History Department Scholarships

Alan Chizek Memorial Phi Alpha Theta Scholarship

The Fort Hays chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, international honor society in history, offers a $100 scholarship for the fall semester. This scholarship may be renewed for the spring semester, if the recipient continues satisfactory progress toward his or her degree in history. To be eligible for this scholarship, an individual must be a member of Phi Alpha Theta, be a full-time student, demonstrate a commitment to the study of history, and demonstrate a commitment to Phi Alpha Theta.

Anna Knoll Scholarship

The Anna Knoll Scholarship is a $1,000.00 scholarship awarded to history majors, undergraduate or graduate with an interest in ethnic studies. This award is given to natives of Kansas with a preference given to those students from Western Kansas.

Corwin and Mabel Smith Scholarship

The Smith Scholarship is funded by Dr. Wilda M. Smith in memory of her parents who lived in Gove County for more than sixty-five years. Dr. Smith earned her A.B. (1953) and M.A. (1957) from Fort Hays State. After receiving her Ph.D. in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1960), she joined the history faculty at Fort Hays State where she taught for 26 years, serving as chairman of the Department from 1981 until her retirement in 1986. This scholarship, in the amount of $250, is awarded in the fall semester. An award of the same amount will be granted for the spring semester, if the recipient maintains his or her grade point. Eligibility: senior history major (for the fall semester); minimum 3.5 GPA; academic excellence; commitment to the study of history.

David Miller Scholarship

David Miller was former student and History major who died of cancer.  His parents Duane and Donnie Miller of Russell, Kansas established the scholarship in his memory and honor follwing his death in December of 2005. Preference goes to students majoring in History with a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Eugene R. Craine Memorial Scholarship

The Craine Scholarship was established in 1988 in memory of Eugene R. Craine, a member of the FHSU faculty from 1946 to 1967 and a chairman of the Department of History. The scholarship is available to sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have an overall GPA of 3.0 and have history as their first major. The scholarship, in the amount of $600 for the academic year, is non-renewable.

Frank Pechanec Memorial Scholarship

Frank Pechanec was a 1970 graduate of FHSU with a degree in History.  He was the personnel director at FHSU for many years.  His wife, Annie, established this scholarship in his honor and memory after he died in a small plane accident in the summer of 1999. Awarded to a junior or senior History major witha 3.0 GPA.

Frank and Wilma Craft Scholarship

This annual scholarship has been established by L. Elaine Browning in memory of her parents. Her father, Frank Craft recieved his bachelor's degree in history from FHSU in 1933. Although his major was in history, he taught industrial education for many years. The scholarship is an annual award of $1,000 with first preference going to juniors or seniors majoring in Technology Studies with an emphasis in woodworking, drafting, or construction; or a History major with an emphasis in education. The student applying should have a minimum 3.5 GPA in their major field of study and a minimum 3.3 GPA overall. The student should also demonstrate financial need and show promise of post-graduate work.

James A. Wickizer & Eleanor Winters Wickizer Scholarship

James and Eleanor Winters Wickizer met while attending Fort Hays Kansas State College. Eleanor graduated with a degree in English in 1934, James in 1935 with a degree in History.  Eleanor taught English and Journalism in Kansas schools for several years before marrying James in 1941. When James died in 1984 Eleanor established the James A. and Eleanor Winters Wickizer Scholarship in recognition of the role Fort Hays State played in their lives.  The scholarship supports students who are natives of Kansas and majoring in history, athletics, english, or journalism.  Preference goes to promising juniors or seniors.

Phi Alpha Theta Scholarship

This scholarship was established in about 1997, by former History chair and retired professor, Dr. Ann Liston, for members of the History honorary society, Phi Alpha Theta. The applicant must be going into junior or senior year and be a member of Phi Alpha Theta. Graduate students are also eligible. The award is based on scholarship and service to the honor society, the history department, and FHSU.

The Charles H. and Nita M. Landrum Scholarship

Charles N. Landrum served as a member of the History and Political Science Department from 1924 until his death in 1932. Nita M. Landrum was a history major and in addition spent more than thirty years of her life in a variety of capacities on the FHSU campus -- with the Alumni Association, Student Financial Aids, the Endowment Association, and Correspondence Study. Following her retirement she continued as a loyal supporter of Fort Hays State until her death in 1989. This scholarship commemorates these two friends of Fort Hays State University. This scholarship is presented in the fall semester of even-numbered years. The scholarship carries an award of approximately $400 towards the cost of tuition. History majors at either the junior or senior level (as of the fall semester) are eligible for this scholarship. Candidates must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and should demonstrate strong leadership ability in their academic careers at Fort Hays State. Financial need will be used by the Awards Committee as a secondary criterion.

Veva Stimitz Memorial Scholarships

Several scholarships will be awarded in memory of Veva Stimitz, a graduate of the FHSU Department of History. Awards will be made to undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduates must be juniors or seniors with a history GPA and overall GPA of at least 3.0. Graduate students must be admitted unconditionally to the Graduate School at Fort Hays State. Amounts of the awards will vary.

Freshman Awards

Presidential Award

The Presidential Award is available to incoming freshmen who qualify as Kansas National Merit Semifinalists, Kansas Achievement Program Semifinalists or Kansas National Hispanic Semifinalists. In addition to covering all school related expenses (tuition, fees, books and housing), the scholarship is renewable for three additional undergraduate years provided the recipient remains a full-time student with a 3.0 GPA.  The Presidential Award and the Freshman Academic Awards are partially funded by the following scholarships: Hary and Clara Nielsen, Beeson/Nygen, Lulu James, Elgie L. and Nellie W. Fireoved, Albert V. Erickson, J. R. and Ethel Wells, Harold A. Long and Helen F. Hornbrook, Alice M. Powell Estate, and the Edith and Harry Darby Foundation.

Freshman Academic Awards

By taking the American College Test (ACT) incoming freshmen could be eligible for one of three scholarship programs that are based solely on the student's highest composite ACT score (or comparable SAT score). To apply for one of the Freshman Academic Awards: (1) you must submit the enclosed scholarship application (with the High School Academic Verification completed by your high school counselor) or (2) submit your scores to FHSU through ACT by coding 1408 on your exam. In order to receive one of the academic awards, ACT scores must be received by FHSU before Zuns 1. 1995. All freshman academic awards offered to students but not accepted are VOID after July 14, 1995.

FUGAA-FIN University Gold Academic Award. Available to incoming freshmen with a composite score of 29 or above on the Enhanced ACT Assessment. This $1000 Scholarship is renewable for three additional undergraduate years provided the student remains full time (12 hrs. per semester) with a 3.0 GPA and remains at FHSU continuously. This program is partially funded by the Ralph and Lucile Hunter Scholarship program.

HCSA-FIN Hays City Silver Academic Award. This $500 scholarship is available to incoming freshmen with a composite score of 24-28 on the Enhanced ACT Assessment. This award is also renewable for three additional undergraduate years provided the student remains full time (12 hrs. per semester) with a 3.0 GPA and remains at FHSU continuously. This program is partially funded by the City of Hays.

FHBA-FIN Fort Hays Bronze Academic Award. This one-time award of $300 requires a composite score of 21-23 on the Enhanced ACT Assessment.

Apply for these scholarships