The Honors Program and the Office of Undergraduate Research (SOURCE) collaborate in coordinating the funding application process.  The application is the same for both types of awards.  Typically, Honors juniors and seniors applying for thesis funding are automatically considered for the Honors Program Awards.

When you fill out the funding application, you will state that you are a member of the Renée Crown Honors Program, and if you are a junior your funding will be applied toward your Honors Thesis project.

Yes, we encourage that.  You might apply for a Clements Internship Award, or for summer research support within your department.  We coordinate with many departments, particularly in the sciences and engineering, on our applicants.

If you receive funding from more than one source, you need to let each one know; it’s not okay to accept funds from both for one project!  (This would in fact be an academic integrity violation.)

We want to make sure that as many quality Thesis projects can receive support as possible, so we restrict honors thesis funding to one funding round per student.

However, you are still eligible to apply for Honors funding if you have received prior research funding through the SOURCE, perhaps during your first year or sophomore year.  You will be required to respond to additional questions about your previously funded project and submit a copy of the final report with the new application.

While it is not mandatory, we strongly encourage you to attend.  We give you important tips on how to submit a successful application and there will be plenty of time to answer your questions.

It’s well worth applying. Not everyone gets funded, but a large proportion do.  It is not unusual to see upwards of 75% of applicant projects funded.

Come to the workshop for important tips and pointers, but here are two key considerations:

• Your application should be as well-written as you can make it: clear, concise, persuasive. Work with your faculty Thesis Advisor on it.
• Make it clear in some detail what you will do with the funding, and whether you will have access to the people and resources you need. Generalities are not helpful here. Let’s say you want to study some aspect of international banking in Hong Kong. That’s great, but when you step off the airplane, how are you planning to pursue your research? Be sure that you can clearly articulate a strategy.
• Please also take a look at examples of past applications. These can give you a good idea as to the quality, level of detail, and clarity, we are looking for.
• Download the application instructions and carefully review the guidelines for preparing your application.

Funding applications are reviewed by a team of faculty reviewers from different schools/colleges across campus, representing a variety of disciplines.  The reviewers make recommendations to the Honors Director, who makes the final decision.

Typically, applicants are notified within 6 weeks after the application deadline.

Yes - you have to be presenting (either oral or poster presentation) at a professional/academic  conference in order to receive funding. Conference funding can cover the incurred/anticipated expenses that include travel, accommodation and conference registration. You can also apply for an Honors Development grant to support your participation in a professional conference.

Include it – if you think it’s a reasonable request. The reviewers sometimes recommend partial funding, so they may not fund that particular item, but still recommend you for funding for the rest of your project. They won’t necessarily reject your entire application if they don’t think that one specific part is worthy of funding. Seek advice from your advisor, and also from your Honors Thesis Coordinator.

Yes. If you are staying in Syracuse over the summer to work on your project, you can include a summer stipend in your budget.   For other locations, you need to give us your best estimate. Keep it modest, please! For foreign travel, try to find student hostels or other inexpensive lodgings.

You can make some adjustments to your budget if your Thesis faculty advisor approves of the change.  Your advisor should notify the Honors Program about the changes by emailing the Honors  Associate Director, Naomi Shanguhyia, and the Budget Manager, Laura McCall.  Any changes to your project that impact your budget need your thesis advisor's approval.

Yes. The University does not simply reimburse you for gas, it reimburses you according to the miles you travel, so record on the budget sheet your travel dates, your destinations, and your mileage. Of course, you’ll need to remember to record your odometer before you begin and when you return. The current mileage reimbursement rate is $0.535/mile. You can also submit tolls, if you’ve kept a receipt.

Yes you can, but you need to submit a full application with a compelling rationale for why the activity was crucial to your project.

At this time, funding cannot be used for tuition for study abroad, internships or program fees. For example, let’s say your Thesis examines whether there are eco-tourism programs that do an admirable job of building a durable infrastructure for indigenous peoples  and how those programs are financed. The Honors Program would not fund you to just attend a summer eco-tourism program in, say, Costa Rica, no matter how interesting it would be. We might, however, fund you to remain in Costa Rica for a few weeks after such a program to do research specifically about your topic as exemplified by some local Costa Rican eco-tourism programs. You could apply for food and lodging and reasonable expenses during that period. This approach has led to very successful Thesis projects.

We discuss these and related issues at the funding workshops, so plan to attend at least one of the workshops.  Check the Events Calendar for the workshops dates and times.