History Undergraduate Scholarships

The History program has a number of scholarships available for its students, most established through the generosity of alumni, former students, parents, friends, and former faculty members.  All scholarships are applied for using the USM Foundation's Scholarship Application program.  All History scholarships have an application due date of February 15th.

To read more about the application process, click here.

To start the application process, click here.  Current and accepted prospective students must use their USM Campus ID and SOAR password.

 

 

Foundation Scholarships Available to History Students*

Dr. John E. Gonzales was a legend at Southern Miss.  He was a Founding Member of the USM History Department and taught here from 1945 to 1999, over 54 years.  He trained thousands of students and today, the auditorium in the Liberal Arts Building is named for him.  In 2001, he donated his life savings to establish several scholarships to honor outstanding History students at Southern Miss, including:

• Dr. John E. Gonzales Award: This award is given each year to an outstanding senior majoring in History.  Award amount varies by year.

• Dr. John E. Gonzales Scholarship: This award is given to an outstanding undergraduate student with demonstrated financial need who will still be enrolled at USM in the following academic year.  Award amount varies by year.

• Dr. John E. Gonzales Study Abroad Scholarship: For any undergraduate or graduate student who will participate in a study abroad program in History offered by USM.  Students must submit a 500 word essay explaining how the funds will be used and outlining how the study abroad experience will benefit them. They must also obtain a letter of recommendation from a faculty member in support of their application. Funding for these awards varies by year.  

Claude E. Fike Scholarship: This scholarship, named for a founding member of the Southern Miss History Department, is for an undergraduate with financial need and a GPA of at least 3.0.  Award amount varies by year.

Dr. Kenneth G. McCarty History Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to one of the best History students in the History Social Studies Licensure program.  Preference is given to a junior student who is about to start their senior capstone experience of student teaching.  The award was established in honor of Dr. Kenneth McCarty, one of the most distinguished teachers in the History Department at Southern Miss, by his family who wanted to recognize the role he played in teaching the future teachers of Mississippi.  Award amount varies by year.

Nolena Love Stephens Memorial Secondary Education History Licensure Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to a senior majoring in History Social Studies Licensure with a minimum 3.0 GPA who is participating in student teaching.  Created in memory of Nolena Love Stephens, this scholarship is meant to symbolize the legacy and passion Mrs. Stephens had for education. Mrs. Stephens attended multiple universities throughout her education career.  Mrs. Stephens worked every day to ensure the best education for her students during her time as teacher and principal at Bayou View Elementary School in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Carroll Warren & Parker History Scholarship:  This scholarship is awarded each year to a student majoring in History with an interest in military history/war and society.  The award was established in 2016.  Award amount varies by year.

Students should also check with the Office of Undergraduate Scholarships for other scholarship opportunities. 

The Office of Undergraduate Scholarships was established to provide a hub for scholarship information and support prospective and current undergraduate students at The University of Southern Mississippi.