Funding and Scholarships

Project Dragonfly, along with key donor partners, offers several partial scholarships each year (ranging from $250-$1000) as individual awards to current graduate students in our a master’s programs. These funds can be used to cover tuition and other course-related costs. Since 2009, Dragonfly has awarded $31,000 in scholarship funds. Read below for information on available Project Dragonfly scholarship opportunities.

Miami University also offers some Scholarships and Grants for Graduate Students.

The NEA Foundation supports a variety of efforts by teachers, education professionals, and higher education faculty and staff to improve student learning in public schools, colleges, and universities.

Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research Program (GIAR) awards grants of up to $1,000 to students from all areas of the sciences and engineering. Applications due dates are March 15 and October 15 annually.

Citi Foundation offers grants for environmental and entrepreneurial work.

Ohio Education Association offers grants and scholarships in a variety of categories. 

We are excited to announce

To be eligible, you will need to:

Step 1: Complete our full application by December 1, 2026. This includes:

• AIP and GFP applicants: completing the Graduate School application and our My Project Dragonfly form.
• GFP applicants only: submitting your Earth Expeditions field course choices.

Step 2: If you are offered program admission, accept your place in the 2026 cohort. 

By completing these two steps, you will be automatically eligible for one of these scholarships. There is no extra scholarship form needed.

That's it! Awardees will be contacted by early May, and scholarships will be applied to the summer tuition bill.

Questions can be directed to Jill Korach at korachjk@miamioh.edu or Katie Feilen at feilenkl@miamioh.edu.

Project Dragonfly programs work to inspire positive ecological and social change. Created in 2021, the Inquiry, Community, Voice (ICV) scholarship supports Dragonfly students who are committed to these three Dragonfly core values. Current Dragonfly students earning either an M.A. in Biology or an M.A.T. in the Biological Sciences. Strong applicants can demonstrate their commitment to inquiry, community, and voice in conservation by showcasing their projects and their work with local communities. A recipient will be selected from each AIP site, and 2 to 4 GFP students will be chosen annually. Each awardee receives $300 to $500 toward their current graduate studies. Past winners of the ICV scholarship are not eligible.

Eligibility: Current AIP and GFP master’s students who have earned at least 6 graduate credits and are in good academic standing (GPA > 3.0). 

Apply to Dragonfly’s Inquiry, Community, Voice Scholarship

We know field course expenses can add up. New in 2026, Project Dragonfly will award eight $400 Earth Expeditions Expenses (E3) scholarships to current Global Field Program students and Advanced Inquiry Program students who will be participating in a summer Earth Expeditions course to help cover a portion of the EE course program fees. To be eligible for the award, students need to have completed at least 6 credits in the program, have a GPA above 3.5, and demonstrate financial need. This scholarship is made possible through generous donations from the Dragonfly community. Students may earn this award once. 

Eligibility: Current GFP or AIP students who have earned at least 6 graduate credits, hold a 3.5 or higher GPA, who are registered for a summer EE course, and demonstrate financial need.

Apply to the Earth Expeditions Expences (E3) Scholarship

The José Pareja-Wendy Tori Global Conservation and Field Scholarship is awarded to accepted master’s students in the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) or Global Field Program (GFP) with a clear, demonstrated interest in conservation science, field studies or environmental education. This award will provide partial funding to be used for EE related costs. The award is made possible by José I. Pareja and Wendy P. Tori, natives of Peru, who were a part of the GFP/AIP team at its inception in 2008. Past winners are not eligible to receive scholarship grants. José was also one of the founding GFP/AIP team members and currently, they are both active faculty members of Earlham College. Drs. José I. Pareja and Wendy P. Tori, in collaboration with Miami’s Project Dragonfly, have awarded 15 partial scholarships since 2013.

This scholarship is open to current Dragonfly students working toward their either the M.A. or M.A.T. graduate degree. First-year students are not eligible to apply.

Apply to the José Pareja-Wendy Tori Global Conservation and Field Scholarship

Note: This scholarship application is closed as it has already been awarded for 2026.

New in 2026, the Neighborhood and Nature Scholarship was created in honor of David and Sue Frazier, Miami University emeriti who recognized that environmental health begins right outside our front doors, that providing dedicated care for nature at the local level is the cornerstone of a sustainable future, and that sometimes the most immediate and profound impact on biodiversity occurs within our own backyards, local parks, and urban green spaces.  This small-scale stewardship, which can include efforts like restoring native plant corridors, protecting local watersheds, or creating urban wildlife sanctuaries, allows species to thrive amidst human development. These local efforts do more than just protect animals; they clean our air, mitigate heat in our cities, and foster a vital psychological connection between people and the land.

Eligibility: This scholarship is open to current current AIP and GFP master’s students who have earned at least 6 graduate credits and are in good academic standing (GPA > 3.0). Additionally, we are looking for applicants who:

• Demonstrate a hands-on commitment to local conservation;
• Advocate for the protection of indigenous wildlife within residential areas; 
• Bridge the gap between urban living and ecological health.

Apply to the Neighborhood and Nature Scholarship

AMV in collaboration with Project Dragonfly, supports educators who live in the Miami River Valley USA and who advocate environmental stewardship and global understanding. The AMV Rosie Bloom Scholarship, named for local Audubon Society charter member and nature advocate Rosie Bloom, supports local educators who advocate environmental stewardship and global understanding. The AMV, in collaboration with Miami’s Project Dragonfly, has awarded over 26 partial scholarships to Dragonfly graduate students since 2009.

