants should complete all HoTS Certificate requirements no later than their next-to last semester of coursework at UTA to ensure that the full amount of the +History award is available to defray educational expenses during their last semester of study. (e.g. students expecting to graduate in the Spring semester should complete the HoTS Certificate no later than the previous Fall).

Applications will include the submission of a short “impact statement” (est. 350-500 words) describing how a historically based understanding of STEM-related subjects has improved and/or enhanced their educational experience and preparation for professional life.

+History Prizes are made possible thanks to the generosity of anonymous donors.

This award is given to the best essay written during the previous calendar year by an undergraduate in a history course at UT-Arlington. Applications for this award will include the essay as well as a letter of support from the faculty member for whom the essay was written. Award amount varies, but in recent years has been at least $150.

The Jenkins Garrett Award was established by the children of Jenkins Garrett to honor their father for his generous contributions of Greater Southwestern Studies archival materials to UTA Libraries' Special Collections Division. The annual award of $500 recognizes the best undergraduate or graduate student paper researched primarily in the Special Collections Division of the UTA Libraries. Application materials will include the essay and a letter of support from the professor of the course in which the essay was written.

The Virginia Garrett Award in Cartographic History commends the vision and commitment of Mrs. Virginia Garrett in interpreting and preserving cartographic history. Each year the Garrett Endowed Chair in the History of Cartography, Dr. Imre Demhardt, selects the best undergraduate or graduate student research paper in cartographic history. The award consists of a $500 cash prize and recognition at the Virginia Garrett Lectures, or, in alternate years, at the fall meeting of the Texas Map Society. Self-nominations for this award will include the essay and a letter of support from the professor for whom it was written.

The Ida V. Hall and George Kohfeldt Scholarship in Southwestern Studies salutes an undergraduate student each year, for the student’s interest in and excellent scholarship in relation to the Native American heritage of this region. This generous recognition in the amount of $500, which was given by Ms. Ida Hall of Dallas, is presented through UTA’s Center for Greater Southwestern Studies and the History of Cartography. For information on applying for this award, including application process and deadline, please contact the director of the Center for Greater Southwestern Studies, Dr. Sam Haynes at haynes@uta.edu.

Ms. Virginia M. Lepenski has generously supported an annual scholarship award of $1,000 to a full-time student majoring in History who demonstrates financial need. Requirements for this award include a FAFSA submission, junior standing, an overall GPA of 3.5, one or more letters of recommendation, and a personal statement of 500-1,000 words addressing the student’s decision to major in history and their career goals.

The Joseph and Barbara Penshorn award recognizes exceptional students majoring in the academic field of History. This award is granted to a student who has demonstrated an outstanding track record of success within the major. Selection is based on GPA, credit hours, one or more letters of recommendation, and a sample of written work. The award amount in recent years has been $1,000.

Established to commemorate the Department of History and Geography’s longest-serving faculty member, the Rodnitzky Prize in the History of Popular Culture is open to History students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels interested in pursuing projects that explore and interpret expressions of popular culture such as music, film, etc. The prize provides up to $500 to support research-related expenses and/or conference travel.

Prospective awardees should submit applications one full semester in advance of their expected date of need. Applications for prizes to be utilized during a Spring semester are due to the Department no later than October 15; applications for Fall semester prizes are due by March 15.

Requirements for this award include a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 with a minimum GPA of 3.5 in History courses. Applicants should include a narrative statement describing the nature of the proposed research project along with a letter of support from a sponsoring faculty member.

By the time the award semester begins applicants must have 60 or more hours with 30 hours at UTA, a GPA of 3.85 or above and demonstrated financial need (on a FAFSA form submitted to the financial aid office). In other words, students can apply in the spring when they have 50 hours and only 24 at UTA if by the time they will receive the money they will have at least 60 overall and 30 at UTA.

Open to Political Science, History or Sociology majors who demonstrate leadership potential and financial need (on a FAFSA form submitted to the financial aid office). Students must have completed 60 or more hours when the award semester begins and must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher; students must enroll in 12 or more hours. The Jordan Scholarship requires that students write an additional essay responding to one of the following three questions:

• What do you consider to be Barbara Jordan's most significant political and/or social achievement?
• How did she effect political change in the U.S.?
• How have her life and accomplishments influenced you?

For more information on the Greater Arlington/Mansfield Democratic Women, visit their website.

Must be a major in a department in the College of Liberal Arts and must have completed 60 hours of coursework at any four-year institution and earned a GPA of 3.85 or higher. The award winner must enroll in at least 12 hours for the remaining 4 semesters and earn at least a 3.5 GPA in each. Funds will only be disbursed after the GPA for each semester has been confirmed as at or above a 3.5.

Available to all Liberal Arts majors, can be used for transformative opportunities outside the classroom. May not be used to attend political conventions, political think tanks or political action committees.

Must be a full-time undergraduate during the previous fall and spring semester majoring in a Liberal Arts department, must not have participated in a UTA study abroad program. Preference for first generation students with demonstrated financial need, can be used for a summer, fall or spring study abroad program.

Available to Arlington ISD Seniors who will attend UTA; funds may only be used at UTA. Students will be judged on their graduating GPA, their national test scores, their record of service to their school and community, and a short essay on "Patriotism".

Students must submit:

• High school transcript
• Short autobiography that includes service to school and/or community
• Essay on “Patriotism” (1,000 words, two pages)

For more information about the undergraduate scholarships offered by the UTA College of Liberal Arts, contact Dr. Eric Bolsterli (Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs) at: ericjb@uta.edu