Master's Thesis and Dissertation Fellowships

The General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr. Memorial Dissertation Fellowship

Purpose
The Shepherd Fellowship, established to memorialize the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps, is an annual award of $10,000 given to a Ph.D. student to support research and writing on a topic pertinent to Marine Corps history. Preference will be given to applicants who will research in the collections of the Marine Corps History Division Archives, located at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
 
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited Ph.D. degree program and have approval from their dissertation committee to write on their desired topic. Topics with a direct relationship to the history of the U.S. Marine Corps in U.S. military and naval history and history and history-based studies in the social and behavioral sciences will be considered. Topics may encompass wars, institutions, organization and administration, policy, biography, civil-military relations, weaponry and technology, manpower, training and education, strategy, tactics, and logistics, as well as the interaction of diplomatic, political, economic, social, and intellectual trends affecting the Marine Corps in war and peace.
 
How to Apply
Please submit the following to Dr. Seth Givens at seth.givens@usmcu.edu:

• A completed application form.
• A curriculum vitae
• A research abstract not to exceed 200 words and the applicant’s dissertation prospectus
• A writing sample not to exceed 25 pages
• One letter of recommendation from a person familiar with the applicant and the proposed research  

The Lieutenant Colonel Lily H. Gridley Memorial Master's Thesis Fellowship

Purpose
The Gridley Fellowship, established to memorialize the first Woman Marine to serve as a judge advocate in the Marine Corps, is an annual award of $3,500 given to a master’s student to support research and writing on a topic pertinent to Marine Corps history. Preference will be given to applicants who will research in the collections of the Marine Corps History Division Archives, located at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. 

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be actively enrolled in an accredited master’s degree program that requires a master’s thesis. Thesis topics in U.S. military and naval history, and history-based studies in the social and behavioral sciences, with a direct relationship to the U.S. Marine Corps will be considered.

How to Apply
To apply, please submit the following to Dr. Seth Givens at: seth.givens@usmcu.edu.

• A completed application form.
• A curriculum vitae
• A research proposal not to exceed 1,500 words that includes a brief description of the project, an explanation of its relevance to Marine Corps historiography, and, if applicable, a list of collections at the Marine Corps History Division that the applicant plans to access 
• A writing sample not to exceed 25 pages
• The names and contact information of three references 

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