Undergraduate Student Scholarships

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry has a number of scholarships available for our undergraduate  students. 

All of the scholarships can be applied for using the same Scholarship Application  

We will automatically pair your application with all scholarships that you are eligible for – you will only need to submit the application once to apply to all of the scholarships. Here is a video walk-through of the scholarship application form which includes some helpful tips. The scholarship application is due on February 23, 2024 at midnight.

Any questions regarding the 2024 Chemistry and Biochemistry scholarships can be emailed to cbcscholarships@gmail.com.

Advancing in STEM Scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Established by: In appreciation of the financial assistance and support she received from faculty, Stacy Guzman ’18, has established a scholarship to support first generation undergraduates seeking to further their education in graduate school or medical school and/or obtain a professional degree in a STEM-related field.   Stacy wishes to help smart, trailblazing, talented students achieve their professional goals by providing some financial aid.  The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the student’s academic record and the information provided on the scholarship application.

Open to: Junior or higher standing (minimum of 60 units) students who are pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department and plan on applying to graduate or medical school the semester after the scholarship is awarded.

Criteria: Must be considered first generation and minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Students from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

Application Procedure: Complete the  Scholarship Application , answering all questions.

Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

 

brad van mourik interface of computers with chemistry scholarship

Amount:   $500  

Established by:   This scholarship honors the 25 years of service that department alumnus Brad van Mourik provided to the Chemistry and Biochemistry department as the computer technician.  

Open to:   Undergraduate students who have displayed research excellence on a project that combines chemistry or biochemistry with computational analysis. Computational analysis includes, but is not limited to, electronic structure calculations, molecular dynamics simulations, molecular docking simulations, computational method development, and data analysis scripting in languages such as Matlab, Mathematica, and Python. Computational analysis should represent a major, but not necessarily the only, component of the recipient’s research project.

Criteria: The primary criterion is research excellence on a project that combines chemistry or biochemistry with computation. Academic achievement will also be taken into account.

Application Procedure:  

1. Complete the application at Scholarship Application, answering all questions.
2. Provide contact information for your research advisor who will be contacted by the department Scholarship and Awards Committee and asked for a confidential letter of recommendation.

Application Deadline:   February 23, 2024

 

Dr. Andrew and Kay Montana Endowed Scholarship in Chemistry

Amount: $3500 (approximately) 

Established by:  This scholarship was established in 2021 in memory of the late Dr. Andrew (Andy) Montana, former faculty member and Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, who passed away in 2007. Dr. Montana was one of the university’s early faculty members and played a major role in shaping how science, in general, and chemistry, in particular, are taught on campus. He played a pivotal role in the development of the Science Laboratory Center (later renamed Dan Black Hall) and was instrumental in the design, oversight and development of the building. He retired from CSUF in 1992 after 29 years of service. His wife Kay Montana, who passed away in 2020, once said that “Andy loved hiking and fishing and just being outdoors. Only his love of Cal State Fullerton and his students kept him there all those years.”

Open to: Undergraduate and graduate students majoring in chemistry or biochemistry who are full-time students and involved in research.

Criteria: Two awards will be made each year; one to an undergraduate student and one to a graduate student. To be eligible, undergraduate students must be full-time and involved in undergraduate research in the upcoming fall semester. Graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 units and involved in graduate research in the upcoming fall semester. The primary selection criteria are academic achievement, academic potential, as well as achievement in research. Need may be used as a secondary criterion but never as a primary one.

Application Procedure: 

1. Complete the application at Scholarship Application, answering all questions.
2. Provide contact information for your research advisor who will be contacted by the department Scholarship and Awards Committee and asked for a confidential letter of recommendation.

 Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

 

Eric and alyse streitberger science education endowed schlorship

Amount: $1,000

Established by: Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, Dr. Eric Streitberger, established a scholarship to provide support to Chemistry majors who wish to pursue a career in middle or high school science education. The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the student’s academic record and the information provided in the scholarship application.

Open to: Continuing sophomore (46-59 units) or junior (60-89 units) Chemistry majors who want to pursue a career in middle or high school science education.

Criteria: Demonstrate merit and financial need

Application Procedure:

1. Complete the application at Scholarship Application, answering all questions.
2. Note that the online application will request demonstration of financial need. The FAFSA is the most straightforward but not the only acceptable way to demonstrate financial need.

Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

 

GlenN and takeshi nakaya scholarship 

Amount: $1,000

Established by : This scholarship is named in memory of Glenn Nakaya, an outstanding biochemistry graduate of Cal State Fullerton, who succumbed to cancer. It is awarded to a student who has shown academic potential or achievement. The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the student’s academic record and the information provided in the scholarship application.

Open to: Undergraduate students in chemistry/biochemistry.

Criteria: Full-time student, academic achievement, and academic potential

Application Procedure: Complete the application at Scholarship Application,  answering all questions.

Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

 

Glenn nagel scholarship 

Amount: $3,500 (approximately)

Established by: This scholarship was established in memory of Dr. Glenn Nagel, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, to support research experiences for undergraduates. The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the student’s academic record and the information provided in the scholarship application. 

