George Fox University | Academics | Richter Scholars Guidelines | Richter Scholars Guidelines

Guidelines For Applicants

(09/20/07)

Eligibility
Applicants must be full-time graduate or undergraduate students at George Fox at the time the application is submitted and during the time the project is carried out. In other words, applicants who expect to graduate in May 2009 may only submit a project that will be completed by that time. The applicant's cumulative GPA at George Fox must be at least 3.4, although the faculty sponsor may request an exception. Undergraduate students must be at least in their third semester at GFU. Only individual applications will be considered, although an applicant may collaborate with other students in the project. The design of the project and the execution of the project must be done by the student, although it is assumed the student will work with his/or her faculty supervisor to some extent.

Funding
The Paul K. Richter Memorial Fund and the Evalyn E.C. Richter Memorial Fund, administered by the Bank of America, have awarded the funds for this program to George Fox University. There is not a specific limit on the amount of funding per student, but most grants will not be over $5,000 including stipend with the undergraduate stipends not exceeding $3,500. The grants are specifically for the research project and do not affect other GFU scholarships or grants.

Dates for Application, Approval, and Completion
Applications are due at 4 p.m. on the First Monday in December, in the Psychology office at the Newberg campus, or the School of Professional Studies office on the Portland center (attention: Jim Foster). A faculty committee will review the applications (guidelines for partial evaluation) and notify students of the decisions on or before Friday, Dec. 19. Projects are to be completed during the 2009 calendar year and while the student is enrolled as a GFU student.

Contents of the Application

• Cover Sheet (pdf) - Fill out and submit the cover sheet, with the other materials attached
• Body of the Application - (total length, about three pages)
• • Project title
  • Issue or problem to be researched
  • Thesis statement or hypothesis
  • Summary of existing research on the topic, citing some of the literature
  • Research methods, including procedures, instruments, and participants if appropriate
  • Benefits of the research, for the researcher and for the discipline
  • Outcomes of the project, including possible presentations and/or publications
  • Detailed budget, including stipend (see below), supplies, foreign travel insurance (if traveling abroad), research travel (see below), and other costs
  • List of cited references
• Faculty Sponsor's Support Letter - letter from a full-time faculty member addressing the value of the research, the strengths of the proposal, and his/her expected involvement in the project
• Unofficial copy of Transcript - Printed from Bruin Data

Stipends
Applicants may request a stipend for the time spent on the project, not to exceed $3,500. The request should include an estimate (min. wage). Successful applicants will receive instruction on the process of being paid. The stipends are treated as taxable income. Undergraduate students working on campus during the summer are responsible for arranging their own housing.

Travel
Data Collection. Funds may be requested for travel to collect data.

Presentation and Publication Funding. While most funds are awarded for research, applicants may also request funds to travel (separately from their initial grant request) to a professional conference to present the research findings. However, funds for presentation travel cannot be requested or disbursed until the applicant has been accepted to make a presentation. Travel requests must be based on the most reasonable rates available for transportation, lodging, and meals (up to a maximum of $35 per day). The request may consist of a letter to the Richter coordinator, specifying the professional meeting, attaching the confirmation of the presentation, and giving the estimate of costs. Any costs associated with the presentation (e.g., printing costs) need to be included in this proposal as well. Additionally, costs associated with publishing research in a professional journal may be requested once the research has been completed and the paper has been accepted for publication.

Travel Abroad Insurance. All students traveling abroad will be required to purchase International Student Identity Card (ISIC). The cost is $25 and the student needs a passport-sized picture. This provides emergency travel insurance. Note that this is a supplement to regular medical insurance which all students and faculty should have. Students are expected to check with their current medical insurance carrier to make sure that they are covered while traveling. Typically their parents insurance will cover them on these trips. If a student does incur medical expenses they need to keep any receipts to submit to their insurance company when they return. Benefits Include: $250,000 Emergency Evacuation
$25,000 Repatriation of Remains
$10,000 Accident Medical Expense
$5,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment - Air
$1,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment - All Other
$500 Lost Document Replacement
$100 Per day Sickness & Hospital Benefit (up to 100 days)
$100 Baggage Delay
$100 Travel Delay
Free - Travel Guard Assistance
The insurance is valid only when an insured person is outside of their home country or country of domicile if different. There is also a toll-free emergency number available. You need to obtain the emergency travel number of the countries you will be traveling to. For more details on insurance, phone numbers, and discounts go to this website: The International Student Identity Card.

Actions on the Proposal
A committee made up of graduate and undergraduate faculty from a variety of disciplines will review the proposals and make one of the following decisions about the proposals:

1. Approve as submitted.
2. Approve with changes.
3. Invite the applicant to resubmit with specified improvements.
4. Disapprove with no opportunity to resubmit.

Substantial Changes in the Approved Proposals
Minor changes may be made after proposals have been approved, in consultation with the faculty sponsor. Substantial changes or reallocation of funds require a letter of explanation and request to the coordinator, co-signed by the faculty sponsor. The Richter coordinator must approve before the changes are made.

Reports
After completion of the project, applicants are to submit a minimum three-page summary of the project results to the project coordinator and be available to present a poster and/or oral presentation at a reporting event during or after the end of the calendar year.

Termination
A faculty sponsor may recommend to the Richter committee the termination of the grant and the cancellation of further funding if the student is not fulfilling the terms of the proposal.