- The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation, established by the U.S. Congress, has awarded scholarships since 1977 to graduate students pursuing careers in government and public service. Past recipients of Truman Scholarship Foundation funding have included students pursuing degrees in history, political science, law, public policy, government, education and law. To qualify, students must attend school full-time, be in their junior or senior years of undergraduate studies and plan to pursue graduate-level degrees. Candidates must receive nominations from a Truman Scholarship faculty representative from the schools they attend. The program prefers students who have a history of community service and leadership potential; it pays a maximum of $30,000, as of July 2011.
- The U.S. Congress created the James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation in 1968, in an effort to prepare teachers to educate secondary school students about the U.S. Constitution. As of July 2011, the James Madison program pays up to $24,000, which recipients can use to pay for tuition, housing, textbooks and school fees. The foundation awards scholarships to students completing their undergraduate degrees who plan to pursue graduate studies, as well as to teachers returning to school to earn graduate degrees. The fellowship program requires recipients to complete substantial coursework related to the U.S. Constitution. Recipients are required to teach American history, social studies or American government at the middle or high school level after completing their graduate programs.
- The United States Institute of Peace, funded by the U.S. Congress, sponsors the annual National Peace Essay Contest for high school students. The nationwide program selects winners from each state, U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia, along with first, second and third place national winners. As of July 2011, state-level winners can receive scholarships up to $1,000, and the national first-place winner can receive up to $10,000. Students receiving scholarship awards also receive an invitation for an expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. Each year, the institute selects a new essay topic about conflict and peace, which candidates must write about to enter the competition.
- The U.S. Navy offers the Samuel Eliot Morison Naval History Scholarship to commissioned officers on acting duty in the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy. The program extends eligibility to officers pursuing graduate-level coursework in international relations or history. Candidates must meet academic requirements to qualify and can receive up to $5,000, as of July 2011, which they can use to pay for educational research expenses, such as books and travel. The Director of Naval History determines award recipients and selection criteria includes professional performance within the Navy, academic record and professional potential.
previous post