PitE awards several of the following scholarship during the academic year for students participating in their first practical experience. These scholarships made possible by the generous gifts of donors and friends of PitE.

Abrams Endowed Scholarship
Through the generosity of private donors James and Wendy Abrams, scholarships are available in perpetuity for PitE students completing their Field Experience.   Any PitE student is eligible. Scholars will agree to meet with Mr. and Mrs. Abrams during their annual visit to campus.

Barry G. Rabe Fund Scholarship
This award recognizes the Program in the Environment’s first permanent director.  It is endowed with donations from PitE alumni, faculty associates, and staff.  This award supports students completing an environmental policy internship or field program such as the Michigan in Washington semester.  Eligibility: Participation in a field experience with an emphasis on environmental policy.

Field Experience Support Endowment
Anonymous donors established this endowment to assist PitE students with field experience expenses. Eligibility: Any PitE student is eligible for this scholarship.

Environmental Experience Scholarship Fund (Need Based)
Need-based scholarships established by an anonymous donor. Eligibility: Student must demonstrate financial need as determined by the University’s Office of Financial Aid.

Goldring Family Foundation Field/International Experience Award
This scholarship is funded through an endowed gift from the Goldring Family Foundation.  It goes toward expenses of an LSA student in Program in the Environment who completing his/her practical experience away from Ann Arbor. Eligibility:  Completing field experience requirement away from the university.

Robert M. Owen Scholarship Fund
This scholarship fund was established in 2010 to recognize Robert Owen’s contributions to the university. Robert Owen was PitE’s third director and is a professor of earth and environmental sciences sciences, who for many years, taught at Camp Davis, the university’s Rocky Mountain Field Station. This scholarship supports students taking a science course at Camp Davis. Eligibility: Must be completing a science course at Camp Davis.

1. Download, complete, and sign the Practical Experience Scholarship Application (see below) 
2. Email the application and supporting documentation as a single document to ksmithz@umich.edu by the due date below.  Please include "Practical Experience Scholarship Application" in the subject line.

The application includes the following sections, and must be sent as a single PDF file or single word document. Please use as much space as needed when completing the essays:

• Coversheet
• Budget Template
• Essays and Statements
• Unofficial UM transcript*
• 1-page resume*
• Financial Aid package* (if applying for a need-based scholarship)
  *JPEGs embedded in the application are gladly accepted

The Scholarship Application Deadline has been extended until Friday, March 15 (5:00 pm)

Note:  Only one set of application materials needs to be provided, regardless of the number of scholarships for which you are applying.  Students will be considered for all scholarships for which they are eligible, but will be awarded no more than one scholarship. 

Download the Practical Experience Application Here (word doc)

Please note:

• Paper applications will not be accepted
• All application materials must be submitted as one single document, in either a PDF or Word document
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Applications received past the deadline may not be considered

All Practical Experience scholarships are made possible by the generosity of donors and friends of PitE. These donors appreciate hearing from PitE students who receive these scholarships. Once scholarships are accepted, students send a thank you letter or note directly to the donor. Students also send a copy of this letter to PitE. Scholarships are not processed until PitE receives a copy of the student’s thank you letter to the donor.  Students then follow up with the scholarship benefactor after completing their practical experience.

Once a thank you letter is received, scholarships are awarded (or disbursed) in one of two ways:

1. Directly deposited into the student’s UM Student Account, or
2. Directly deposited into the student’s bank account. A check will be mailed to the address on file if the student does not have direct deposit established.

Students can indicate how they would like their scholarships disbursed on the application form, and should contact the PitE Program Coordinator with any questions about disbursement.

Award Stipulations

When submitting an application for the above scholarships, students must consent to the following terms:

• Agree to have name, year and any information from my personal statement shared with award donors
• Agree to acknowledge any awards received with a written thank you to the donor and a copy to PitE
• Student understands that receiving the scholarship and meeting PitE’s practical experience requirement is contingent upon satisfactorily completing the practical experience, and that any changes to the selected practical experience need to be communicated to the PitE Program Coordinator and/or Concentration Advisor.  Incomplete practical experiences, barring extreme circumstances, require a return of scholarship funding.
• It is the student responsibility to make sure that their direct deposit information and/or the mailing address on file with UM is accurate and up to date. Incorrect information will delay the disbursement of the scholarship funds.

All Practical Experiences must be pre-approved by a PitE advisor before starting the experience or applying for a practical experience scholarship. Classes from the following UM field stations, however, are already approved to meet PitE’s Practical Experience requirement and are eligible for practical experience scholarships:

• University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS)
• Camp Davis
• New England Literature Program  (NELP)
• Semester in Detroit
• Michigan in Washington (MIW)

Students are welcome and encouraged to find the practical experience that meets their needs. If students are interested in participating in a practical experience not on this list, they should make an appointment to see a PitE advisor to get the practical experience approved. This is especially true for study abroad programs and internships.