Scholarships for history majors
Apply now!
February 2, 2023, 12:00 AM to March 15, 2023, 5:00 PM EST
Online Location
A number of scholarships are available for history majors and now is the time to apply! The application process varies so please read on for instructions.
New this year, the Department of History and Art History announces the Outstanding Public and Digital History Project Award ($500), which will be presented for the best digital or public history project by a history major during the previous calendar year (Spring, Summer, and Fall 2022). To apply for this award, you should submit a brief description of the project (about a page in length), as well as any accompanying material to illustrate the work (screen-shots of relevant parts of the project, pictures of the public history exhibit, etc). In addition to including your name and G number with your submission, please include the name and semester of the course in which the project was completed. Send your submission by email to Carrie Grabo at cgrabo1@gmu.edu and include the name of the award in the subject line of your email. Deadline: March 15, 2023.
For the other scholarships, you may apply through the Academic Works portal; the deadline for these is also March 15, 2023. Please do not apply directly to the department. We cannot accept these applications directly from students. Below is a summary of the available scholarships. Please note that because these are scholarships, not direct awards, you must be continuing at Mason in Fall 2023 in order to apply.
Donald R. Barr Memorial Endowed Scholarship
The Donald R. Barr Memorial Endowed Scholarship was established in 1985 in memory of Donald R. Barr, ’78, MA ’86 (posthumous), to assist students in history. Mr. Barr was an alumnus of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The endowment was funded by multiple donors including his mother, Anita G. Barr, who was an employee of the university. To provide scholarships for history majors.
Charles and Polly Webber American History Endowed Scholarship
The Charles and Polly Webber American History Endowed Scholarship was established in 1975 by the Alexandria Scottish Rite Bodies as a tribute to Charles E. Webber and his wife, Pauline Graham Webber, to advance the study of American history. Mr. Webber was a leader in the Southern Jurisdiction (U.S.) of the Scottish Rite. This scholarship may be awarded to rising juniors and seniors and to graduate students pursuing degrees in American History. Applicants must have completed 30 credit hours at Mason.
Robert K. Hedrick Jr. and Walter F. Huxley Endowed Scholarship
The Robert K. Hedrick, Jr. Endowed Scholarship was established in 1999 by Robert Kenny Hedrick, Jr., BA ’71, with special acknowledgement of Dr. Josephine F. Pacheco, who was a faculty member in the Department of History and Art History. The fund supports scholarships for full-time undergraduates earning a degree in History or Art History. Recipients will be selected on the basis of merit and financial need.
George Mason Memorial Society Endowed Scholarship
The George Mason Memorial Society Endowed Scholarship was established in 1997 by the George Mason Memorial Society and funded by multiple donors. The endowment serves to perpetuate the ideals and contributions to American life of the university’s namesake, George Mason IV of Gunston Hall. The scholarship provides tuition assistance to worthy students who seek knowledge of our heritage in preparation for service as citizens in the future. One award will be made annually to an undergraduate history major to supplement tuition costs for the recipient’s senior year. Applicants must submit a short statement about how your work reflects the study of the legacy of George Mason and the nature of human rights in society.
Gary and Eleanor Shumaker Endowed Scholarship
The Gary and Eleanor Shumaker Endowed Scholarship for a High School History Instructor/Scholar was established to provide undergraduate scholarships for students majoring in History and intend to pursue their graduate work in History at Mason in order to obtain certification as a secondary school social studies teacher. Recipients may be full or part-time students and may be in or out-of-state residents. Recipients will qualify on the basis of academic merit; a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required. Applicants must have 90 completed credits to be considered and must submit a 500-word purpose statement.
HFCI Scholarship Fund
The HFCI Scholarship Fund was established in 2019 by Historic Fairfax City, Inc. to provide support for students pursuing a history degree. Undergraduate applicants must have completed 75 credits; at least 12 of those credits must have been completed at the University. Graduate applicants must have completed 6 credits at the University in order to be eligible. Applicants must provide an unofficial transcript and a letter of recommendation from a University professor. Scholarship recipients must be residents of the City of Fairfax or Fairfax County, Virginia, and will qualify on the basis of financial need and academic merit, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
