History Department Undergraduate Awards & Prizes
The History Department’s undergraduate awards and prizing programs recognize exceptional achievement in historical study, research, and writing. These awards honor students who demonstrate intellectual curiosity, strong analytical skills, and a commitment to understanding the past through rigorous scholarship.
Undergraduate awards support excellence in coursework, original research papers, senior theses, and public-facing historical work. Prizes may include monetary awards, research or travel funding, and formal recognition at departmental or university events.
Eligibility requirements and application processes vary by award. Students are encouraged to review individual award descriptions carefully and to consult with faculty mentors when preparing submissions.
By celebrating undergraduate achievement, these awards highlight the depth and quality of student work in the History Department while supporting academic growth and preparation for graduate study and related career paths.
History Department Scholarships
Scholarship in the amount of $1,400 in honor of Catherine Wang, a 1982 Stony Brook graduate in History who went on to become an attorney specializing in communications law. She is now a partner at a prestigious Washington, D.C. law first and remains a generous and committed donor to the History department. To apply for this scholarship visit the ScholarshipUniverse portal.
Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 for a student with an academic focus on early American History, the history of the greater NY region, or other areas of history in which the Gardiners have played a prominent role. To apply for this scholarship visit the ScholarshipUniverse portal.
Scholarship in the amount of $2,527 in honor of Cynthia Mitchell to recognize student excellence and financial need. To apply for this scholarship visit the ScholarshipUniverse portal.
Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 awarded to a talented undergraduate History major focusing on American history. To apply for this scholarship visit the ScholarshipUniverse portal.
Scholarship in the amount of $1,000 in honor of Richard B. Martin, class of 1968, now a principal in the law firm of Martin & Molinari in Freeport, New York. Through his generous contribution, the scholarship recognizes an undergraduate who demonstrates significant promise and potential in the study of history. To apply for this scholarship visit the ScholarshipUniverse portal.
For an outstanding student in Judaic Studies with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
Funding up to $500 to support external research directly related to Honors, Independent Studies, and 401 seminars. Awarded annually during the fall semester. Deadline for submission for 2024-25 is November 3rd. Apply for undergraduate research funding here.
Presented to students who discuss their original research at the annual History Department Undergraduate Conference, coordinated in conjunction with the university-wide URECA undergraduate research symposium.
History Department Prizes
In honor of the Traum family, graduates of Stony Brook, in recognition of excellence in the study of American History.
Presented to an outstanding returning student who has completed their degree in History.
In honor of Roger Wunderlich who earned his PhD in History at Stony Brook after retirement from a former career. He was the department's oldest-ever PhD recipient. He then went on with great energy to become founder, editor, and publisher of the Long Island Historical Journal. Roger had a passion for historical inquiry fervently believed that Long Island's history was a microcosm of the history of the American Republic.
In honor of Philip J. Staudenraus, a former U.S. history professor who specialized
in abolitionism
and the Civil War. He was also a great champion of undergraduate writing. This award
is presented for service to the History Department and more broadly to the Stony Brook
community.
Presented to the graduating senior with the highest GPA in History.
In honor of Wallace K. Ferguson, a renowned historian of the Renaissance. The fund was established by Professor Elof Carlson, a retired Stony Brook University Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Bio Chemistry and Cell Biology. An American geneticist, noted historian of science, and the first Headmaster of Stony Brook University's Honors College, Dr. Carlson established the fund in recognition of the importance of History and the impact Wallace Ferguson had on him as a student. To qualify, students must have a minimum 3.2 GPA in History.