2024-25 OLPD Funding Awards
The Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development invites graduate students to apply for a range of Fellowships provided by our generous alumni and community donors. Students who win an award one year may not be eligible for the same award in the future, but can apply for different awards.
Please read the eligibility criteria for each of the Fellowships below and apply directly to those for which you are qualified. Please contact Dr. Jeremy Hernandez (herna220@umn.edu) if you have any questions.
Please note:
Students currently taking GRAD 999 are not eligible for these Fellowships.
Students using the Regents Scholarship employee benefit are not eligible for these fellowships (as per University policy).
Unless otherwise noted, students receiving fellowships must be enrolled full-time or taking OLPD 8333/8444 the semester(s) an award is distributed.
“Full-time enrollment” for certain fellowships requires six hours per semester.
The application due date for all Fellowships is April 30, 2024
Dr. Judith A. and Edward Bergauer Fellowship
Up to three awards for $5,000 each
Eligible Students: Educational Policy and Leadership or students enrolled in administrative licensure programs in other program areas
Purpose of Fellowship: To provide financial support to students.
Required:
OLPD student enrolled full-time or part-time pursuing a degree or certificate in the Educational Policy and Leadership track and/or in an administrative licensure program
Be able to demonstrate academic merit
Be able to demonstrate potential and commitment to achieving their professional goals as public school leaders, including, but not limited to, principals, superintendents, and directors of special education or curriculum
Preferred: Preference will be given for students:
who have overcome obstacles to achieve their educational goals.
who will enhance the diversity of the student body as described by the University.
who are underrepresented at the University or in the applicable major or program at the time of the award.
Dr. Gary D. Geroy and Catherine Miller-Geroy Fellowship
Up to two awards for $5,000 each
Purpose of Fellowship: The purpose of the Fund is to provide financial support to students at the University of Minnesota.
Required:
OLPD HRD student (PhD students preferred)
US resident (preference for those from Minnesota, especially rural Minnesota)
Enrolled full-time Are able to demonstrate financial need and academic merit;
Preferred:
Doctoral students with advanced standing (passed the oral preliminary exam)
Students who plan to pursue a faculty role after graduation.
Ray R. Price Fellowship
Up to five awards for $2,000
Purpose of Fellowship: To provide funding for graduate fellowships in the Human Resource Development program.
Required:
Must be an OLPD student in the HRD program track (MA, MEd, PhD or EdD)
Enrolled full-time
Preferred:
Preference to those focusing on any aspects of education and human development in business organizational contexts.
John and Grace Cogan Graduate Research Fellowship
Up to three awards for $2,500 each
Purpose: To provide payments to full-time graduate students at the MA or PhD level doing thesis/dissertation work in the Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development (OLPD)
Required:
PhD, EdD, or MA (Plan A only) student
Enrolled full-time
Must have completed all required coursework and preliminary exams (if PhD) and be in the research or writing stage.
Preferred:
Students who require data collection fieldwork in international settings (outside of the US).
Camille S. Wall Fund
Up to four awards for $3,000 each
Purpose: Scholarships for graduate students in the Human Resource Development track.
Required:
Must be an OLPD graduate student in HRD, Adult Education, or WHRE (MEd, MA, EdD, or PhD).
Must be enrolled full-time
Must show interest in any aspect of Workforce Education
Gary N. McLean Legacy Fellowship in Human Resource Development
One award for $5,000
Purpose: The fellowship will be awarded to promising graduate students who will further the legacy of Gary McLean to the profession and academic discipline of Human Resource Development
Required:
Graduate student in HRD, Adult Education, or WHRE (MEd, MA, EdD, or PhD)
Must be enrolled full-time
Preferred
Advanced PhD student
Mary E. Corcoran Endowment for Policy and Evaluation Studies (Award #4192)
Up to seven awards for $5,000 each (three will be distributed to MA students)
Purpose: To enrich the academic experiences of graduate students in educational policy or evaluation studies.
