Graduate-Only Scholarships
The 2024-25 scholarship application period has ended. The Bobcat Online Scholarship System (BOSS) allows you to search and apply for university and external scholarships. The opportunities include scholarships specific to your college, major or area of interest.
Students can apply for multiple scholarships. Each scholarship application must have a SEPARATE online form completed.
Scholarship recipients MUST attend the Annual Alumni Reunion and Student Celebration
Only scholarships listed on the current year application form will be awarded
1) The George D. Battle Memorial Scholarship Supporting Research in
Climatology or Coastal Geography
honors George D. Battle's lifelong commitment to the study of the natural
environment of Texas. One scholarship is awarded each spring pending
available funding and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. be a graduate student
2. be studying climatology or coastal geography
3. have a 3.0 or higher GPA
2) The Blanchard Family Geography Scholarship
was designed to help a student in financial need. One scholarship is
awarded each spring pending available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. be a graduate student
2. have a 3.5 or higher GPA
3. demonstrate financial need (currently defined as an annual income of
$15,000/year or less)
4. be enrolled in at least nine semester hours
3) The Frank and Ivy Boehm Geography Scholarship for Ph.D. Students
in Geographic Education
honors Frank and Ivy Boehm for their strong support of education as an
avenue by which individuals can significantly contribute to improving our
society. One scholarship is awarded each spring pending available funding,
and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. be a Ph.D. student in geographic education
2. be competitive with a high grade point
3. submit a 250 word request to the Director of the Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education that
addresses need and qualifications
4. students in the Summer Cohort program will get preference
5. this award will be decided in consultation between the geography department chairperson and the
Director of the Grosvenor Center for Geographic Education
6. extracurricular activities will be considered
4) The Ray and Marian Butler Environmental Geography Scholarship
honors Ray and Marion Butler of Omaha, Nebraska for their ongoing support
of geography, travel and fieldwork and in honor of their 50th wedding
anniversary on November 20, 1999. One scholarship is awarded each spring
pending available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. be a Ph. D. student in environmental geography
2. use the award to support the costs of fieldwork on a dissertation topic examining environmental
physical geography in the mountains of the western United States
3. submit a 1,000-word essay describing his or her dissertation fieldwork and how the Ray and Marian
Butler Scholarship would aid that fieldwork
4. be enrolled in at least nine semester hours
5) The Detlefsen Dissertation Scholarship
honors Mr. Bernard "Bernie" Detlefsen for his service to our country and his
interest in places and maps. One scholarship is awarded each spring
pending available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. have an approved dissertation proposal
2. have a of scholarly productivity and leadership
6) The Detlefsen Doctoral Candidate Scholarship
honors Mr. Bernard "Bernie" Detlefsen for his service to our country and his
interest in places and maps. One scholarship is awarded each spring
pending available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. have passed comprehensive / qualifying exams
2. have a record of scholarly productivity and leadership
7) The Detlefsen Doctoral Excellence Scholarship
honors Mr. Bernard "Bernie" Detlefsen for his service to our country and his
interest in places and maps. One scholarship is awarded each spring
pending available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. be a 2nd year student
2. demonstrate excellence in coursework
3. have a record of research productivity
8) The Detlefsen Doctoral Recruitment Scholarship
honors Mr. Bernard "Bernie" Detlefsen for his service to our country and his
interest in places and maps. One scholarship is awarded each spring
pending available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. have a Masters GPA>3.75
2. have a strong record of professional activities
3. be highly recommended in admission letters of reference
9) The Detlefsen Graduate Field Study Travel Award
· Applicants must:
1. be registered as a Master or Ph.D. student in a Texas State’s Geography Department.
2. use funds for field and archival research, not for attendance at academic meetings, workshops, training, or language acquisition.
3. have a clear field research proposal narrative, proposed budget, c.v. and letter of support from their advisor. Research must be conducted during the dates specified in the proposal.
4. recipients of previous Field Study Awards are ineligible to apply with the exception that previous winners at the Master’s level may apply for the Ph.D. level award.
· Applicants should submit a single document which includes:
1. Fieldwork Proposal Narrative: 3 pages, double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman.
2. Proposal Budget: Include transportation costs. Budget capped at $1,500.
3. Curriculum Vitae: 2 pages maximum including most relevant information.
An Advisor Letter of Support must be sent by the applicant's Faculty advisor directly to the Scholarship and Awards Committee Chair (Dr. Blue: sblue@txstate.edu).
10) The Detlefsen Masters Excellence Scholarship
honors Mr. Bernard "Bernie" Detlefsen for his service to our country and his interest in places and maps.
One scholarship is awarded each spring pending available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. have completed nine credit hours of graduate work with a GPA of 3.59 or
higher
2. have a record of professional activity such as professional presentations
and student organization participation
11) Shadae Dixon Memorial Geography Scholarship
honors the memory of Shadae Dixon, a young, vibrant, and talented PhD student who died
unexpectedly at age 28. It is the intent for the endowment to reach twenty-five thousand dollars
($25,000) in five years. If the fund has not reached the endowment level by May 2023, funds will
be used to provide an annual award per the criteria below until funds are expended.
Applicant must:
1. be a graduate student in Geography (either Masters or Doctoral) in their first or second year of study
2. demonstrate excellence in coursework, teaching, and/or research, with a 3.5 GPA or above
3. preference will be given to students from historically underrepresented groups.
12) The Sandra E. Estaville Dissertation Scholarship
honors Sandra Estaville for her support of the development and
implementation of the Geography Ph.D. programs at Texas State
University-San Marcos. One scholarship is awarded each spring pending
available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. write a proposal for dissertation research including research goals and time period
2. submit letters of recommendation from the applicant’s research advisor and two members of the
dissertation committee
3. have a high GPA.
13) The Foster Family Doctoral Educational Fund in Geographic Education
honors Ellen J. Foster, Ph.D., the third generation in her family to receive an
education degree from the institution now known as Texas State
University-San Marcos. One scholarship is awarded each spring pending
available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. write a proposal for dissertation research including research goals and time period
2. submit letters of recommendation from the applicant’s research advisor and two members of the
dissertation committee
3. have a high GPA.
14) The Sally Ann Karnau Geography Dissertation Research Scholarship
honors Sally Ann Karnau, one of the first five students in the Texas State
Geography doctoral program. The scholarship will help other students who
wish to pursue careers in geography. One scholarship is awarded each
spring pending available funding, and applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. write a proposal for dissertation research including research goals and time period
2. submit letters of recommendation from the applicant's research advisor and two members of the
dissertation committee
3. have a high GPA
15) The Amita Malwade Graduate Scholarship
honors Amita Malwade, a young, extremely dedicated and bright teacher
and scholar, who died unexpectedly at age 35, only two months after
receiving her doctorate from Pennsylvania State University in 1992. One
scholarship is awarded each spring pending available funding, and applied
to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. be a graduate student in human geography; special consideration will be given to students in
population geography and social geography
2. show high motivation and academic standards
3. demonstrate a commitment to excellence in teaching and research
16) The Natural Hazards Scholarship honors Dr. Gilbert F. White for his
contribution to natural hazards research in geography and for his
commitment in facilitating future generations of natural hazards geographers.
One scholarship is awarded each spring pending available funding, and
applied to the following fall.
Applicant must:
1. be a graduate student who has a demonstrated interest in natural hazards
2. have a GPA of 3.0 or higher
3. contribute product (e.g., paper, presentation, annotated bibliography) at the
end of the scholarship period