Image of 3 medical doctors looking at a clipboard

Community Health

Examine public health issues. Create innovative solutions. Build stronger communities. Learn about health and rehabilitation services, and become an agent of change.

Awards & Scholarships

Applications are now being accepted for undergraduate and graduate awards and scholarships. Applications are due Feb. 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.  Please note the following:

  • You are allowed to apply to more than one scholarship.
  • One application can be submitted for all scholarships and awards you are applying for.
  • You must be a student enrolled in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health (Interdisciplinary Health Sciences students are welcome).
  • Students in the Graduate Professional Programs (MPH, MHA, MSHT) are welcome to apply.
  • To be eligible for an award, you must be enrolled either full time or part time, during the spring 2024 semester.
     

Department of Health and Kinesiology

Graduate Scholarships and Awards

The Department of Health and Kinesiology is pleased to announce the availability of the awards for graduate students majoring in Kinesiology and Community Health. Students in Graduate Professional Programs (MPH, MHA, MSHT) are welcome to apply. The awards ceremony will take place at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Information describing each award and the eligibility criteria is listed below.  The application form can be found here: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1022129916.

Applications and recommendations are due Feb. 1, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

Reginald J. Alston Award for Excellence in Community Health and Rehabilitation: To provide support for a student award in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Preference shall be given to a student with a concentration in Rehabilitation. Special preference given to a student who is taking, has taken or will be taking scholarly work and applying it to a clinical and/or practical application within the community. If no one meets the above criteria, the award will be given to a student within a concentration in Community Health. For 2024, three $1,500 awards will be given.

Joanne M. and Charles M. Carraway Scholarship: Scholarship for students, in the Department of Health and Kinesiology who show academic merit, professional promise, and financial need. For 2024, five $2,000 awards will be given.

T. K. Cureton Physical Fitness Research Award: This award is to support research directed toward physical performance and fitness. The award is based upon the relative merits of a research proposal evaluated by a review committee. Graduate students must be enrolled in residence at the time the award is granted. For 2024, one $1,500 award will be given.

Kathleen M. Haywood Graduate Kinesiology Scholarship Fund: This award is to support graduate students studying kinesiology or physical education. For 2024, two $1,500 awards will be given.

Laura J. Huelster Award: Awarded to a graduate student in the kinesiology graduate curriculum working on their dissertation and who has successfully completed the required preliminary examination and accompanying requirements. For 2024, four $3,000 awards will be given.

Benjamin H. Massey Memorial Award: Awarded to a graduate student in the kinesiology program who is pursuing research in physical activity. For 2024, two $1,500 awards will be given.

Pam and Betty Milchrist Scholarship: The award will support graduate scholarships for kinesiology master’s or Ph.D. degree students. Recipients shall be students who focus on physical activity and quality of life for aging populations. Preference shall be given to students who focus on cognitive health and/or social cognitive factors resulting from elderly participation in meaningful movement activities. For 2024, one $1,000 award will be given.

Roger Winfield Morse Memorial Scholarship: To provide support for students in kinesiology who show academic merit, professional promise, and a financial need. This award is in memory of Roger Winfield Morse, Class of 1934. For 2024, three $1,500 awards will be given.

Ann E. Penstone Scholarship: Scholarship for graduate and undergraduate students, in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. For 2024, one $1,000 award will be given.

Karin A. Rosenblatt Community Health Graduate Scholarship: This award is to support graduate students in the field of Community Health. For 2024, three $2,000 awards will be given.

Robert L. Sprague Graduate Student Award: Awarded to a graduate student in the kinesiology program to help defray thesis expenses. This award is based upon academic merit. For 2024, one $1,000 award will be given.

Community Health Alumni Scholarship: Scholarships for students pursuing a degree in Community Health in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. For 2024, one $2,000 award will be given.

Submission Requirements

Please prepare the following items:

Brief Research Proposal (typed in APA format; 3 page maximum): Include an introduction indicating the purpose and significance of the research, a concise overview of the existing literature, a description of the study design, and the measurement and evaluation procedures to be employed. Note: A research proposal is not needed for students applying for the:

  • Reginald J. Alston Award for Excellence in Community Health and Rehabilitation
  • Joanne M. and Charles M. Carraway Scholarship
  • Kathleen M. Haywood Graduate Kinesiology Scholarship Fund
  • Pam and Betty Milchrist Scholarship
  • Roger Winfield Morse Memorial Scholarship
  • Ann E. Penstone Scholarship
  • Karin A. Rosenblatt Community Health Graduate Scholarship
  • Community Health Alumni Scholarship

Per APA format, please use one-inch margins, double spaced, 12-point type, Times New Roman font.

Vita: Include a current copy of your vita.

Narrative: Type a one-page narrative that describes your interest in your chosen field of study, career goals and reasons for deserving an award. Please use one-inch margins, double spaced, 12-point type, Times New Roman font.

Recommendations: Provide two recommendations - one from a faculty member supervising the research or graduate program, and one from a person familiar with your professional involvement (could also be a faculty member). Recommenders can submit their recommendations using this form: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1877397572.        

