Blugold Fellowship
Discover a Passion, Make a Difference
Imagine working side-by-side with a college professor to create a new product, design innovative music, develop a marketing campaign, or study a vital community issue. Sound exciting? The opportunity can be yours through the Blugold Fellowship offered by UW-Eau Claire, a university nationally known for undergraduate research and student/faculty collaboration.
What is the Blugold Fellowship?
Each year UW-Eau Claire offers 10 incoming first-year students a unique opportunity to work roughly three to five hours per week with university faculty on special projects or collaborative research. Students selected for the Blugold Fellowship receive a $3,000 scholarship and a $1,200 work stipend for their research assistant positions. The funding is renewable in the sophomore year for a total value of $8,400. The full description can be found on the Gold for Blugolds scholarship application website.
What are the benefits?
- In-depth knowledge and firsthand experience for your career or graduate school.
- Strong connections to faculty and community members.
- Presentations at research conferences.
- Research that may lead to published findings.
- Income for a fascinating experience.
Apply today at the Admissions website scholarships page and be sure to indicate specific interest in this program in your application.
For questions email BlugoldFellowship@uwec.edu
Who will be considered?
Students are selected from among those who are accepted to the University by mid-November, rank in the top 25 percent of their high school graduating class, and have an ACT of 25 / SAT of 1700 or greater. All submitted materials are used to select scholarship recipients.
How do I apply?
Application steps for all UW-Eau Claire Foundation scholarships, including the Blugold Fellowship, are available on the Scholarships page. Admitted, eligible candidates are encouraged to apply.
The initial deadline for Scholarship applications to be fully considered for the Blugold Fellowship Award is December 1. The final deadline for all University Foundation Scholarships is February 1. Late applications may be considered if scholarships are still available.
Important facts for interested students
Learn more about this unique opportunity by exploring the most frequent questions and answers below.
- To provide a unique opportunity to engage in student/faculty collaborative projects early in your career at UW-Eau Claire
- To build a sense of connection, meaning, and purpose within your major and with other scholars at UW-Eau Claire
- To recruit and retain high-achieving students to UW-Eau Claire
Blugold Fellows work an average of 3-5 hours a week on their projects, up to a total of 50 hours per semester (100 hours total for the academic year). The project schedule, hours, and pacing of the work is determined by the Blugold Fellow and their mentor.
You are not expected to, and you will learn! Blugold Fellows participate in a required seminar each semester of their first year (1 credit per semester). This seminar helps students find mentors, learn about research processes and expectations, and explore additional research opportunities.
Not at all. While the Blugold Fellowship offers a unique opportunity to 10 incoming first-year students, many UW-Eau Claire students participate in collaborative research during their college careers. In fact, UW-Eau Claire is rated among the top 2 percent nationally for participation in the annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research.
No, there is no additional academic credit. However, students are given a $1,200 stipend for their work across both semesters. Furthermore, the valuable knowledge and experience Blugold Fellows gain through their research/creative activity often translate to added success in the classroom and future careers.
Yes. Students must be admitted to UW-Eau Claire, and have their scholarship application submitted by December 1, to meet the initial Blugold Fellowship application deadline. The UWEC scholarship application process will ask you to indicate you are interested in this opportunity and ask you for a short essay response.
No. The Blugold Fellowship is intended for 10 incoming first-year students who want to participate in a unique research/creative activity early in their college career. If you do not want to be considered for this award, please indicate that on your scholarship application.
You will still keep your fellowship, but you will not receive the scholarship or work stipend during your study abroad. You will be able to resume the fellowship for one semester starting your junior year. (In a few cases when the research can be done during a study abroad experience, the fellowship may be continued with the approval of the research mentor and Blugold Fellowship director.)
No. The Blugold Fellowship is only awarded to incoming first-year students, and it is renewable for the sophomore year.