Open to: Undergraduate students interested in doing summer research at CSUF.

Criteria: Academic achievement and academic potential

Application Procedure:

1. Complete the application at Scholarship Application,  answering all questions.
2. Provide contact information for 2 faculty members of the Chemistry and Biochemistry department at CSUF, one of which should be your research advisor. Each of these faculty will be contacted by the department Scholarship and Awards Committee and asked for a confidential letter of recommendation.

Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

 

 glorya welch scholarship

Amount: $1,000

Established by : This scholarship is in memory of Glorya Welch, whose estate provided the endowment to fund the scholarship. The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the student’s academic record and the information provided in the scholarship application.

Open to: New community college transfer students based on their first semester at CSUF participating in a minimum of 6 units of chemistry or biochemistry major work coursework. 

Criteria: GPA, academic achievement, academic potential, and financial need

Application Procedure:

1. Complete the application at Scholarship Application, answering all questions.
2. Note that the online application will request demonstration of financial need. The FAFSA is the most straightforward but not the only acceptable way to demonstrate financial need.
3. Provide contact information for one faculty member of the Chemistry and Biochemistry department at CSUF and one faculty member from your previous college. These faculty will be contacted by the department Scholarship and Awards Committee and asked for a confidential letter of recommendation.
4. The committee may request an interview. 

Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

 

 Noorani Family Scholarship

Amount: $1,500 (up to two available)

Established by : The Noorani Family established this scholarship to recognize the valuable role faculty play in supporting our undergraduate students and the education they receive in the lab conducting undergraduate research.  This scholarship is open to Chemistry majors. The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the student’s academic record and the information provided in the scholarship application. 

Open to: Chemistry majors who are continuing sophomores and up (must have completed 40 units or more), full-time student and participating in research at CSU.

Criteria: Demonstrate outstanding merit..

Application Procedure:

1. Complete the application at Scholarship Application, answering all questions.

Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

 

Robert C. Belloli Future CHEmistry Teacher Scholarship 

Amount: $500

Established by: This scholarship was established by Professor Emeritus and former Chair, Dr. Robert Belloli, to provide encouragement and support to students preparing to teach Chemistry in grades 7-12. The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the student’s academic record and the information provided on the scholarship application. 

Open to: Graduating senior majors in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department who are committed to becoming chemistry teachers in junior high or high school and who have applied for the secondary teaching credential in chemistry. The department Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the student’s academic record and the information provided in the scholarship application.

Criteria: Senior standing (90 or more units) and demonstrated desire to teach Chemistry in grades 7-12. Preference will be given to applicants who have made a formal application to the Secondary Credential in Chemistry program.

Application Procedure: Complete the application at Scholarship Application , answering all questions.

Application Deadline: February 23, 2024

 

 wegner family scholarships

Amount: $7,000

Established by : This scholarship was established in 2014 in memory of the late Dr. Patrick A. Wegner, former faculty member and Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Dr. Wegner was an innovator in his field, a talented teacher of general and inorganic chemistry, a successful researcher and an accomplished chemist who always sought ways to help students succeed in chemistry. An avid researcher, Dr. Wegner secured grants for his projects from agencies such as NASA and the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund. In the early 1990s, Wegner also engaged in pioneering work in chemical education and innovative software development for teaching freshman chemistry. This led to several large grants from the National Science Foundation, which included a collaborative study with colleagues at Fullerton and UCLA to develop a systemic reform for undergraduate chemistry education. The overall grant was valued at $2.5 million with CSUF receiving about $800,000. He developed MCWeb (Mastering Chemistry Web), an online learning system that has been used by students at dozens of colleges, universities and high schools. Dr. Wegner is remembered by his colleagues as kind, with a sense of humor, and someone who cared deeply about his students’ success and was eager to work with colleagues to improve the quality of education.

Open to: Undergraduate majors in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry who have taken their first two years of chemistry course work at California State University Fullerton. All candidates must have completed the first year course (General Chemistry) and have completed or be enrolled in the final term of the second year course (Organic Chemistry).

Criteria: The primary selection criteria are academic performance which shall be considered in this order:

1. Chemistry courses
2. Ancillary science and mathematics courses
3. AND all courses.

Evidence of potential ability to successfully undertake scientific research may be used as a secondary criterion. Need may be used as a secondary criterion but never as a primary one.

Application Procedure:

1. Complete the online application at Scholarship Application,  answering all questions.
2. Prepare a candidate’s statement (500 words maximum) of his/her interest in science in general, and chemistry and biochemistry in particular, as well as future educational and career plans.
3. Provide contact information for 2 faculty members of the Chemistry and Biochemistry department at CSUF. Each of these faculty will be contacted by the department Scholarship and Awards Committee and asked for a confidential letter of recommendation.
4. The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry may specify additional application materials consistent with gaining further information relevant to the primary selection criteria, but should strive for brevity and conciseness in the application process.

Application Deadline: February 23, 2024