Undergraduate Fellowship 

The Center for Women welcomes applications for the Undergraduate Fellowship, which supports projects that explore issues related to women, gender, and/or sexuality. The fellowship supports research, service projects, and/or creative work.* We welcome proposals from all academic disciplines and encourage interdisciplinary work. Students of all gender identities are welcome to apply; we encourage students to apply for funding in anticipation of their junior or senior years of study. Students must be enrolled at St. Thomas during most or all of this time period and must apply with the support of a faculty sponsor. A $4,000 stipend will be awarded to the student to support work on the project, and a $1,500 stipend will be provided to the applicant’s faculty sponsor.  

 *One fellowship will be set aside each year for WGSS majors. 

Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria: 

  • the degree to which the project is focused on gender, women, and/or sexuality; 
  • the originality and significance of the proposal; 
  • the applicant’s familiarity with and use of appropriate methodologies; 
  • the clarity of the project’s objectives and plan of action; 
  • the overall academic strengths of the applicant and their potential for completing the project; 
  • the reasonableness of the project timeline, including IRB approval where applicable;
  • and the support of the faculty sponsor. 

The grants committee will give preference to applicants who have not before received support from the LDCW; similarly, the committee will take into consideration the applicant’s support from other university grant programs. 

Please note: The fellow must credit the Luann Dummer Center for Women in all research papers, publications, or other outcomes of the research. The fellow must submit a formal report and present their work to the Luann Dummer Center for Women community with a live presentation, filmed talk, detailed infographic/poster, social media campaign, or a written reflection for our magazine Many Voices.  

To Apply: 

The entire application, including cover sheet, proposal, and transcript (in that order), must be submitted as one PDF to centerforwomen@stthomas.edu, no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, March 15, 2024. Members of the LDCW Advisory Board will then review applications and notify applicants of their decision. Applications must include: 

1. A cover sheet with the following information:

  • name, major, ID number, mailing address, phone number, and e-mail address; 
  • the project’s title and an abstract (fewer than 100 words); 
  • the faculty sponsor's name, department, and e-mail address. 

2. A detailed proposal, single-spaced, no more than three pages, which includes: 

  • a discussion of the project’s goals and significance; 
  • an overview of relevant scholarship/literature, including important citations;
  • a description of the project’s activities and methods; 
  • a detailed timetable for the project with weekly objectives and activities; 
  • a description of the applicant’s background and/or preparation for this research; 
  • and a discussion of how the project fits into your development as a scholar. 

3. A Transcript (unofficial is acceptable)

4. A letter of support from your faculty sponsor

An example of a winning proposal from the previous year will be provided upon request.