The History Department grants several scholarships and awards to undergraduates and graduate students. The amount and number of awards is dependent upon the income generated each year by the endowment of the scholarships. For specific information, please contact the chair of the Awards Committee, Professor William Philpott.
The family of James Todd Wilborn established this award in memory of their son, a sophomore history major who was killed in an automobile accident. It is granted in the spring to a sophomore who is majoring in History and who has a GPA of 3.0. The value of the scholarship varies, but is usually around $200. Sometimes two awards are given at $100 each. Applicants are required to fill out an application form, provide evidence of scholarship and leadership achievement, and meet with the selection committee.
Lucy Lucille Tasher, who taught American History at Illinois State from 1935 until her retirement in 1971, endowed several scholarships for seniors majoring in History. The Tasher Scholarship, which varies but in recent years has been $4000, is given in the fall to one or more seniors on the basis of their academic achievement and service to the Department and University. To be eligible, a student must have taken 90 credit hours by the start of the fall semester, at least 60 of which must have been taken at Illinois State, have a 3.5 GPA, be a full-time students, cannot have been eligible before, and be nominated by a faculty member.
Mrs. Ray attended Illinois State Normal University from 1926 and 1930 and majored in History, English, and Education. She subsequently taught in Illinois and Iowa. Undergraduates must have junior standing, have attended Illinois State for the preceding two semesters (this may include the summer session), have 3.5 GPA, and be enrolled in the Teacher Education sequence. Faculty nominate students, who are required to write an essay on a prescribed topic and to obtain two letters from faculty members who are not on the History Education staff. The Department may award a grant to a graduate student who intends to teach. Faculties nominate graduate students who write an essay on a prescribed topic.
Kyle Sessions, who taught at Illinois State from 1967 until his retirement in 1999 and designed the honor's program in History, and his wife Jean established this scholarship for students enrolled in the Department's Honor's Program. To be eligible, a student must have a 3.5 GPA in History and at least 3.3 overall, be a member of good standing in the History and University Honors programs, have earned between 60 and 90 credit hours, expect to complete their bachelor's degree with both University and History Honors, and have not previously applied. The Sessions scholarships are generally $300 each; sometimes two are given.
Dr. Stephane Booth and her husband David established the Mark Wyman Scholarship Fund to support, preferably, freshman students of non-traditional age who are majoring in History. Professor Wyman, Distinguished Professor-Emeritus of History, taught at Illinois State from 1971 to 2004. He is the author of seven books dealing with Western and American labor and immigration history. His publications include the Fourteenth Decade, which reviews the history of the University from 1987 to 1997. Professor Wyman directed Stephane's master's thesis and doctoral dissertation. Dr. Booth is a tenured professor of History and Women's Studies as well as an associate dean at Kent State University. Professor Wyman and his friends and colleagues also contributed to the endowment.
