Departmental Scholarships

Award Amount

$1,000

Criteria

Sophomore, Junior, or Senior graduating the following fall or later; grades are not a criteria or condition for eligibility or consideration; community service work or interest in disadvantaged populations is weighed favorably and encouraged. This scholarship alternates between Sociology and Psychology and is awarded in the Sociology Department in the spring of odd-numbered years.

How to Apply

Submit the following to Dr. Richard Petts (rjpetts@bsu.edu), Undergraduate Director, by the deadline announced by the department (typically in late March of odd-numbered years):

Please respond to the following within 1-2 typed pages:

(A) Are you involved in any community service work? If so, please describe your involvement and the organizations through which you perform this work.

(B) Are you interested in understanding or working with disadvantaged populations? If so, please describe.

Optional: If you have a resume or CV, please submit it with your application.

Honorees’ Biographical Information

Hildegard and Whitney Gordon came to Ball State in 1958; she came to teach Psychology and Sociology. Professor Hildegard Gordon retired in 1980 and passed away in 2007. Professor Whitney Gordon retired in 1991.

Award Amount

$1,000

Criteria

Eligibility for the award will be based on the following criteria:

Junior or senior sociology major
Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
Priority will be given to students who have demonstrated, through papers and projects in their sociology courses, sound sociological ideas about the causes of social behavior.

How to Apply

Submit the following to Dr. Melinda Messineo (mmessine@bsu.edu), Undergraduate Director, by the deadline announced by the department (typically in late March):

• Current Degree Works summary
• At least one writing sample that you think demonstrates your highest quality sociological work.
• Personal statement that discusses the role of sociology in your academic, professional, or personal growth and plans for the future.

Honoree’s Biographical Information

Dr. Joseph Tamney served at a variety of institutions and retired from Ball State University in 2002. He was a prolific scholar and was renowned for his research on religion, politics, and community affairs. Dr. Tamney passed away in 2009. This scholarship was established by Dr. Stephen and Linda Johnson in honor of their close friendship and academic collaboration.