Undergraduate Opportunities

DEADLINE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS/NOMINATIONS IS 3/16/2026.
Please submit all required materials to the Department of Entomology Scholarship, Fellowship and Award Application/Nomination Site.

 

 

Scholarships

 

The Olsen Entomology Scholarship

Award: Up to two $2,000 Scholarships or Fellowships

Eligibility:

  • Must be a current Entomology undergraduate major/minor or graduate student
  • Undergraduate students must at least be of junior status and have a 2.5 or higher GPA
  • Graduate students must be in good academic standing
  • Must have a research interest in IPM or Sustainability
  • Must be enrolled in fall, 2026

Required Application Materials:

  • A letter of application from the student that states their research goals, career goals and how these funds are going to help achieve these goals
  • A current C.V. or resume

 

 

The George W. Bird Pioneering Land Grant Scholarship

Award: One $2,500 scholarship or fellowship

Eligibility:

  • Must be a current Entomology undergraduate or graduate student.
  • Must be in academic good standing.
  • Must be enrolled in fall semester, 2026.

This scholarship may be awarded to a student only once during their tenure in the department

Required Application Materials:

  • A 500-word essay describing how being a student at a Land Grant institution is impacting your future education or professional career goals

 

 

Entomology Research and Outreach Fellowship

The Entomology Research and Outreach Fellowship (EROF) is a fellowship is for undergraduate students with limited research opportunities to work with world-class researchers at MSU.

The goal of this program is to provide paid research and community outreach experience to students with limited access to research opportunities. All individuals are welcome to apply to the program and will receive equal opportunity to participate, regardless of background or identity. Through personalized mentorship and career development opportunities, we hope to build your interest and resume to pursue a career in STEM, and give valuable experience that benefits any career path.

Learn more about EROF here.

 

 

The Sara Elizabeth Klein Undergraduate Scholarship in Entomology

Award: two awardees will receive approximately $2000 each (contingent on funding) toward tuition

The Sara Elizabeth Klein Undergraduate Scholarship in Entomology was established in honor of Sara Elizabeth, who loved insects and whose life was tragically cut short in a car accident in 2016. Before the accident, Sara was working toward her degree in Entomology. The purpose of this award is to help students achieve what Sara never got a chance to by providing financial support to undergraduates beginning study in Entomology at MSU. 

Eligibility:

  • Incoming freshman or transfer student accepted to MSU, majoring in Entomology
  • Demonstrated financial need through FAFSA
  • Interest in entomology, with preference given to students interested in ladybugs, butterflies, or dragonflies
  • Must be in good academic standing with an overall GPA above 2.5

Required Application Materials:

  • A current 1-page resume
  • A statement of interest
    • One page, single-spaced, 12-point font with one-inch margins
    • Should include a brief summary of your career goals, why you have chosen to pursue a career path in Entomology and any areas of particular interest within Entomology.

Applications should be emailed to Dr. Amanda Lorenz (lorenzam@msu.edu) and Heather Lenartson-Kluge (lenartso@msu.edu) by September 30.

 

 

Bug House Scholarship/Fellowship

The Bug House provides opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to conduct educational public outreach, teaching folks about the importance of insects and other arthropods through tours of the Bug House as well as public open house events. The Bug House offers fellowships and scholarships to any guide who participates in a minimum of 10 Bug House events per calendar year.

Lead guides give a presentation and oversee the tour and accrue $15 per tour toward their scholarship total. Assistant guides hand out live insects and accrue $12 per tour. Guides participating in other events accrue $10 per hour for the time put in for that event.

Fellowships and scholarships are awarded at the end of the year and recognized at the annual Entomology Awards Ceremony in April. Please note there is no application necessary for this award since it is based upon time spent working in the Bug House from the previous year.

For more information, please reach out to Amanda Lorenz (lorenzam@msu.edu).

 

Awards

 

Department of Entomology Undergraduate Award

This award is given to an undergraduate student in Entomology for outstanding achievement in their overall undergraduate program.

Eligibility:

  • MSU student majored in Entomology major.
  • Be of senior status (88+ credits) up to one semester post-graduation.
  • GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Required Nomination Materials:

  • A letter of nomination from any Entomology faculty member
  • An additional letter of support

 

 

Scriber Scholar Award

This award was established by Mark and Kathleen Scriber to foster continued research and/or public science education outreach in butterfly biology and conservation. Awards will normally be effective for summer or fall semester following selection.

Eligibility:

  • Awardees must be enrolled the semester in which they receive the award.
  • Undergraduates must be majored in entomology with a focus on research and public science education outreach in butterfly biology and conservation.
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA.

Required Application Materials:

 

 

Hutson Memorial Research Fund

The Ray and Bernice Hutson Memorial Endowment Fund supports research, extension or outreach projects by MSU Entomology undergraduate and graduate students.

Only one undergraduate award (in the amount of $1000) is given each year. Students applying for this fund are required to write a detailed proposal outlining their project. More information on proposals can be found here.

Eligibility:

  • MSU student majored in Entomology.

Required Application Materials:

 

 

Hutson Memorial Travel Fund

This fund supports travel by MSU Entomology undergraduate and graduate students to professional academic meetings such as the Entomological Society of America annual conference.

Students may make one request per academic year for domestic travel. Travel awards can be requested at any time during the academic year.

Eligibility:

  • MSU Entomology undergraduate or graduate student.
  • Must be in good academic standing.
  • One request per academic year for domestic travel.
  • One request during degree program for international travel.

Required Application Materials:

  • Download and fill out the Hutson Travel Support Request Form and submit completed request form to Heather Lenartson-Kluge at lenartso@msu.edu
  • Letter to chairperson at least 30 days in advance of the travel, including the name of the professional meeting, location, total cost and benefit of attending.

 

 

Larry Gut Memorial International Travel Award

This award will go towards supporting an international trip for a student in the Department of Entomology.

Calls for this award will be sent to graduate and undergraduate students in the Department of Entomology at the beginning of fall and spring semesters each year. Trips for awards given fall semester must take place before June 30. Trips for awards spring semester must take place before December 31. Travel awards must be used for the specific event and location they are awarded for. They cannot be used for a different international trip. Awardees may reapply for another award in a future semester if their international travel plans change.

Eligibility:

  •  Must be currently enrolled as graduate or undergraduate students in the Department of Entomology at MSU
  • Must be in good academic standing
  • Must be current in all their degree program obligations to date.
  • Must be traveling outside of the United States to conduct research, attend professional meetings, and/or engage in experiential learning

Required Application Materials:

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