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Student Funding

Funding Team Proposes GA Definitions

December 10, 2019 by White, Brian

The Graduate Funding Committee is inviting comment on proposed new standard definitions for Graduate Assistant, Teaching Assistant and Administrative Assistant roles.

The Committee was established to assess and implement recommendations made by the Graduate Student Funding Task Force in 1017-18. Creating standard definitions for these roles was among those recommendations.

The draft definitions are available in this shared Google document. Comments are welcome in the document or below.

The Funding Committee’s work also can be followed on Canvas. All Program Directors should have received an invitation to join the project course. If you did not receive an invitation, contact Julie Goodliffe, jmgoodli@uncc.edu, in the Graduate School.

For more information, contact Dr. Manuel A. Pérez-Quiñones, Faculty Fellow, Graduate School, and Chair of the Graduate Funding Committee, Perez.Quinones@uncc.edu.

Student Funding Nominations Must Go Through New eGPS System

November 18, 2019 by White, Brian

Effective Dec. 19, all student funding nominations MUST be completed in eGPS, the Graduate School’s new student funding system. eGPS allows Graduate Program Directors (GPDs) to view, nominate, see decisions, and track the complete funding package for students.

Access to eGPS is provided upon completion of in-person or online Canvas training.

After Dec. 19, funding nominations may no longer be submitted through eGA, the online “electronic graduate assistantship” application platform. eGA will continue to be used for generating student contracts and transmitting contract information to Human Resources and Payroll.

GPDs and administrative staff interested in gaining access to eGPS or in learning more may participate in an informational ‘open-swim’ drop-in session in Denny 101, Dec. 16, 17, and 18 from 2-4 p.m. each day.

Student Funding Program Gains National Attention

November 06, 2019 by White, Brian

The Graduate School’s Fellowship Application Incentive Program (FAIP), which provides financial incentives for graduate students to apply for fellowships, is the subject of a upcoming national webinar.

For more information, please visit the Graduate School website.

NinerScholars Portal Now Open

October 30, 2019 by Stanchina, Karla

Nominate your graduate students today for these exceptional funding opportunities. Visit the Graduate School’s website for specific criteria on each award. Some fellowships can be directly applied to by the student, so please encourage them to do so.

For questions, please contact Julie Green, Fellowship Specialist for the Graduate School.

Graduate Student Funding Committee now on Canvas

October 24, 2019 by White, Brian

Updates on implementation plans for the Student Funding Task Force recommendations are available on Canvas.

The Student Funding Implementation Committee created a Canvas project course where information and issues under discussion will be published for comment.

All Program Directors should have received an invitation to join the project course. If you did not receive an invitation, contact Julie Goodliffe, jmgoodli@uncc.edu, in the Graduate School.

Webinar Invite - Keys to Grant Prospecting

October 08, 2019 by Stanchina, Karla

Are you ready to identify and apply for grants? The Graduate School is hosting a webinar from Hanover Research: Keys to Grant Prospecting. Synopsis of this informative session: “Identifying the most promising funding opportunities is a struggle for many institutions and individuals seeking to secure support for their projects. This webinar will provide a brief introduction into the art of grant prospecting and explore key strategies for finding funders and grant programs worth pursuing. The session will cover:

-Key resources and strategies to leverage in the prospecting process.

-Discerning between good and bad opportunities.

-Confirming fit and developing an approach.”

When: Thursday, October 17th, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm.

Where: Cato Hall (near East Deck, not the Cato College of Education), second floor.

Please RSVP as pizza will be served. Space is limited.

https://webforms.uncc.edu/graduateschoolunccedu/keys-grant-prospecting-and-pizza

2020-21 AAUW Fellowships Available

September 20, 2019 by White, Brian

One of the world’s largest sources of funding for graduate women, AAUW is providing $4.3 million in funding for fellowships and grants to 270 outstanding women and nonprofit organizations in the 2019–20 academic year.

Applications for grants and fellowships for 2020-21 may be submitted now through November and December.

For more information and to apply, visit AAUW’s Educational Funding and Awards website.

New System Helps Make Student Funding Manageable

September 18, 2019 by White, Brian

A new system called eGPS promises to help Graduate Program Directors navigate student funding, providing an automated way to view student funding levels, track funding actions and nominate students for awards.

“Through eGPS, GPDs for the first time are able to view all funding information for a student, or look across their program at the funding levels of all students,” said Julie Goodliffe, Director of Funding and Fellowships. “Improving the management of the funding process is an important step in addressing the challenges that were identified by the Graduate Student Funding Task Force.”

The online resource was developed beginning in 2018 to allow GPDs to make funding offers to applicants and monitor offers and acceptance in real time. The new funding system is expected to improve timeliness of funding offers and make the process more transparent.

The eGPS dashboard highlights information GPDs need at their fingertips like the proportion of students with funding and status of student funding applications. Searches can be conducted by program or by student showing the level of funding students are receiving by source, including financial aid.

