School of
Integrative Biology
Undergraduate

Undergraduate Financial Support

School of Integrative Biology
Undergraduate 2023 Awards

The School of Integrative Biology is pleased to offer awards, scholarships, and internships to undergraduates majoring in Integrative Biology or Integrative Biology Honors. These awards have been made possible by generous donations by friends of the School of Integrative Biology.

Full descriptions of all these awards, scholarships, and internships may be found below.

Award and scholarship funds will be deposited into University of Illinois student accounts. Any existing debt to the University will be offset by this deposit. For individuals with financial aid, any award value that exceeds the cost of attendance budget will reduce other forms of aid. For concerns or questions regarding the effect on existing financial aid, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at (217) 333-0100.

Summer internships will be paid on a bi-weekly schedule following the completion of standard time reporting. Awardees will be required to commit to a 10-week, full-time job to be completed in Summer 2023. Awardees will be required to complete appropriate payroll documentation along with verification of United States employment eligibility.

There are many additional sources of financial support that students can utilize to offset cost of attendance at Illinois. In addition to the School of Integrative Biology awards and scholarships, students are encouraged to explore other avenues outlined here:

General financial support and scholarship information: Support for study abroad: Support for research: Other support:

Application Process for SIB Undergraduates

  • To apply, please fill out this Application form with all required application materials by 5 pm Monday, February 27th, 2023.
  • You do not need to submit a letter of reference at this time. If one is required, it will be solicited from you by the awards committee.
  • Be sure to read the instructions for submission for each award carefully, as some awards have specific instructions and/or require additional materials.
  • Questions may be directed to sibundergrad@life.illinois.edu.

Undergraduate Award Descriptions and Eligibility Requirements

  • Delcomyn International Study in Biology Award

    Description: In 2008, Dr. Fred Delcomyn and Nancy A. Delcomyn established the “Delcomyn International Study in Biology Award” to benefit undergraduate students majoring in Integrative Biology who wish to take advantage of educational opportunities in biology outside the United States and Canada. Such activities may include but are not limited to research projects, intersession courses, or courses offered by the Organization of Tropical Studies, that are held outside of the United States of America

    Eligibility

    • Current undergraduate student majoring in Integrative Biology or Integrative Biology Honors.
    • A minimum GPA of 3.0.
    • A research project approved by the SIB Director or acceptance to a course or conference outside the US or Canada.
    • A statement (no longer than 2 pages) describing the research to be conducted and its significance, or the benefit applicant expects to receive by attending the international course or conference.
    • A detailed budget. The budget should detail the cost of airfare and/or course costs. Funds will not be provided for lodging or meals.
    • Letter of support from a faculty member.

    Additional Information

    Applications will be reviewed throughout the year as they are received by the School of Integrative Biology administrative office (286 Morrill Hall or sib@life.illinois.edu). Applications will be accepted until funds for the year are exhausted.

    Application Process

    Download the cover sheet (docx) and submit application electronically to the Undergraduate Awards Committee, sib@life.illinois.edu. Please use the subject line [YOUR NAME] 2023 Delcomyn Award.

    Questions may be directed to sib@life.illinois.edu

  • Camp Family Undergraduate Student Research + iBio Summer Internship

    Description: Thanks to a generous gift by the Camp Family and funds from the School of Integrative Biology, this award will support a full-time (40 hours / week for 10 weeks) summer research experience in the lab of a School of Integrative Biology faculty member.

    Eligibility

    • Current Freshmen, Sophomores or Juniors
    • Minimum 3.0 GPA
    • Must be willing and able to engage in full time (40 hours/week) mentored research for 10 weeks during summer 2023.
    • Graduate of a high school in the State of Illinois.
    • Donors wish to support and help first generation college students.

  • SIB Summer internship

    Description: This award will support a full-time (40 hours / week for 10 weeks) summer research experience in the lab of a School of Integrative Biology Faculty member.

    Eligibility

    • Current Freshmen, Sophomores or Juniors
    • Minimum 3.0 GPA
    • Must be willing and able to engage in full time (40 hours/week) mentored research for 10 weeks during summer 2023.

  • Spyros Kavouras Memorial Undergraduate Student Research + iBio summer internship

    Description: Thanks to a generous gift by Dr. Jerry Kavouras and funds from the School of Integrative Biology, this award will support a full-time (40 hours / week for 10 weeks) summer research experience in the lab of a School of Integrative Biology Faculty member.

    Eligibility

    • Current Freshmen, Sophomores or Juniors
    • Minimum 3.0 GPA
    • Must be willing and able to engage in full time (40 hours/week) mentored research for 10 weeks during summer 2023.
    • Donor wishes to support and help first generation college students.

  • Robert H. Davis Undergraduate Research Prize

    Description: Rob Davis had completed all his coursework for a major in Integrative Biology when he died tragically at age 21 in February 2008 from a bacterial infection. This prize has been funded by a generous gift from Rob's family and is intended to recognize "a student who exhibits significant academic curiosity, is hardworking and motivated...(with) interests outside of academia, such as the arts, sports, politics or literature and who is generally inquisitive about life."

