• Purpose of the Handbook
• Welcome to Botany
• Advisement
• Botany Courses
• Botany Major
• Botany Minor/BIS
• Student Portfolio
• Botany Thesis
• Scholarships
• Careers in Botany

Botany Student Handbook

Scholarships

Students who major in Botany are eligible for University scholarships, College of Science scholarships, and Botany Department scholarships and activity tuition waivers.  You must update your WSU student file in order to be eligible for any scholarships.  You can access your file through the eWeber portal.  The deadline to update your file for 2011-2012 scholarships is January 10, 2011. 

The deadline to apply for scholarships in the College of Science for 2011-2012 is January 10, 2011.

Combined application form for all Botany scholarships and the activity waiver

Botany Department Scholarships

Botany Faculty and Staff Scholarship
        This scholarship is funded by donations by the faculty and staff of the Botany Department.  The usual award pays ½ tuition and ½ fees.

Botany Club Scholarship
        This scholarship is funded from the proceeds of the annual Botany Club Plant Sale.  The usual award pays ½ tuition and ½ fees.

Cyrus McKell Scholarship
        This scholarship is funded from an endowment by Dr. Cyrus McKell.  Dr. McKell was a former dean of the College of Science and member of the Botany Department faculty.  The value of the award varies slightly from year to year, depending on what the endowment earns, but typically is around $250.

Nancy J. Clark Memorial Scholarship
         The Nancy J. Clark Memorial Botany Scholarship will be selected by the Botany Scholarship Committee, in consultation with Stephen Clark and other family members, based on a two page statement indicating how the applicant's goals emulate Nancy’s ideas regarding the preservation of indigenous people and the land where they live and/or natural materials.

The following criteria shall be used by the Botany Department faculty to determine scholarship recipients.  The criteria are not necessarily rank ordered, nor should they be considered absolute, but they shall serve as guidelines for the selection process.  For example, should no applicant meet the minimum criteria identified, the department may still choose to grant a scholarship to the most qualified.  Above all, fairness is of the essence.

• Shall be a full-time student (i.e., 12 semester  hrs. minimum) throughout the contract period.
• Must be a Botany major at time of application.
• Must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 overall.
• Must have a minimum G.P.A. of 3.5  in Botany courses that count toward the Botany Major.
• Must have completed 12 semester hours of Botany courses that count toward the Botany Major.  (If you will complete 12 semester hours by the end of the Spring semester in which you apply, you will qualify for the scholarship.)
• Shall submit a one-page discussion of how the scholarship will benefit the recipient.

Botany Department Activity Tuition Waivers

In addition to the three scholarships listed above, the Botany Department has two activity tuition waivers to award.  Each activity tuition waiver provides a ½ tuition waiver.  The waiver does not include student fees or other special fees assessed by the University.  The activity tuition waiver is for two consecutive semesters, Autumn and Spring; it may not be used for Summer semester. The following criteria shall be used by the Botany Department faculty and staff to determine activity tuition waiver recipients.  The criteria are not necessarily rank ordered nor should they be considered absolute, but they serve as guidelines for the selection process.  For example, should no applicant meet the minimum criteria identified, the department may still choose to grant a fellowship to the most qualified.

• Shall be a full-time student (i.e. 12 semester hours minimum) throughout the contract period.
• Must be a Botany major at time of application.
• Must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 overall.
• Must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in Botany courses that count toward the Botany Major.
• Must have completed 12 semester hours of Botany courses that count toward the Botany Major.  (If you will complete 12 semester hours by the end of Spring semester in which you apply, you will qualify for the fellowship.)
• Must be an active member of the Botany Club and an elected officer of the Botany Club.