The Graduate School invites nominations for the Eric Englund Memorial Postgraduate Awards. Historically, the award was set up to provide support to graduates of OSU pursuing advanced study beyond a bachelor’s degree in either Agricultural Economics or Home Economics. These awards will be awarded to domestic or international graduates of Oregon State University who are pursuing a graduate major in one or more of the following fields:

  • Applied Economics
  • Food Science and Technology
  • Kinesiology
  • Human Development and Family Studies
  • Nutrition
  • Physical Therapy
  • Public Health

The award also aligns with and supports development in the OSU Grad Advantage core competencies for graduate students. Nominees are encouraged to complete the OSU Grad Advantage Self-Assessment Tool at the time of their nomination, or in the case of prospective students after they have been formally admitted to gauge their ongoing professional development.

Award Details

Up to $60,000 in support of graduate students each academic year, with the following allocation:

  • Up to $30,000 in support for students in Agricultural Economics, now the Applied Economics program at OSU.

For the 2024-2025 academic year, the award will be in the form of one 12-month OSU-appointed Graduate Fellowship distributed in equal installments each term, with tuition support through the Graduate School’s tuition waiver support program for fall, winter, and spring terms.

  • Up to $30,000 in support for students in Home Economics, divided into six disciplines at OSU:

For the 2024-2025 academic year, the award will be six (6) $5,000 scholarships, awarded in equal installments over fall, winter, and spring terms. These scholarships may be offered in addition to a graduate assistantship or fellowship.

  • One $5,000 scholarship awardee in Food Science and Technology
  • Five $5,000 scholarship awardees (total of $25,000) divided amongst the five following graduate and professional programs in the College of Health: (1) Kinesiology, (2) Human Development and Family Studies, (3) Nutrition, (4) Physical Therapy, and (5) Public Health.

NOTE: No more than two awardees from the same program (as defined by university major code) in the College of Health may be selected.

Eligibility

  • Students must be a graduate of any bachelor's or post-graduate degree program at Oregon State University*
    *Those expecting to receive either a bachelor's or post-graduate degree from OSU by June 2024 may also apply
  • Students must be pursuing a graduate or professional major in one or more of the following fields: Applied Economics, Food Science and Technology, Kinesiology, Human Development and Family Studies, Nutrition, Physical Therapy, or Public Health
  • If a fellowship award, students must be enrolled for at least 12 graduate credits each term in fall, winter, and spring, and at least 3 credits in summer term
  • If a scholarship award, students must be enrolled for at least 5 graduate credits each term
  • Previous recipients are not eligible

Evaluation Criteria

  • Quality of the student’s academic and professional goal statement
  • Quality of letter of nomination
  • Quality of student’s CV or résumé 
  • Quality of student’s previous academic achievement and scholarly productivity (as indicated by GPA, GRE scores, publications, presentations, honors/awards, etc.)

Preference will be given to nominees who: 

  • Are conducting research study in the international aspects of the discipline
  • May not otherwise have the opportunity for study, i.e. demonstrated need

Nomination Period

The nomination period begins on October 1, 2023. Nominations are submitted directly to departments for consideration:

The award contacts in each program will send award notifications by late April 2024.

Nomination Procedure

Nominations may be submitted by the student's graduate program director or department chair/head to Tjodie Richardson (AEC), Deborah Gould (FST) or Rafael Arroyo (COH). Students may not apply directly for this award. Be sure to reach out to your respective contact for full nomination procedures.

It is the Graduate School’s policy that when nominating current undergraduates for Graduate School awards, the nominees must:

  1. Have submitted/completed an application for graduate admission (with the exception of transcripts and other documents that may not yet be available), and
  2. Be considered regularly admissible with respect to OSU’s minimum academic admissions requirements

Nomination Materials

Nominators may be required to prepare the following information. Please check-in with Tjodie Richardson (AEC), Deborah Gould (FST), or Megan Ferris (KIN, HDFS, NUTR, DPT, PubH) for specific nomination requirements and deadlines.

  1. Statement from the student describing their academic and professional goals and direction as they relate to their chosen field; nominees are encouraged to review the Graduate School’s OSU Grad Advantage core competencies and complete the OSU Grad Advantage Self-Assessment Tool to assist in responding to this prompt
  2. Letter from student's major professor or unit chair/head describing the academic merit of the student, anticipated degree completion, and the student’s academic and professional strengths that point to the student’s promise for the future in their chosen field 
  3. A copy of the student’s résumé or curriculum vitae
  4. Optional Supplemental Materials
    1. Examples of supplemental materials that may be included, but are not required, in the nomination packet are: transcripts of post-high school academic work, including current OSU graduate transcript if applicable, GRE or other relevant test scores, etc.