Nominations for awards will open on March 24 and close on April 11. The awards will be presented during the Department’s 51st GiB Day on April 25, 2025.
Nominations can be made by any member of the Geography Department. Undergraduate students can nominate themselves for the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Paper, Gyula Pauer Cartography Project, and Withington Human/Cultural Geography awards.
Nominations can be sent to the Undergraduate Committee (geographyugc@l.uky.edu). Please include relevant documentation for the award, e.g., research paper, map portfolio, description of merit, etc.
For the Schwendeman, Raitz, and Geoghegan awards, nominees must be declared geography majors. Each award will have additional requirements for eligibility.
For all other awards, nominees must be declared geography majors or minors (in Mapping & GIS, Urban Studies, or Geography) with at least 30 hours of undergraduate course work.
This award is determined by a student’s GPA. Student must be a declared geography major with at least 60 hours of undergraduate course work and 18 hours in geography course credits. This award will be presented to the student with the highest grade point average for overall coursework as determined by Arts and Sciences or Registrar’s records. In case of a tie, the award will go the student with the highest GPA in geography courses. The student’s name will be engraved on a special plaque that is displayed in the departmental office. Named for the Department’s first Chairperson.
This award is presented to the junior or senior Geography major to support academic merit and diversity among undergraduate students in the department. This recognition includes a cash award.
This award recognizes the sophomore or junior Geography major for exceptional dedication and spirit to undergraduate studies in geography. This recognition includes a cash award.
Research papers prepared for geography courses or presented at regional or national professional meetings are eligible for consideration. The quality of the research problem and the writing and presentation of findings are the principal criteria used in making the award. This includes originality and relevance of the work, and professional potential as indicted by the project. This recognition includes a cash award. Formerly the Ellen Churchill Semple Award.
Students who wish to be considered for this award should assemble a portfolio of maps prepared in conjunction with any geography class, appropriate internship, or independent study courses they have taken. The quality of work submitted is the principal criterion used in making the award. This means overall quality, indications of technical maturity, and an indication of potential as a professional. This recognition will include a cash award. Named for the Department’s first Cartography Lab Director. This recognition includes a cash award.
This award recognizes outstanding student writing in topics following the traditional cultural/behavioral theme in geography. This award, which may be awarded at each of the Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral levels, recognizes outstanding student writing in topics following the traditional cultural/behavioral theme in geography. This recognition includes a cash award.
Note: Nominations for the graduate awards should be sent to the Graduate Committee.
Previous recipients of the awards and grants.
While not a GiB Day award, the UEA is available year-round to financially support undergraduate students seeking professionalization as geographers through experiential learning beyond the classroom.
The Award was established in 2019 in commemoration of the Department’s 75th anniversary.
Applications can be found through this link.