2026-27 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 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 11:59pm US Central Time, January 26, 2026

Click here to apply for these awards. Each fellowship requires a 300-word explanation of how you meet the award criteria.

Alumni Society Advanced Study Scholarship

Full-time new or current graduate students in any CEHD department or program are eligible.

John and Grace Cogan Graduate Research Fellowship

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), College of Education and Human Development, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, according to the following guidelines: 

• Based upon financial need after exhausting other research grant sources; 

• Doing an MA or PhD thesis project requiring collection of field data abroad; 

• MA students should not be disadvantaged in competition for these funds.

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).

Education Iconics Fellowship

To be eligible for this award, a graduate student must either be doing research in the field of Education Iconics, or be interested in starting a research project in the field. 

The field of Education Iconics is about studying educational images and analyzing their meaning, and/or conducting thematic analysis of their meaning(s). Education Iconics research can focus on popular culture, media, social media, photographs, or other visual representations of education (P-20), both in the U.S., and internationally.

Shirley M. and John P Clark Fellowship 

Criteria: Provide funding for graduate fellowships in the Department of Organizational, Leadership and Policy Development in the College of Education and Human Development. 

Graduate student must be full-time, in good academic standing, and have potential in their field of post-secondary/higher education.

Hauge Graduate Fellowship

Purpose: To support OLPD graduate students

Required: 

• MA, MEd, EdD, or PhD student in any OLPD program

• Full-time enrollment

Frank R. Braun Fellowship in International Development Education 

Required:

• Full time PhD students in Comparative and International Development Education (LIIE and CIDE PhD).

• Demonstrated financial need and academic merit.

Preferred:

• Students who are planning to conduct international research or to present their research at an international conference.

Ayers L. Bagley Fellowship in Education

Required:

• Full-time graduate students with exceptional potential in their field. 

Preferred:

• Students who have a demonstrated interest in studying the sociocultural foundations of education, and the visual history of education. 

Donald Draayer Fellowship for School Leadership Development

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.

Bonnie and Clark Kirkpatrick Scholarship Fund for Educational Leadership

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.

Neal C. Nickerson, Jr., Fund for Student Support in Educational Administration

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.

David Kenneth Pedersen Memorial Fellowship for Future School Leaders

Required:

• Graduate students in OLPD EPL programs able to demonstrate an intent to pursue a career in school leadership. 

Marilyn M. Sauer School Leaders of Tomorrow Fellowship

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. 

Mitchell D. Trockman Fund for School Leadership Development

Purpose: To promote the growth of students to become future public school leaders and educators. 

Required:

• Students in Education Policy and Leadership MA or PhD program

Preferred:

• Career intentions include actively participating in, studying, or influencing educational leadership and support for faculty whose scholarly work directly relates to school leadership.

Mary Corcoran Endowed Fellowship Fund in Evaluation Studies

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.

Dr. Gary D. Geroy and Catherine Miller-Geroy Fellowship

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.

Gary N. McLean Legacy Fellowship in Human Resource Development

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

Sharon E.D. and Louis N. Quast Memorial Fellowship

Required:

• Full-time Ph.D. students in Human Resource Development

• Academic merit