Willis Swartz Graduate Student Scholarship Award

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Last Updated: Oct 22, 2026, 12:33 PM

Background

This award was established to honor the work of Dr. Willis Swartz. Dr. Swartz, a native of Burlington, Iowa came to SIU in 1930 to chair the Department of Government. In 1943 he became the first Chairman of the Graduate Council, and in 1950 he was named the first Dean of the Graduate School. In addition, in 1947 Dr. Swartz was chosen to direct the foreign student programs at SIU. He served as the Dean of International Students from 1963 to 1964. He did all he could to make international students' lives easier. Sadly Dr. Swartz passed away in 1965 after a heart attack. He had served SIU with distinction for 35 years, and he touched hundreds if not thousands of young lives.

Guidelines

The selection of the recipient(s) of this award will be made by the Award Selection Committee of the Graduate School. The Willis Swartz Graduate Student Scholarship Award will be open to all applicants who qualify, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age or veteran status.

Preference will be given to the following:

  1. International students
  2. Incoming students
  3. Graduate students interested in conducting research in materials technology including science, engineering, and other areas

Other Criteria:

  1. Must be admitted to an SIUC graduate degree program
  2. Must be a full-time graduate student (9 credit hours or 8 credit hours with a graduate assistantship)

Scholarship Provisions

  1. Programs may nominate up to two graduate students for this award by submitting a complete nomination packet that must include: nomination form, student's one-page biographical statement (include graduate research interests, plus any or all of the following: academic achievements, honors, awards, publications, extracurricular activities, etc.), and copies of all transcripts.
  2. Two graduate students will be selected by the Award Selection Committee to receive a $1,000 scholarship (this amount subject to change each year). At least one award each year will be given to a student conducting, or projecting to conduct, research in materials technology, as long as such a student has been nominated for this award and meets the scholarship criteria.

Deadline:

Submit one electronic copy of each nomination packet by the Second Friday in October to gradschl@siu.edu