The system also shows financial certification form status for international students and identifies funding for which students are eligible. To nominate, the GPD simply clicks on an icon.

Access to eGPS is provided following completion of in-person training or an online training course. For access, contact Julie Goodliffe, jmgoodli@uncc.edu. In-person training sessions begin September 23. Sign up for the next online dates Nov. 7 and Nov. 8.

Claudia M. Reynolds Graduate Fellowship Announced

September 04, 2019 by Stanchina, Karla

The Graduate School is pleased to announce a new donor funded fellowship, the Claudia M. Reynolds Graduate Fellowship. It was established through a generous gift to support and encourage high quality graduate students at UNC Charlotte to continue their higher education and become leaders in their professional career.

A native of northern California, Claudia Reynolds moved to Charlotte with her husband, Graduate School Dean Tom Reynolds, in 1982 and has been a dedicated and loyal supporter of UNC Charlotte ever since. Over the years, she has generously volunteered countless hours of her time and energy to the University. An internationally recognized quilter, she has donated her quilts to local hospitals, women shelters, the USO and to UNC Charlotte. An educator in her own right, Claudia has mentored students in fabric arts and taught quilting at Central Piedmont Community College for more than 25 years.

The Claudia M. Reynolds Graduate Fellowship will be a part of this year’s NinerNationGives campaign, allowing faculty, staff, students and all donors the opportunity to contribute to this exceptional fund. The first 49 donors to the Graduate School will be entered into a drawing to win one of Mrs. Reynolds quilts. NinerNationGives begins September 18 and runs for 49 hours. Visit #NinerNationGives to help support this Fellowship.

Graduate School Continues Summer Support of Exceptional Docs

August 08, 2019 by Stanchina, Karla

In its second summer, the Graduate School Summer Fellowship (GSSF) supported over 50 students with a three-month stipend of $6,000 allowing select doctoral students to dedicate significant effort toward their research project. The GSSF is designed to replace a teaching assistantship or other summer job, which may take a UNC Charlotte doctoral student away from their research.

Students have thanked the Graduate School on numerous occasions for giving them this opportunity. One such student, Michael Desjardins from the Department of Geography, CLAS, used his funding to travel to Cali, Colombia performing field research at health clinics, hospitals and neighborhoods, ultimately using his survey and collected statistical data in his dissertation research “Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika in Cali and Medellín, Colombia”

“The GSSF funding provided by the Graduate School also allowed me to focus on the second chapter of my dissertation,” says Desjardins. “Without the support of the GSSF, I would have made far less progress over the summer because I would have had to work to support myself. Being able to work full-time on my dissertation research brings me closer to my planned defense date in the spring of 2020.”

Dr. Julie Goodliffe, Director of Funding for the Graduate School explains, “Giving these students the opportunity to continue their research in the summer months through financial support, allows them to make progress toward a timely degree.”

Funding for the GSSF program was provided for summer 2019 from one-time money; therefore, there is no commitment or expectation that additional funding will be available in subsequent years. Contact Dr. Julie Goodliffe if you have questions regarding the Fellowship or a candidate for future years.

SEA Priority Deadline Aug. 19

July 18, 2019 by White, Brian

Student Educational Award (SEA) forms have a priority deadline of August 19. The deadline was set to counter the adverse effects of late submissions and to provide sufficient time to process awards to student accounts prior to the first cancellation for nonpayment on Aug. 7.

Please communicate this deadline broadly to all in your department who are involved with issuing student educational awards, including grant-funded participant stipends.
If SEA forms are not processed by this date, students will be at risk of class cancellation for non-payment for the fall term.

If you have questions, contact Bruce Blackmon, Director of Financial Aid, Bruce.Blackmon@uncc.edu; Valerie Crickard, Executive Director of Grants & Contracts Administration, vcrickar@uncc.edu; Johnna Watson, Associate Dean and Associate Graduate Faculty, JohnnaWatson@uncc.edu; or Laura Williams, Controller, LauraWilliams@uncc.edu.

Ventureprise Launch NSF I-Corps Summer Cohort Accepting Applications

May 20, 2019 by White, Brian

The summer 2019 Ventureprise Launch National Science Foundation I-Corps program provides UNC Charlotte faculty, staff and students with commercialization training and up to an initial $5000 in NSF funding.

The next stage is a six month $50,000 NSF I-Corps Teams grant. The cohort will run May 29-July 10 (break for the July 4 holiday). The goal of the program is to identify potential commercial uses and prepare for more substantial commercialization funding opportunities.

A complete schedule and application form can be found at Ventureprise Launch NSF I-Corp. To learn more, please contact Principle Investigator Devin Collins (7-8058).