Eligibility: The AMV Rosie Bloom Scholarship helps support Earth Expeditions (EE) field course participants who live or work in Ohio, Kentucky, or Indiana. First-year and current students are eligible to apply.

To apply for the Rosie Bloom Scholarship

Pelecanus Inc., a non-profit organization co-founded by AIP graduate Austin Parker and his brother Taylor, created the Carrie R. Wilson Memorial Scholarship in 2021. Carrie Wilson, who served as Dean of Students of the University of San Diego Law School, believed in community inspiration through direct and intentional action, and this scholarship honors her memory as a “heartfelt gift to make the world a better place.” This $2000 scholarship will be awarded annually to one Dragonfly student each year.

To be eligible for this award, students must be actively enrolled in a Dragonfly graduate academic program (the AIP or the GFP), in good academic standing, and have completed a minimum of 3 credit hours. New students are not eligible to apply. Priority will be given to students who demonstrate financial need.

To apply for the Carrie R. Wilson Memorial Scholarship visit the Pelacanus webapge (applications open March 15 and are due April 15).

John L. Vankat, professor emeritus, taught and researched plant ecology at Miami University for 31 years. A consummate researcher, Vankat directed field studies from Alaska to Belize, focusing his post-retirement research on the forests, woodlands, and shrublands of the American Southwest. This award, which was established in his honor, is supported by Miami's Department of Biology and supports field research in terrestrial plant ecology by undergraduate or graduate students in any department or program. May be used to offset the costs of equipment, supplies, or travel.

1. Download, then complete, a copy of this application form.

2. Download a copy of your unofficial transcript to include with your application.

3. One letter of recommendation is a required component of the application.

4. Provide a one-page description of the proposed research project that includes the relationship to your degree program and a brief budget that states how award funds would be spent.

Send your application materials to Miami’s Department of Biology as an email attachment and arrange to have your letter of recommendation sent to: Undergraduate Research and Awards Committee, c/o Tammy Lewis, at biology@miamioh.edu.  For Fall 2025 awards, all application materials must be received by November 7, 2025.  Notification of awards is planned for November 21.

Richard Howard, a 1938 graduate of Miami University, was a plant taxonomist, a prolific researcher, botanical collector, photographer, and writer, whose speciality area was the islands of the Caribbean. This award, which was established in his honor, is supported by Miami's Department of Biology and supports undergraduate or graduate student research in botany or environmental science with a preference for research in the Caribbean.

1. Download, then complete, a copy of this application form.

2. Download a copy of your unofficial transcript to include with your application.

3. One letter of recommendation is a required component of the application.

4. Provide a one-page description of the proposed research project and include the estimated budget for the project.

Send your application materials to Miami’s Department of Biology as an email attachment and arrange to have your letter of recommendation sent to: Undergraduate Research and Awards Committee, c/o Tammy Lewis, at biology@miamioh.edu.  For Fall 2025 awards, all application materials must be received by November 7, 2025.  Notification of awards is planned for November 21.

Charley Harper was a Cincinnati-based modernist wildlife artist who shared his love of animals, science, and the natural world through highly stylized geometric art, which was often graced with his trademark humor and whimsy. This award, which was established in his honor. is supported by Miami's Department of Biology and supports undergraduate or graduate students in the biological sciences who demonstrate a talent and interest in the arts. Awards are based on academic merit and financial need.

1. Download, then complete, a copy of this application form.

2. Download a copy of your unofficial transcript to include with your application.

3. One letter of recommendation is a required component of the application.

Send your application materials as an email attachment and arrange to have your letter of recommendation sent to: Biology Department Scholarship Committee, c/o Darlene Davidson, davidsmd@miamioh.edu, by April 22, 2025.

The Botany Department, along with Drs. Wilson and Eshbaugh, in collaboration with Project Dragonfly, believe in supporting students who practice environmental research with a global focus. To this regard, T.K. Wilson and W. Hardy Eshbaugh set-up a scholarship fund to support AIP or GFP graduate students actively participating in globally-relevant botanical or conservation projects. This fund is possible in part due to Dr. T.K. Wilson, a leader in Bahamian floral biodiversity studies, and Dr. Hardy Eshbaugh, a pioneer in the field of ethnobotany (people's use of plants) working in many global locations. These emeritus professors exemplify a model for what is possible in international scientific botanical research and global partnerships. This scholarship can be used toward relevant course costs.

1. Download, then complete, a copy of this application form.

2. Download a copy of your unofficial transcript to include with your application.

3. One letter of recommendation is a required component of the application.

Send your application materials to Miami’s Department of Biology as an email attachment and arrange to have your letter of recommendation sent to: Undergraduate Research and Awards Committee, c/o Tammy Lewis, at biology@miamioh.edu.  For Fall 2025 awards, all application materials must be received by November 7, 2025.  Notification of awards is planned for November 21.

Graduate Student Travel Fund: In some rare occasions, Miami’s graduate school is able to help offset some of the costs (up to $150) to present a poster or paper at a conference, to receive an award, etc. This form opens in August each year. When open, see the application form for details.

Graduate Student Achievement Award: The Graduate Students' Achievement (GSA) Award is intended to recognize significant achievement in any research or creative activity by full or part-time graduate students making satisfactory progress in their degree program. Dragonfly students can apply for this award though know that past history shows most awardees are Ph.D. students. See Achievement Award for details.

Marjorie Post Farrington Scholarship: This $1,000 scholarship will be awarded by the Graduate School for the academic year to a graduate student in any area of study. The award is based primarily on merit and secondarily on financial need. See the Farrington award webpage for further details.