Stamps Scholars
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is partnering with the national Stamps Scholars Program to help provide financial support to exceptional students who exemplify leadership, scholarship and service within the creative and research spaces.
The Scholarship
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.
Stamps Scholarship Program Dates:
May 2024 – May 2025
Summer Fellowship Dates:
May 2024 – August 2024
Application Opens:
December 4, 2023
Application Deadline:
January 12, 2024
Stamps Scholars Program Candidates Interviews:
February 2024
Award Notice:
March 2024
Prospective Students
The Award
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).
Eligibility
The U-M student must be sophomore or junior status. Students must be connected with a mentor who is actively working on a project that the student can take part in. All research and creative projects university wide will be considered
Student Information
- Name, Student ID, email, etc. are all pulled from the U-M Student Data warehouse. Thus, there is no need to ask those questions.
- Students permanent address.
- Students major.
- Update drop-down field on: When do you expect to graduate? (This program is not open to graduating seniors)
- Resume outlining: Leadership, service, and activity record.
- Letter of recommendations (2): One must be from the mentor.
- Mentor Information
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)
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?
Upload: PDF copy of official transcript
Current Program
Budget
Budget Justification
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 Candidate Interviews
In February, Stamps Scholars Program finalists will be required to meet with a Stamps Scholars representative to discuss each candidate’s application. These interviews will take place via Zoom, Facetime or Skype. Students will be notified of the interview via email and are encouraged to check their emails often for the invite. Applicants are expected to be familiar with the Stamps Scholars Program. More information pertaining to this program can be found by visiting the Stamps Scholar links.
What are some important dates regarding the Stamps Scholarship?
Stamps Scholarship Program Dates: May 2024 – May 2025
Summer Fellowship Dates: May 2024 – August 2024
Application Opens: December 4, 2023
Application Deadline: January 12, 2024
Stamps Scholars Program Candidates Interviews: February 2024
Award Notice: March 2024
Our Scholars
Class of 2024
Alaa Alawamleh
Mentor: Dominique Kinnett-Hopkins
Mentor Lab: Translational Physical Activity Laboratory
Erica Clarke
Mentor: Sebastian Werneburg
Mentor Lab: Werneburg Lab at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Naomi Fleisch
Mentor: Sebastian Werneburg
Mentor Lab: Werneburg Lab at the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Siyuan He
Mentor: Jie (Jackie) Li
Mentorship Lab: Mineral Physics Lab
Matthew Jordan
Mentor: Piroz Bahar
Mentorship Lab: Dr. Simpa Salami’s laboratory
Apoorva Mirji
Mentor: Maria G. Castro
Mentorship Lab: Castro- Lowenstein Lab
Shao-Chi Ou
Mentor: Ali Bolcakan
Diala Princeton Ajaero
Mentor: Benison Lau
Mentorship Lab: Koschmann Labs
John Putnam
Mentor: Patrick Barry
Mentorship Lab: UROP Project Good With Words
Elaine Qu
Mentor: Nathalie Momplaisir
Mentorship Lab: Dr. Alan Smrcka’s lab
Yekateryna (Katie) Sinitsyna
Mentor: Michal Olszewski
Mentorship Lab: Fungal Immunology Research Lab
The Donor
Philanthropists Penny W. Stamps (BSDes ’66, TeachCert ’66) and E. Roe Stamps established the Stamps Scholarship at the University of Michigan in 2006 through their Stamps Family Charitable Foundation. This merit scholarship was one of the University’s most prestigious financial awards. Penny Stamps chaired the Dean’s Advisory Council for the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design and was a member of the President’s Advisory Group until her death in December 2018. In addition, she and E. Roe Stamps served as Deputy Chairs of the Victors for Michigan campaign (2010-2018). In 2005, Penny Stamps received the David B. Hermelin Award for Fundraising Volunteer Leadership.
Penny and E. Roe Stamps are the most generous donors ever to the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, named for her in September 2012. The couple’s support of the school established merit scholarships and launched such initiatives as the Penny W. Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series, bringing creative thinkers to campus and the community from around the world, and The Stamps Gallery, located in downtown Ann Arbor, which represents the school’s deep commitment to curatorial programming and its role in contemporary art and design education. E. Roe Stamps, a graduate of Georgia Tech and Harvard Business School, is a founding managing director of the Boston-based growth private equity investment firm Summit Partners. He serves on the Dean’s Advisory Council at the Stamps School.
Contact Us
We appreciate your interest in the Stamps Leadership Program. If you have any questions about the program, please email the University of Michigan Stamps Scholars Program team ([email protected]).