Scholarships Awarded in Fall Quarter

Monica Florian Scholarship

Florian Scholarships, supported by the California Homebuilding Foundation, are awarded to undergraduate students in Political Science “who are in a building or construction related field or considering one as a career.” Qualifying career paths could include: construction and development (architects, designers, builders, developers); real estate (residential, commercial, or mixed-use development); city planning; city, state or county housing, community development and land use agencies; as well as certain careers related to energy development and regulation.

To be eligible, students should also: be continuing at UC Riverside, have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher, and demonstrate a need for financial assistance.

The total annual scholarship amount of up to $2500 may be awarded to one student or the amount may be split between two students. The Political Science Undergraduate Committee will select the winner(s).

Applicants must submit a 200-300 word essay on their career plans related to building and construction (see above) and how this scholarship will help them meet their educational goals.

The annual call for applications to this award is distributed in Fall to students by email and department social media accounts. Keep an eye out for it.

All awards and scholarships must be processed by Financial Aid.

Scholarships Awarded in Winter Quarter

Jenkin Outstanding Paper Award

The award is for the author of an exceptional paper submitted to an upper-division Political Science course. Only Political Science majors who will be enrolled and have Junior or Senior standing in the following Spring quarter are eligible. A monetary award of up to $500 is given to the selected student.

Faculty may nominate papers, and students may submit their own “A” papers for consideration.

The annual call for applications to this award is distributed in Winter to students by email and department social media accounts. Keep an eye out for it.

All awards and scholarships must be processed by Financial Aid.

2024 Winner: Michelle Wang, for an essay on civil war in Myanmar. 

2024 Honorable Mention Recipients: Avanti Abhyankar and Lorelei Van Daele.

2023 Winner: Lorelei Van Daele, for her paper, “Gold, Glory and Gaming the System: Explaining Russian Ideologies and Foreign Policy Behaviors through Russia’s State-Sponsored Doping Program”

Ron Loveridge Summer Fellowship Program

The program allows UCR rising seniors and recent graduates to spend 10 weeks of the summer working in public service in Sacramento and experience the inner workings of California's state government.

Winners are selected by the department’s Undergraduate Committee. Most fellows are Political Science majors, but several also come from the Public Policy major. Fellows currently receive a stipend of $3,000 and work full time for 10 weeks (from the final week in June to the last week in August) after being placed in important offices in Sacramento. The program works to connect students with alumni and other mentors throughout their stay in Sacramento by hosting weekly seminars and workshops, and fellows even have their own business cards. Before going to Sacramento there is an evening briefing and at the end of the program all fellows complete a five-page memo on what they learned.

There is no other UC summer program in Sacramento that offers stipends and places students in top government and political offices.

The annual call for applications to this award is distributed in Winter to students by email and department social media accounts. Keep an eye out for it.

All awards and scholarships must be processed by Financial Aid.

2023 Winners: Mufida Assaf, Irida Ayrapetyan, Ricardo Gonzalvez, Caroline Hammond, Kevin Karami, Sophia Mahamde, Gherabel Matlal, Alex Morales, Ian Ordonez, Gabriel Pena, Tricia Sarmiento, Irene Zuniga

Scholarships Awarded in Spring Quarter

Political Science Outstanding Student Award

This award will be given to a student who will be a Senior in the following academic year; who has a strong scholastic record, including a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher; and who has made outstanding contributions in community service and/or in department and campus organizations. A monetary award of up to $1,000 is given to the selected student.

Applicants must submit a 200-300 word essay describing their academic or scholastic achievements as well as their involvement, leadership and contributions in campus organizations and community service.

The annual call for applications for this award is distributed in Spring to students by email and department social media accounts. Keep an eye out for it.

All awards and scholarships must be processed by Financial Aid.

2023 Winner: Rachel Kim

2023 Honorable Mention awardees: Julia Baroi, Jingxin Hu

Judge Ernest M. Lopez Memorial Grants

These grants are awarded to students who will be Seniors in the following academic year; who are disadvantaged by social or economic hardship; and who will be applying to law school. Monetary grants of $500 or more are awarded to help cover the costs of preparing for and applying to law school.

Applicants must submit a 200-300 word essay describing: the social and economic hardships they have faced as a college student; and their plans after earning a law degree.

The annual call for applications for this award is distributed in Spring to students by email and department social media accounts. Keep an eye out for it.

All awards and scholarships must be processed by Financial Aid.

2023 Winner: Albert Bernal-Barahona

Pay It Forward First Generation University Student Awards

These scholarships are awarded based on merit to students who will be Juniors or Seniors in the following academic year; who are studying political science; and who are in the first generation of their family to pursue a university-level education. A monetary award of $2,000 or more is given to one or more students.

Applicants must submit a 200-300 word essay describing their experience as someone in the first generation in their family to pursue a university-level education – from planning and preparing for college to attending and supporting themselves during their college years.

The annual call for applications for this award is distributed in Spring to students by email and department social media accounts. Keep an eye out for it.

All awards and scholarships must be processed by Financial Aid.

2023 Winners: Yuma Garcia, Hong Ha, Fernando Salazar

2023 Honorable Mention awardees: Adrine Bakhchedzhyan, Yecenia Del Cid Herrera, Xuancong Han, Josselyn Hernandez, Dolores Hernandez-Mendoza, Tsz Yau Lai, Jennifer Mendieta, Ana Beatriz Nunes Dos Santos

Apply for Scholarships and Fellowships

In addition to awards given by the Political Science Department, there are more than 100 scholarships open to you, including several specific to the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (CHASS).

Questions?

If you have questions about any of the above scholarships or programs, please contact your academic advisor for more information.