Guidelines for Fleharty Fellowship

In a continuing effort to support graduate student education and research at Fort Hays State University, retired Professor of Biological Sciences Dr. Eugene Fleharty, along with his brother, Mr. Lyle Fleharty of Hastings, Nebraska, donated substantial funds to the Endowment Association. Additional moneys came from efforts by Dr. Fleharty and current faculty to solicit donations from graduate alumni. Dr. Fleharty also matched donations from others to this fund. Interest earned for this fund is used to provide annual support for one or two graduate research assistantships; FHSU provides a tuition waiver.

A committee chaired by the current chair of the Department of Biological Sciences and consisting of 3 other members of the biology faculty appointed by the department chair assesses applicants for this honor on an annual basis. Dr. Fleharty serves as an ex-officio member of this committee as a representative of the Endowment Association and has voting privileges. An annual review of potential applicants will commence in spring and be completed and announced by 1 April for the following academic year. Applicants must be eligible for this award during both the fall and spring semesters of a single academic year (the fellowship is not available during the summer session). As with other support administered by the FHSU Graduate School, graduate students are limited to 4 semesters of eligibility, which includes any combination of graduate teaching assistantship, certain graduate research assistantships, and the Fleharty Fellowship. Students can receive the fellowship more than once, but typically receive it during their second year, after they have had time to develop their research proposal with their advisor and graduate committee.

To apply for the Fleharty Fellowship, applicants must provide the following information by 12 February (Charles Darwin's birthday) to: Fleharty Fellowship Committee, Department of Biological Sciences, Fort Hays State University, 600 Park Street, Hays, KS 67601.

• Completed and submitted FHSU Graduate School and departmental applications for admission into the Graduate School AND for an assistantship (which includes the Fleharty Fellowship).
• Two letters of recommendation specific to this fellowship; at least one must be from a member of the FHSU biology faculty.
• Copies of all available undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
• A statement specific to this honorarium describing the applicant's “plan of action”. For example:
  • What will you accomplish with this opportunity?
  • What will this honor offer you that a standard graduate teaching assistantship will not provide?
  • Include information in the statement on past experiences that demonstrate to the committee your potential to succeed as a Fleharty Fellow. If appropriate, include a section on your current research project, including results and any preliminary interpretation.
  • The statement should not exceed four double-spaced pages in 10-point font, with margins of 1" on top and bottom and 1.25" on each side.

The committee may contact an applicant to clarify information in the application package and may request interviews with potential finalists. Fleharty Fellows will provide a public oral presentation during the fall semester following completion of their appointment. This presentation should cover work done during the time the student was supported by the Fleharty Fellowship and must be distinct from the oral presentation given during their thesis defense. As with other graduate assistantships, recipients must meet and maintain academic expectations throughout the time they hold the Fleharty Fellowship.