Stamps Scholars Program

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is partnering with the national Stamps Scholars Program  to provide financial support to exceptional undergraduates who exemplify leadership, scholarship and service at U-M.

Stamps Scholarship recipients will receive $10,400 in funding and will be invited to participate in a 11-week Summer Fellowship hosted by the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) from May - August and community building and professional development activities during the 2024 -2025 academic year. 

Summer Fellowship: May - August 2024: As part of the Summer Fellowship, students will attend a total of 8 seminar series that meet every 2 to 3 weeks. The purpose of the summer seminar is to support the advanced research of Stamps Scholars. During seminars, students will have the opportunity to expand their organization and planning skills, integrate mindfulness practices into their work and attend professional development and community activities to connect with other summer scholars across U-M.

Seminars will be offered both in-person and virtual formats. Participation in the seminars are a requirement and advanced notice to the summer Instructor is required if you are unable to attend a seminar.

The Summer Fellowship will run for 11 weeks, allowing students the opportunity to earn a full-time pay for across 10 weeks of the summer. An additional week is built in to allow for vacations and  any unforeseen events that may cause the student to miss a seminar. All academic or professional commitments that conflict with seminar dates will be supported, however it is the student’s responsibility to communicate these conflicts in advance. 

The Office of the Vice President for Research will host a welcome event for all incoming Stamps Scholars. The event will be held at the Alexander G. Ruthven Building during the winter semester. Date is TBD and invites will be sent once applicants have been selected. This event will  highlight both program details and requirements.  

Community & Professional Development: September 2024 - April 2025:  During the academic year, students are strongly encouraged to take part in  Stamp Scholar Society events. The purpose of the Stamps Scholars Society is to build connections among the members through group activities, service projects and to provide resources to the members in the areas of career and international opportunities. 

Additionally, the 2024-2025 Stamps Scholarship cohort  will have the opportunity to work with Program staff to contribute ideas and develop community and professional development activities offered during the academic year.  

End of Program Requirements: May 2025 At the end of the program (May 2025) all Stamps Scholarship recipients are required to submit an expense report outlining how their funds were spent and a research summary report detailing their research experience and project outcomes. If discretionary funds are spent outside of the awarded project, scholars will also be required to outline the impactfulness those funds had on your research aspirations. More information and training will be provided in advance in order to prepare for the end of program reports submission. 

Each Stamps Scholar recipient will be awarded $10,400 of which $6,400 is specifically allocated to support their full engagement in the Stamps Scholar Summer Fellowship. During the Summer Fellowship, students are expected to work full-time with their mentors, 40 hours per week, and attend 8 seminars. The remaining $4,000 can be used during the summer and/or during the 2024-2025 academic year to support research, academic or professional expenses (e.g. student pay, travel, conferences, and research equipment). 

In order to be eligible, a student must be in good academic standing and  have sophomore or junior status. Students must have a mentor who is actively working on a project that the student is or will contribute to. Students from all U-M academic programs and  departments are invited to submit an application.  

Student Information 

• Permanent address 
• Major
• Mentor Information 
• When do you expect to graduate? (This program is not open to first year students or graduating seniors)
  
• Resume outlining: Leadership, service, and research activity record.
  
• Letter of recommendations (2):

1. Recommendation must be from the U-M mentor that you will be working with during the Summer Fellowship and academic year.
2. Recommendation from an individual that can speak to your academic and professional experiences and why you would be an ideal candidate for this scholarship.

Research Description

• Describe your proposed research project, aspects could include the methods and goals, facilities and location, timeline. What are the new knowledge or creative elements?  Where do the challenges lie and how will you attempt to overcome them?  How will this project have an impact on both you and society? (700-2000 characters)

Letters of Recommendation

• Once a student completes the application, a link will be sent to the two recommenders listed in the application.  The deadline for letters of recommendation is Friday, January 26. In addition, a link will be sent to the research mentor so they can complete the Mentor Supplementary Funding form. 

Personal Statement  (500-1000 words recommended) with an opportunity to answer the following questions:

• What prior experience or work have you done in this area? Describe your relationship with the sponsor/mentor.
• Why is the timing right for this summer experience?
  
• What experiences have you had that would make you stand out as a candidate for this project and program?
  
• As a part of the Stamps Scholars Program, you will be joining a network of research fellows and mentors. 
  
• What type of experiences and skills would you bring to our community?
  

Required Uploads:

• PDF copy of official transcript
• Current Program
  
• Budget -  Applicants are required to download and use this budget template to submit their proposed budget.
  
• Budget Justification - This is an example of a budget justification that can be used to provide a description of your proposed expenses.
  

Once a student completes the application, a link will be sent to the student's mentor so they can complete the Mentor Supplementary Funding form. 

Stamps Scholarship Interview:  All Stamps Scholarship finalists will be required to interview with a Stamps Scholars Program representative. Students will likely be notified of the interview via email and are encouraged to check their emails regularly during the month of February to avoid potential delays. These interviews will take place via Zoom, Facetime or Skype. Finalists are expected to be familiar with the Stamps Scholar Program. More information pertaining to the program can be found by visiting the Stamps Scholar Program links.