Stipends to Increase for Grad School Assistantships

March 28, 2019 by White, Brian

In response to the Graduate Student Funding Task Force Report, the Chancellor provided $1.2 million for graduate assistantship support for the 2019-20 academic year. With direction from Academic Affairs and implemented by the Graduate School, these funds are being used to increase the stipends of the graduate assistantships held centrally by the Graduate School.

Graduate School staff have been meeting with faculty and students over the past couple of weeks to answer questions on this initiative and we have developed this FAQ page based on these meetings that has been posted online. This page will be updated regularly and we hope you will refer to it when questions arise. Your feedback is also encouraged and you are welcome to email me with either a question or comment.

GPD Deadline Extended for Fall 2019 Fellowships

February 27, 2019 by White, Brian

The deadline for GPD nominations for student fellowships was extended to Mar. 22.

One such fellowship, the William F. Kennedy Graduate Fellowship pays $18,000 plus stipend, tuition, fees and health insurance premium.

The Kennedy Fellowship is for a new student who will begin Fall 2019. The student can be domestic or international, with a preference for a first generation graduate student, and/or having a potential to make a significant contribution to society by completing the degree.

Students have until Mar. 15 to complete an application, so nominate soon at NinerScholars.

More information on fellowships is available on the Graduate School’s Funding site. To see the other fellowships requiring nomination, select the Graduate Program Director Nominated option at the bottom of the page.

2019 Summer Fellowship Available

February 15, 2019 by White, Brian

The Graduate School is offering its Summer Fellowship Program (GSSF) in 2019 to enable students to continue focus on their studies through the summer months.

The program, which pays $2,000 per month, is available to full-time doctoral students on GASP. Information on program enrollment and additional criteria was sent to students via email.

Questions about the program may be sent to Julie Goodliffe, jmgoodli@uncc.edu, Director of Funding and Fellowships for the Graduate School.

Graduate Student Funding Task Force Report Available

February 14, 2019 by Stanchina, Karla

The Graduate Student Funding Task Force Report is completed and can be accessed at https://graduateschool.uncc.edu/deans-office/about-deans-office

As you may be aware, the Graduate Student Funding Task Force was assembled to examine the current state of graduate student funding at UNC Charlotte and develop recommendations to improve, sustain and scale resources which will meet the needs of our graduate student population both today and moving forward. The Graduate School will work toward developing priorities and strategies to implement key recommendations from the Report.

GASP Nominations Open for Fall 2019

January 03, 2019 by White, Brian

Enrollment in the Graduate Assistant Support Program (GASP) is open for news students enrolling for Fall 2019.

The Graduate School provides full tuition support for the majority of doctoral students via the GASP program.

More information, including a video tutorial, is included in Student Funding on GPDNet’s GPD News + Info tab.

Urge Students to Apply for Paid Summer Research Programs

December 11, 2018 by White, Brian

PathwaystoScience.org provides a searchable database of programs at to find and apply for STEM paid summer research programs.

Sponsored by the Institute for Broadening Participation (IBP), the database has over 650 paid summer research programs, including programs for both undergraduate and graduate students. 60 programs have deadlines within the next 45 days.

With the site’s advanced search feature, you can filter by discipline, level of study, citizenship status, and more.

For assistance, contact Liv Detrick at IBP.

Seating Limited for Dec. 6 New Funding Dashboard Reveal

November 29, 2018 by White, Brian

A fully integrated system that will allow GPDs to view, nominate, prioritize, and manage funding for students will go live in the coming weeks.

GPDs and staff are invited to a demo of the system Dec. 6, 1:30 – 2:45 p.m. in Cato Hall 248. Please RSVP to Amy Palmer to ensure seating is available.

Contact Julie Goodliffe if you have questions.

Veterans’ Fellowship Named for Donor, Rules Changed

November 15, 2018 by White, Brian

The Graduate School’s Veterans Scholarship, an $18,000 GPD-nominated grant, was recently named in honor of Commander F.M. (Mike) Reynolds, a Graduate School donor and brother of Associate Provost and Graduate School Dean Tom Reynolds.

Commander Reynolds retired from the U.S. Navy after more than 30 years of service. During the Vietnam War, he served as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Impervious, a minesweeper operating along the coast of South Vietnam and later in the Gulf of Tonkin. During his tour as C.O., Reynolds earned the nickname “Iron Mike” for his steadfast service, fearless dedication to duty, and unwavering leadership under the most arduous conditions of war.

“The University of North Carolina at Charlotte recognizes the many sacrifices our veterans made while serving our country,” Dean Reynolds said. “This scholarship was established to provide the opportunity for veterans to continue their higher education to become the next generation of public and private sector leaders committed to the service of others.”

The Reynolds Veteran’s Scholarship is open to military veterans from any branch of service and admitted to any master’s or doctoral degree program at UNC Charlotte.

In addition to the name change, the first year of this scholarship is service-free. In the second year, the student has the option to hold an assistantship (TA or RA) or continue with the service-free award.

Details on this and all other fellowship opportunities are available on the Graduate School’s Fellowships page.