Foundation Scholarships

Pederson and Mickel History

The purpose of this scholarship is to provide financial support for a student majoring in history during his or her senior year who intends to do graduate work in the discipline of history, working toward an M.A. or Ph.D., and to pursue a career as a historian. Applicant must meet all of the following criteria: must have completed at least 90 credits of total coursework by the beginning of the fall semester the award will be received; must have at least two semesters of coursework remaining before graduation; and must intend to pursue graduate work and a career in the discipline of history. Other factors that will be taken into consideration, in priority order, include: quality and thoughtfulness of the student’s application essay; GPA; evidence of research and writing skills; academic honors, awards, achievements and recognitions; involvement in campus, community, and professional activities and associations beyond the classroom and coursework; and evidence of leadership ability.

Students should obtain an application from the History Department. In addition to completing the application, applicant must submit a 2-3 page essay that describes and analyzes his or her undergraduate education as a preparation for a career in history. Topics should include how General Education and liberal arts and science courses have strengthened the student’s background for understanding history, how the history courses taken fit into preparation for graduate work and a career in history, and the student’s short and long range personal and professional goals. Also include the names of two faculty members, preferably members of the UW-Eau Claire Department of History, whom the Awards Committee will contact if needed.

The application and required supporting documentation should be returned to the History Department office by March 16.

The History Department Scholarship Committee will review the applications and select the recipient. The committee should invite a representative of the sponsors/donors to be a non-voting member of the selection committee.

Before the end of the Spring Semester.

The Chair of the Department of History will notify the recipient by letter, with a copy to Jane Pederson and Ronald Mickel. The department chair will also complete and submit a “Scholarship Award Form” to the Financial Aid Office.

Dr. Jane M. Pederson graduated from UW-Eau Claire in 1973 with a B.A. in history and then completed in 1975 her M.A. in history. She completed her Ph.D. in history from Columbia University in 1986. Dr. Pederson joined the faculty at UW-Eau Claire in 1989 and is a professor of history. Her specialties include social history, women’s history, and rural U.S. History. Dr. Pederson (1992) is the author of “Between Memory and Reality: Family and Community in Rural Wisconsin, 1870-1970”. Currently, she is writing another book whose working title is “Gendered Justice in the Rural Midwest 1865-1920”. Dr. Pederson is serving her fourth term on the State Historical Records Board and was appointed by Wisconsin governors. Dr. Ronald E. Mickel joined the Department of History at then Wisconsin State College at Eau Claire in 1961 when there were only 2,200 students. It was his first fulltime faculty position and he remained a member of the department for the rest of his career-forty two years. His specialties included American intellectual and cultural history. Although he loved teaching, he also served as the chair of the history department from 1972 to 1982, as interim Dean of Graduate Studies in 1982-1983, and on many university committees. He was Director of the University Honor Program from its inception in 1983 until his retirement in 2003. Dr. Mickel has said that running the University Honors program was the high point of his tenure at UW-Eau Claire. He also was the Coordinator of the Network for Excellence in Teaching for 10 years from 1993 to 2003. NET was the predecessor to the current Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL). As a professor emeritus, Dr. Mickel enjoys the freedom to travel, to read what he wishes, and to plan his days as he pleases. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Eau Claire Historic Preservation Foundation, on the Board of Directors for the Chippewa Valley Museum, and on the Board of the Chippewa Valley Museum Foundation. He continues to attend history and honors conferences. Recipient must write a letter of thanks to Dr. Ronald Mickel and Dr. Jane Pederson and deliver it to the UW-Eau Claire Foundation, S-214.