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Chesapeake Watershed CESU Student Award Information
Students are invited to self nominate.
Deadline extended to Monday, June 2, 2025
The Chesapeake Watershed (CW) CESU Student Award recognizes students who make outstanding contributions to a CW CESU facilitated research project. The awards are given annually as funding allows. In 2025, we will offer 1-3 awards, with honorariums up to $1,000 each. Honorable mention awards without honorariums may also be awarded at the discretion of the selection committee and CW CESU Director.
Nominations, including student self nominations, must be emailed to Rhonda Schwinabart (rschwinabart@umces.edu) by the extended deadline of Monday, June 2, 2025.
Eligibility:
Any undergraduate or graduate student (Masters or Ph.D.) at a CW CESU higher education partner institution involved in a CW CESU funded project is eligible for the award. The student must have been enrolled at the institution at the time the CW CESU funded project took place and must have remained enrolled within two years of the application deadline.
Criteria:
Students receiving the CW CESU Student Award are recognized for exemplary efforts beyond a project’s standard outlined expectations. Evidence of outstanding contributions could include, but are not limited to:
A significant direct contribution to the management of a natural or cultural resource from a federal manager’s perspective. Please provide details of how the student’s efforts made a direct and significant impact on resource management and conservation efforts.
A significant direct contribution to public engagement with a natural or cultural resource.
A significant academic product such as a published journal article* or a technical report of exceptional note. Please provide details of the student’s participation in writing the article or report and of the product’s significance.
* academic publications will be weighted in the committee review of application materials.
Required materials:
Letter of support from either the principal investigator at the research institution or the lead at the federal agency detailing the exceptional contribution(s) of the student and explaining why it is an outstanding contribution.
Student’s CV
Recommended additional nomination materials:
While not required, nominators are strongly encouraged to include supporting materials. Examples could include the following:
Copies of publications– journal articles, technical reports
Media– news articles, television or radio interview recordings
Links to recordings of seminars or workshops led by student
Photos
Graphic, audio/visual, or computer-generated materials created by student as part of project.
Selection Process and Timeline:
A committee of CW CESU partners will review nominations and select recipients. The nomination period will be open for at least 30 days each year in the spring. Selection will take place in June and students will receive awards at the annual CW CESU meeting to be held in October.
Questions? Contact Rhonda Schwinabart at rschwinabart@umces.edu.
Application/Nomination Form (PDF)
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