The Ballard and Youatt Emergency Assistance Fund provides support to students who require financial assistance due to unforeseen emergencies. These might include, but are not limited to, financial hardship related to educational expenses, essential needs concerns, unexpected/unforeseen health challenges, and emergency situations. All undergraduate economics majors are eligible.

Applications are done through the university’s Undergraduate Education office at https://undergrad.msu.edu/strategy-retention/completion-emergency-funds. Once an application is submitted it will be routed by the Strategic Retention Unit in the Office of Undergraduate Education. Note that the Department of Economics does not directly make any decisions for this funding and all questions should be relayed to retention@msu.edu.

The Ann Feldman Scholarship was established to honor a former economics adviser for her expert guidance and unwavering support to students during her tenure. This scholarship is intended to support economics undergraduate students who have faced significant challenges and demonstrate a passion to succeed. The Ann Feldman Scholarship will provide $2,500 to up to two economics students per year. To be considered for the scholarship, the committee will seek evidence of the following criteria:

• Meets the key scholarship goals: “support economics undergraduate students who have faced significant challenges and demonstrate a passion to succeed”
• Is in good academic standing
• Is majoring in economics (preference given to primary majors)

In selecting the winner, the committee will evaluate the following materials:

• A cover letter, which briefly highlights the applicant’s key qualifications
• A current resume
• A personal statement, which addresses (a) how the student fits the key scholarship criteria and (b) the applicant’s educational and professional goals and plans for the following academic year.

All materials for the scholarship should be submitted electronically as Word or PDF attachments to advising@econ.msu.edu. The deadline to apply is March 1 to be awarded for the following academic year. 

The Ronald C. Fisher Award for Undergraduate Research Excellence recognizes the influential career of Professor Ronald C. Fisher who, among his many contributions to the department and university, strongly advocated for research opportunities for undergraduates. Additional biographical information for Professor Fisher is on our department's history page.

Recipients must be undergraduate students pursuing a major in the Department of Economics. Selection is based on the specific output of an independent research project (typically a research paper). This research project could be produced during an undergraduate course, an independent study, or a supervised research experience in the Department of Economics. Co-authored projects will be considered, but all co-authors must be undergraduate students.

Typically, 2 to 3 projects are selected for the award each year, with each project receiving approximately $1,000.

Papers produced in EC 499 are automatically considered for the award. If a student would like a project produced through an alternative avenue to be considered, the student should submit the following:

• Cover letter that describes how the project was produced (a course, an independent, a supervised research experience) and the names of all individuals who co-authored the project
• Current resume
• The research project itself, which is typically a paper

All materials for the award should be submitted electronically as Word or pdf attachments to advising@econ.msu.edu. The deadline to apply is March 1 of each year.

This award is generously sponsored by Michael (‘87) and Kimberly Walsh. Ron Fisher supervised Michael’s PhD dissertation.

The Keijonen Family Scholarship was established to provide assistance to students from the Greater Detroit area public school systems pursuing economics at MSU. This scholarship is intended to encourage students who have demonstrated the capacity to achieve educational and professional goals, the motivation to achieve these goals, and the initiative to seek opportunities to further their progress. The Keijonen Family Scholarship will provide $1,300 to up to two economics students per year.

To be considered for a scholarship, the committee will seek evidence of the following requirements:

• Graduation from a Detroit-area public high school
• Good academic standing
• Economics major (preference given to primary majors)
• First-generation college students (preferred, but not required)

In selecting the winner, the committee will evaluate the following materials:

• Cover letter, which should include information to address the three required areas stated above
• Current resume
• Personal statement, which should address your educational and professional goals, your plans for the following academic year, and how those plans further your goals and career objectives.

All materials for the scholarship should be submitted electronically as Word or PDF attachments to advising@econ.msu.edu. The deadline to apply is March 1 of each year to be awarded for the following academic year.
 

The Nefouse Family Experiential Learning Award in Economics was created to support experiential educational opportunities around the country and the world to facilitate students reaching their professional and personal goals. Such experiential education could include study abroad and study away programs, internships, civic engagement and service learning, and undergraduate research opportunities.

The department plans to award one scholarship of approximately $2,000 each year.

To be considered for a scholarship, the committee will seek evidence of the following requirements:

• Good academic standing
• Economics major (preference given to primary majors)
• Plans for an experiential learning experience, with preference given to students participating in study away or abroad opportunities who have not previously participated in such experiences

In selecting the winner, the committee will evaluate the following materials:

• Cover letter that includes information to address the first 2 requirements above
• Current resume

• A personal statement that details the plan for a specific experiential learning experience during the next calendar year and how this experience will further professional and personal goals

  All materials for the scholarship should be submitted electronically as Word or PDF attachments to advising@econ.msu.edu. The application deadline is March 1 of each year to be awarded for the following academic year.

This award is generously sponsored by Nick (‘03) and Danielle Nefouse and family.

The Lawrence H. and Linda L. Sims Endowment for Internships in Economics was established to provide financial assistance to students who are completing an internship. The scholarship will provide $500 to one economics student per year.

To be considered for the scholarship, the committee will seek evidence of the following requirements:

• Good academic standing
• Economics major
• Participation in or acceptance of an offer to participate in an internship
• Preference will be given to students who would not otherwise be able to access the internship without this award

In selecting the winner, the committee will evaluate the following materials:

• Cover letter, which should include information to address the required areas stated above
• Current resume
• Personal statement, which should address your educational and professional goals, how the internship will help you achieve those goals, and how the award would help allow you to participate in the internship.

All materials for the award should be submitted electronically as Word or PDF attachments to advising@econ.msu.edu. The deadline to apply is March 1 of each year to be awarded during the internship experience.

The Michael D. Watson and Elias Scheker Da Silva Undergraduate Student Success Award in Economics recognizes that experience outside of the classroom in co-curricular and experiential learning can fundamentally shape the career decisions of undergraduates. The department plans to award one scholarship of approximately $1,000 each year.

To be considered for the award, the committee will seek evidence of the following requirements:

• Good academic standing.
• Economics major (preference given to primary majors).
• Plans for participating in a co-curricular activity, such as the Fed Challenge, civic engagement, service learning, undergraduate research, study abroad, or an internship.

In selecting the winner, the committee will evaluate the following materials:

• Cover letter that includes information to address the first 2 requirements above.
• Current resume.
• A personal statement that details the plan for participating in a specific co-curricular activity (or activities) and how this experience will further professional and personal goals. Preference will be given to those who participate in the Fed Challenge or who focus on data analytics or computer science.

All materials for the scholarship should be submitted electronically as Word or pdf attachments to advising@econ.msu.edu. The application deadline is March 1 of each year to be awarded for the following academic year.

This award is generously sponsored by Michael Watson (‘10) and Elias Scheker Da Silva (‘11).