    Eligibility

    • Current Sophomores or Juniors working in an SIB/organismal biology relevant field of study on the UIUC campus, but not necessarily within a SIB faculty member's laboratory or research program.
    • Applicants must provide evidence for outstanding academic achievement in the biological sciences; however, GPA will not be the sole determinative factor.
    • Applicant should be one who is currently prevented from engaging in undergraduate research to the extent s/he desires, because s/he must be gainfully employed to pay college expenses. The award is intended to supplement the applicant's finances to allow a semester or summer of research.
    • Interests outside of academia, such as the arts, sports, politics or literature and who is generally inquisitive about life.
    • Letter of reference from research advisor

  • Joann Kavouras Memorial Scholarship in IB

    Description: Thanks to the generous gift from Dr. Jerry Kavouras, this award will support scholarships to undergraduate IB students.

    Eligibility

    • Current Sophomores or Juniors
    • Donor wishes to give preference to students who are female, sophomore, and graduate of a high school in the state of Illinois.
    • Additional preference may be given to students who have a minimum of 3.0 out of 4.0 grade point average and are first generation college students.

  • Mildred Parizek Zukor Award

    Description: This award, made possible by the donor and her family, recognizes outstanding achievement in undergraduate research in Animal Biology, Zoology, or Evolution, Ecology & Behavior.

    Eligibility

    • Current Juniors or Seniors
    • At least one completed semester of IB 390 or 490
    • Plans to continue as a graduate student on the UIUC campus
    • Letter of reference from research advisor

  • Alumni and Friends Awards

    Description: These awards have been made possible thanks to several donations from our alumni and friends. Their support has allowed SIB to offer unparalleled educational and research opportunities for our students. These scholarships have given our students access to additional resources, trainings, meetings, and more as they build their research skills and grow their careers.

    Eligibility

    • Current undergraduate student majoring in Integrative Biology or Integrative Biology Honors.

  • Dr. Stewart D. Fordham Undergraduate Award in Integrative Biology Fund

    Description: This award, made possible by a generous donation by Dr. Fordham, supports an undergraduate scholarship.

    Eligibility

    • Students who complete their undergraduate degree program during the next academic year.
    • Must be planning on attending medical school immediately after graduation.

IB Honors Only

  • Oliver J. Bell Merit Scholarship in Integrative Biology

    Description: This award, made possible by a generous donation from Mr. Bell, recognizes an outstanding sophomore in the Integrative Biology Honors Program.

    Eligibility

    • Current sophomore enrolled in the School of Integrative Biology Honors Program

  • IBH Sophomore Achievement Scholarship

    Description: This award recognizes outstanding achievement for a sophomore currently enrolled in the School of Integrative Biology Honors Program.

    Eligibility

    • Current sophomore enrolled in the School of Integrative Biology Honors Program
    • Must provide evidence for outstanding achievements in academics and leadership activities

  • IBH Junior Achievement Scholarship

    Description: This award recognizes outstanding achievement for a junior currently enrolled in the School of Integrative Biology Honors Program.

    Eligibility

    • Current junior enrolled in the School of Integrative Biology Honors Program
    • Must provide evidence for outstanding achievements in academics and leadership activities

  • Judy Willis Scholarship

    Description: This award is made possible by a generous donation by faculty in recognition of Dr. Judy Willis (currently a professor emeritus at the University of Georgia). Prior to teaching at UGA, she was a professor in the honors program for many years. This award recognizes an outstanding junior in the Integrative Biology Honors Program.

    Eligibility

    • Current junior enrolled in the School of Integrative Biology Honors Program
    • Preference given to a student involved in research

Departmental Awards

  • Entomology Undergraduate Research Award

    Description: It is a long-standing priority of the Department of Entomology to provide high-quality research experiences to undergraduates. This annual award recognizes outstanding achievement in undergraduate research in the field of entomology.

    Eligibility

    • Current undergraduate student enrolled in any program at UIUC who has conducted significant research involving insects or other arthropods with a faculty member or affiliate of the Department of Entomology.
    • Preference given to undergraduate students who research has resulted in a peer-reviewed publication.

  • Dr. Lowell L. Getz and Mary R. Getz Undergraduate Research Award in EEB

    Description: This award was established by Dr. Lowell L. Getz and his wife, Mary R. Getz, to support undergraduate research in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior. Dr. Lowell Getz was a faculty member in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior from 1962 to his retirement in 1997. Dr. Getz’s research focused on ecology and animal behavior in mammals, specifically on voles.

    Eligibility

    • Current UIUC undergraduates conducting research with faculty or affiliate faculty members in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior.

  • Graesser Fund in Plant Biology

    Description: This award is to be used to support undergraduate research awards in the Department of Plant Biology. Thanks to a generous donation from University of Illinois alumnus Robert J. Graesser, an award will be made annually to support one undergraduate researcher’s activities in a Plant Biology laboratory or field research program.

    Eligibility

    • Current UIUC undergraduate student who is performing research in the laboratory of a faculty member in Plant Biology.