Burlington Gem and Mineral Club

POLICY AND PROCEDURES

The primary goal of the Burlington Gem and Mineral Club (BGMC) Ethel and William Schuele Scholarship is to promote and support original research on Vermont geology by undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a college or university within New England or New York.   The scholarship does not seek to cover all of the researcher's expenses but instead should be viewed as a professional endorsement of the research endeavor.   Requests for scholarships are judged on how well the proposed research will advance the science of geology and its related branches within the State of Vermont.   One scholarship will be awarded on a competitive basis per calendar year.   The policy for applying for and awarding the scholarship is outlined below.

Eligibility

Undergraduate and graduate students who are undertaking original research projects on Vermont geology and related disciplines are eligible for the scholarship.   Scholarship applicants need not be members of the BGMC.   Graduate and undergraduate students must be currently enrolled in degree-granting institutions in Vermont and their research must be part of a degree requirement. Post-graduate students, college or university faculty, and institutions are not eligible.   The BGMC strongly encourages women, minorities, and people with disabilities to apply for this scholarship.   The research proposals will be evaluated on the basis of the feasibility and scientific merit of the project and on the abilities of the researcher.   Students are eligible for only one scholarship per degree pursued.

Scholarship Guidelines

The scholarship is in the amount of $1,000.00.   Students must submit a completed application form and two confidential letters of recommendation.   The letters of recommendation should be sent either directly to the BGMC or included with the scholarship application in sealed envelopes to preserve confidentiality.   The letters of recommendation will ordinarily come from the student's academic or thesis advisor and from one additional faculty member. References must discuss in detail the student's academic record in their letter of recommendation.

Rules for the Use of Scholarship Funds

Scholarship funds will ordinarily be used for expenses directly associated with the research proposed.

Responsibilities of Recipients

Scholarship recipients are encouraged to present their results at professional meetings as well as to publish them.   In both cases support by the BGMC must be acknowledged.   [Recipients who cannot undertake or complete their project must return any unused funds along with a written explanation of expenses incurred.]   Scholarships may be subject to tax by the IRS and the scholarship recipient is responsible for determining this.   Prior to graduation, all BGMC scholarship recipients are expected to 1) submit a written abstract of the results of their research to be published in the BGMC Newsletter, and 2) present their research at a regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the BGMC.

Applications

Scholarship applications are available for download from this page or by writing to: Burlington Gem and Mineral Club, c/o Warren D. Ellison, 325 Browns Trace Road, Jericho, VT 05465. The application should be typed and signed and then submitted together with the letters of recommendation.   The Scholarship Committee of the BGMC will review each application.   The decisions of this committee are final.

Deadline for Submission: postmarked by October 1, 2013.

Download the Scholarship Application Form:   Microsoft Word version