Financial Need: Please prepare a brief paragraph describing your financial need for the awards you are applying for.  Many of the awards take into consideration the financial needs of the applicant. Please note: This information will be seen by the honors and awards selection committee, but will not be shared during the award presentation or with anyone outside the committee. Please limit your response to 150 words.

Department of Health and Kinesiology

Undergraduate Scholarships and Awards

The Department of Health and Kinesiology is pleased to announce the availability of the awards for undergraduate students in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Students in Kinesiology, Community Health and Interdisciplinary Health Sciences (I-Health) may apply. The awards ceremony will take place at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 4, 2024. Information describing each award and the eligibility criteria is listed below. The application form can be found here: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1368069731.    

Applications and recommendations are due February 1, 2024.

Reginald J. Alston Award for Excellence in Community Health and Rehabilitation: To provide support for a student in Community Health. Preference shall be given to a student with a concentration in Rehabilitation. Special preference given to a student who is taking, has taken or will be taking scholarly work and applying it to a clinical and/or practical application within the community. If no one meets the above criteria, the award will be given to a student within a concentration in Community Health. For 2024, three $1,500 award will be given.

Pamela C. Butler Scholarship Fund: Scholarship for undergraduate students in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Recipients shall display financial need.  For 2024, one $2,500 award will be given.

Joanne M. and Charles M. Carraway Scholarship: Scholarship for students, in the Department of Health and Kinesiology who show academic merit, professional promise, and financial need. For 2024, five $2,000 awards will be given.

Carol L. Chittenden Scholarship: Awarded to undergraduate students in Kinesiology and who show academic merit, professional promise, and financial need. For 2024, two $2,000 awards will be given.

Helga M. Deutsch Scholarship: Awarded to full-time students with a minimum of junior status (60 hours of earned credit) who are studying the kinesiology curriculum, who are in good standing academically, show professional promise, and have financial need. For 2024, three $1,500 awards will be given.

Beulah Drom Scholarship: Scholarship for students in the Department of Health and Kinesiology and who show academic merit, and financial need. For 2024, two $1,500 awards will be given.

Aurelio E. “Joe” Florio Scholarship: Awarded to undergraduate community health students studying health education. Recipients shall be selected based on academic merit and potential leadership in the health education field. For 2024, one $1,500 award will be given.

Roger Winfield Morse Memorial Scholarship: To provide support for students in kinesiology who show academic merit, professional promise, and financial need. This award is in memory of Roger Winfield Morse, Class of 1934. For 2024, three $1,500 awards will be given.

Ann E. Penstone Scholarship: Scholarship for graduate and undergraduate students, in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. For 2024, one $1,000 award will be given.

Carita Robertson/PEW Scholarship Fund: The Carita Robertson Scholarship was established to recognize outstanding junior or seniors majoring in Physical Education. Recipients must show a significant personal involvement in the domain of physical education and must also exhibit financial need. This honor is presented to those who demonstrate the personal and professional involvement which Miss Robertson exemplified, as this award was established by The Alumnae Association of Physical Education for Women in honor of Carita Robertson, a ’29 alumna of the University of Illinois. For 2024, four $2,000 awards will be given. 

Seward C. Staley Scholarship: To support undergraduate students who are enrolled in a curriculum in kinesiology studying physical education. Scholarship recipients shall be selected on the basis of academic merit with priority given to those students who show a special interest in the field of Physical Education and to those students demonstrating a financial need. For 2024, three $1,500 awards will be given.

Marianna F. Trekell Scholarship: To provide support for an undergraduate student who is continuing their studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Kinesiology and demonstrates professional promise and has financial need. For 2024, one $1,000 award will be given. 

Agnes Radich Vidovic Award: Awarded to an outstanding junior or senior student in the Department of Health and Kinesiology who has shown scholarly merit, professional promise, and financial need. In 2024, one $1,000 award will be given. 

Community Health Alumni Scholarship: Scholarships for students pursuing a degree in Community Health in the Department of Health and Kinesiology. For 2024, one $2,000 award will be given.

Application Requirements

Resume: Please submit a one-page resume in which you list information relevant to your academic history, volunteer experiences, research experiences, extra-curricular activities, athletics, awards received and any other relevant experiences. 

Narrative: Please submit a one-page narrative that describes your interest in your field of study, career goals, and reasons for deserving the specific scholarship or award(s) you are applying for.  Please also include information that highlights evidence of a high level of scholarship and professional promise in the field (e.g., achievements, projects, honors received, contributions to the profession within the department, college, state, or national professional associations).   Please use one-inch margins, double spaced, 12-point type, Times New Roman font.

Financial Need: Please prepare a brief paragraph describing your financial need for the awards you are applying for.  Many of the awards take into consideration the financial needs of the applicant. Please note: This information will be seen by the honors and awards selection committee, but will not be shared during the award presentation or with anyone outside the committee. Please limit your response to 150 words.

Recommendations

Provide two recommendations—at least one from a faculty member. One may be from other individuals familiar with your academic and professional involvement. Recommenders can submit their recommendations using this form: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/796924795

Please direct any questions to: KCH-AWARDS@illinois.edu

2022-2023 Student Award Recipients