Awards and Scholarships

Travel awards provide funds to support student travel to scientific conferences. These are monetary awards, based on available funds, and any awarded funds are administered by the Department of Psychology (please contact psychology administrative associate, Brooke Hebbelman for more information).

Robert Tindall Brown Student Travel Award

This travel award was created by Dr. Cecil R. Reynolds, in honor of the excellence in teaching and mentoring by Dr. Robert (Bob) T. Brown. Dr. Brown is a Professor Emeritus who served on the faculty of the Department of Psychology for three decades at University of North Carolina Wilmington. Dr. Reynolds is a 1975 alumnus, the 1984 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year and a 1988 Razor Walker Award recipient.

The award recipient must be pursuing a Bachelor's in Psychology at UNCW and must be a first author or co-author on an empirical research talk or poster presentation at a regional or national meeting. Preference will be given to students attending national conferences and to research presentations involving experimental manipulations.

To apply for this award, please complete the Robert Tindall Brown Student Travel Award Application, and email it to the undergraduate coordinator. This is a rolling application process with no set application deadline.

You should also arrange to have a letter of recommendation emailed from a UNCW Psychology faculty research advisor to the undergraduate coordinator. Award recipients will be selected by the Department of Psychology’s Undergraduate Steering Committee.

Each year, the Department of Psychology honors UNCW graduating seniors for their exceptional work in psychological research. There are three research awards described in more detail below. Recipients must be seniors, pursuing a Psychology B.A. at UNCW, and be graduating in the Fall or Spring semester of the year they apply. Preference will be given to students who are involved in a research laboratory, especially those completing an Honors thesis.

To apply for a research award, please complete the Undergraduate Research Award Application  and email it to the Undergraduate Coordinator by the application deadline (noted in the application).  You should also arrange to have a letter of recommendation emailed from a UNCW Psychology faculty member to the Undergraduate Coordinator by the application deadline.

Students may apply for more than one research award but can only be awarded one. Research award recipients will be selected by the Department of Psychology’s Undergraduate Steering Committee and are recognized at department graduation ceremonies as well as on the Awards Accordion below.

Williams-Kowal Award

The Williams-Kowal Award is awarded to a student interested in basic science research. It is named for Professor Emeritus John Williams, who served as the first chair of the Department of Psychology, and Professor Emeritus Kathleen Kowal, a Cognitive Psychologist.

Michael Bradley Award

The Michael Bradley Award is awarded to a student interested in applied research and is named for Professor Emeritus Michael Bradley, a Developmental Psychologist.

Cape Fear Area Psychological Association Award

The Cape Fear Area Psychological Association Award is for basic science or applied research by a student interested in graduate work in applied areas such as one of the mental health professions.

The Department of Psychology offers two service awards to celebrate individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service to our department. Descriptions and application procedures for these awards are included below. Nominations for these awards will typically be made at the end of the Fall or Spring semester and recipients are recognized at department graduation ceremonies as well as on the Awards Accordion below.

Joseph Awkard Award

The Joseph Awkard Service Award is given to a member of Psi Chi who has provided a significant contribution to service. It is named for the late Professor Emeritus Joe Awkard who was the first advisor for UNCW's Psi Chi Chapter. Nominations for the Joseph Awkard Service Award will be made by the UNCW's Psi Chi Chapter advisor.

Martha Jo Clemmons Award

The Martha Jo Clemmons Award is given to a student who works in the main office, or who has provided special service to the day-to-day operations of the department. It is named for Martha Jo Clemmons, a longtime administrative assistant who died in 2001 from cancer at the age of 56. Nominations for the Martha Jo Clemmons Award will be made by the Department of Psychology office staff.

• Williams-Kowal Award: Tess Young & Kathlees Walsh
• Michael Bradley Award: Katie Gallaghar
• Cape Fear Psychological Association Award: Renee Sanders