Department Updates

Graduate Research

For the latest developments in WIU graduate research in history, see the "In the News" at the bottom of this web page.

WIU History graduate students are eligible to apply for research grants from the Department's Professor Emeritus Fund and the WIU School of Graduate Studies' Graduate Student Research and Professional Development Fund. See below for more information on each of these funding sources.

In addition, many of our graduate students have presented their research at regional and specialty history conferences; some have also published articles in historical journals. For more information on historical journals that welcome submissions from history M.A. students, see the "WIU History Resource Guide: Graduate Journal Listings" produced by graduate history student Ryan Buller, also available for review in the History Graduate Office (450 Morgan).

History grad students Beth Carlson, David Sprung, & Eric Willey, mentored by Dr. McNabb, present papers at Loyola University Conference

Graduate School Research Awards

WIU graduate students may also apply, through the History Department, for a Graduate Student Research and Professional Development Fund Award from the WIU Graduate Council to fund their research. These awards are limited to $500 per student. Applications must be submitted to the Chair of the History Department by September 15 for the Fall semester competition; the deadline for the traditionally much more popular Spring semester competition is February 15 of each year. For further details, see the Graduate School's web page: www.wiu.edu/grad/resources/StudentFund.php

Conference travel funding is also available through this fund for students who have received notice of their paper's acceptance. Acceptance goes a long way toward convincing the Graduate Council's members that the project has merit, as it demonstrates approval from specialists in the field.

Grad student Rob Deveraux receives award at Missouri Valley History Conference for his research paper, mentored by Dr. Roberts and Dr. Kretchik

History Department Professor Emeritus Awards for Graduate Research

Graduate students in good standing in the WIU History Department's M.A. program may apply to the Department Graduate Committee for awards from the Professor Emeritus Fund to help defray the expenses incurred while conducting historical research for WIU courses and for their Masters' theses or special projects. M.A. students in History may also apply for Professor Emeritus Awards to help defray travel expenses when presenting their own research papers at academic conferences. The maximum amount of each individual Professor Emeritus Award is $500; the maximum amount of Professor Emeritus funding for which an individual student may apply, regardless of the number of Awards received, is $1,000.

Students wishing to apply for a Professor Emeritus Award should contact:

Dr. Virginia Jelatis
Graduate Director
Department of History
Western Illinois University
One University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455-1390

(309) 298-3416
VG-Jelatis@wiu.edu

History's Graduate Research in the News