Required:
PhD, EdD, or MA OLPD student studying educational policy topics or in the Evaluation Studies program track
Must be enrolled full-time
Demonstrated interest in educational policy or evaluation studies issues
Educational Evaluation and Policy Studies Fellowship Fund (Award #6027)
Up to four awards for $5,000 each
Purpose: To support graduate students working on their doctoral degree.
Required:
Enrolled in a PhD or EdD program
Must be enrolled full-time
Applicant’s research interests focus on evaluation or policy studies.
Mary Corcoran Endowed Fellowship Fund in Evaluation Studies (Award# 6417)
Up to three awards for $3,500 each
Purpose: To support graduate students who are working on their doctoral degree in any department of the College of Education & Human Development with research interests in evaluation or measurement.
Required:
Must be an OLPD graduate student in a PhD or EdD program
Must be enrolled full-time
Applicant’s research interests focus on evaluation, measurement, or policy studies.
Burkhardt Endowed Fellowship
Up to three awards for $3,500 each
Purpose: To provide funding for fellowships for students who are doing graduate work in some aspect of organizational leadership, policy, and development.
Required:
MEd, MA, EdD, or PhD student in any OLPD program,
Must be enrolled full-time
Preferred:
Students who are US citizens
First generation students
Frank R. Braun Fellowship in International Development Education
Up to one award for $2,500
Purpose: To be used to provide financial support to full-time graduate students working toward their PhD studying Comparative and International Development Education (CIDE).
Required:
Must be a PhD student in the CIDE program
Must be enrolled full-time ((LIIE students are eligible if enrolled in six credits per semester)
Financial need
Record of academic merit
Preferred:
Students who are planning to conduct international research or to present their research at an international conference
Neal C. Nickerson, Jr., Fund for Student Support in Educational Administration
Up to one award for $2,000
Purpose: To support graduate students in educational administration within the Department of Organizational Leadership Policy and Development.
Required:
Must be an OLPD graduate student (MA, MEd, PhD or EdD) in an educational administration (PK-12) field
Full time and part-time students are eligible
Preferred:
School administrators pursuing a PhD or an administrative license while in another OLPD degree program.
Bonnie and Clark Kirkpatrick Scholarship Fund for Educational Leadership
Up to one award for $1,000
Purpose: To provide financial support to OLPD graduate students.
Required:
MA, MEd, EdD, or PhD student in any OLPD program
Full-time enrollment
Financial need
Record of academic merit
Preferred:
Students who contribute to the diversity of OLPD.
Hauge Graduate Fellowship
Up to one award for $1,900
Purpose: To support OLPD graduate students
Required:
MA, MEd, EdD, or PhD student in any OLPD program
Full-time enrollment
David Kenneth Pedersen Memorial Fellowship for Future School Leaders
Up to one award for $2,500
Purpose: To provide financial support to students
Required:
OLPD degree or Administrative Licensure program
Full- and part-time students are eligible
Financial need
Demonstration of academic merit
Students who seek to pursue a career in school leadership.
Marilyn M. Sauer School Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship
Up to one award for $2,500
Purpose: To provide financial support to graduate students who have the potential to assume future educational leadership positions as demonstrated by professional experience, academic performance, or community leadership,
Required:
Administrative Licensure students
Full or part-time students are eligible
Demonstration of academic merit
Preferred:
Students who intend to serve as school principals in the future.
Donald Draayer Fellowship for School Leadership Development
Up to one award for $1,000
Purpose: The purpose of the Fund is to provide financial support to students at the University of Minnesota.
Required:
PhD student in OLPD
Full-time and part-time students are eligible
Financial need
Demonstration of academic merit
Preferred:
Students who intend to make public service their primary goal through public K-12 education
Students who demonstrate who have a love of collaboration and a commitment to lifelong learning
Students who demonstrate commitment to supporting learning opportunities for all students.