Innovation & Excellence in Graduate Education Grant
The Innovation & Excellence in Graduate Education grant program supports improvements in graduate education at SIUE, and is supported by the Rosemarie Archangel, Ellen Sappington and Stephen and Julia Hansen endowment. Every spring, the Graduate School sends a call for proposals to SIUE faculty and staff that encourages units to submit proposals for funded projects that support strategic advances in graduate student recruitment, success, and degree completion.
The information below regarding the proposal and award terms is subject to change.
Who Can Apply?
Any SIUE faculty or staff member
Funding Amounts
- Proposals from a single unit = maximum of $5,000
- Proposals that are a collaboration between two or more units = maximum of $12,000
How to Apply
Complete the online application by the deadline listed in the application, which typically falls in mid-May.
Application & Award Timeline
- Submission Deadline = Mid-May
- Awardees Notified = Early June
- Implementation of Proposal = July 1 - June 30
Terms of the Award
- Funds transferred from Graduate School to department/unit upon award
- Funds must be used by the following June (end of fiscal year)
- Grant recipients must submit an online written summary of grant activities and outcomes by October 1st following the close of the award year
- Salaries are ineligible for funding (including GA and student worker salaries)
- Instructions for purchasing will be provided upon award
Proposal Development Suggestions
Consult with campus experts to discuss proposal ideas and ask for input!
Although not an exhaustive list, below are a few ideas of the kinds of activities that could be included in a proposal focused on graduate recruitment and retention:
- Programming efforts to address gaps in competencies or skills that present barriers to degree completion.
- Strategic outreach to former graduate students who did not complete the program and providing supportive pathways to completion.
- Developing structured opportunities to educate SIUE undergraduate students on SIUE graduate education options & processes, including accelerated programs (targeting specific classes in UG curriculum, undergrad student organizations, etc.).
- Professional development activities for unit academic advisors and/or faculty to develop unified & strategic approach to recruit students into accelerated programs.
- Creating (or enhancing) a program to engage alumni in recruitment.
- Collaborate with other graduate programs to recruit SIUE undergraduates uncertain of their graduate pathway (including broad clusters such as learning about programs in allied health, mental health/social services, business, fine arts, engineering, technology, natural sciences, healthcare, etc.).
- Marketing campaign reaching out to undergraduate alumni from recent years who may have gone into workforce and now may consider a graduate program.
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Partnering with colleagues at local/regional universities that do not grant graduate degrees in your discipline to provide educational programming that also promotes your graduate programs.
Prior Grant Recipients
FY27
- Bhargav Patel, Pharmaceutical Sciences, "Expanding Regional Engagement and Graduate Recruitment in Pharmaceutical Sciences"
- Myron Jones, Chemistry, & Tom Spudich, Forensic Sciences "Improving Recruiting and Networking for Chemistry and Forensic Sciences Programs through Engagement with Alumni and Career Professionals"
- Andrew Wesemann, Public Administration & Policy Analysis, "Community Engagement Summit: Expanding Access to Funded Graduate Pathways in Public and Nonprofit Service"
- Sinan Onal, Industrial Engineering, and Zenia Agustin, Mathematics/Integrative Studies, "Reaching the Regional Workforce: Targeted Industry Outreach to Recruit Domestic Students"
FY26
- Michelle Stacy, Teaching & Learning, "Be a Teacher! Always a Cougar!: MAT Recruitment among CAS Students and Alumni"
- Suman Mishra, Mass Communications, "Building the Path to Graduate Study in Mass Communications: Educator Workshops and Undergraduate Outreach"
- Jennifer Zuercher, Exercise, Sport and Nutrition Sciences, "Strategized Recruitment Efforts to Broaden the Applicant Pool for SIUE's MS in Nutrition and Dietetics Program"
- Laura Fowler, History, "Reenvisioning Museum Studies"
- Frank Lyerla, Healthcare Informatics, "Marketing for the Healthcare Informatics Program and Concurrent Degrees"
FY25
- James Panico, Public Health and Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology, "Enhancing Recruitment Retention and Cultural Responsivity in Speech-Language Pathology through Collaboration"
- Sharon Locke, STEM Center, "Professional Development to Increase Sense of Belonging and Retention for International Health Graduate Students"
- Brittany Peterson, Biological Sciences, "Forming a NUCLEUS for Graduate Students in Biological Sciences"
- Jennifer Arnoldi, Pharmacy Practice, "Resilience Training for Graduate Students: Building Skills for School and Beyond"
- Sarah Luesse, Chemistry, "Implementation of Traveling Seminars and Networking Activities to Improve Recruitment and Retention Efforts for Chemistry"
- Michael Stumbras, Art & Design, "National Portfolio Day Association"
FY24
- Elizabeth Cali, English, "Student Futures in African American Literary Studies"
- Jason Stacy, History, "Putting the 'Teacher' in Teacher-Scholar"
FY23
- Jenna Tebbenkamp, Nurse Anesthesiology, "Educating the SIUE School of Nursing Nurse Anesthesiology Coordinators on Maintaining Equitable and Inclusive Environments to Positively Impact Student Wellness and Retention"
- Zhiqing Lin, Environmental Sciences, "Enhancing Program persity from Recruitment and Improving Student Retention/Graduation in Environmental Sciences"
FY22
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Lakesha Butler, Pharmacy, "A Multi-Pronged Approach to Recruitment and Retention of Underrepresented Minority Pharmacy Students"
FY21
- Carol Colaninno-Meeks, STEM Center, Adirana Martinez, Environmental Sciences/Geography, and Rohan Benjankar, Civil Engineering, Alan Black, Geography, "Transforming the STEM Graduate Experience at SIUE: Evidence-Based Practices to Support and Advance Effective Mentorship"
- Jennifer Arnoldi, Pharmacy Practice, "Developing an Excellent Mentor Pool"
Questions?
Please contact Jill Smucker, Director of Graduate Education, at jsmucke@siue.edu.
