Examples of activities eligible for funding include:

• Registration fees, lodging, or travel expenses for an academic conference at which the recipient will present a paper or attend as a participant
• Registration fees, lodging, or travel expenses for attendance at a leadership institute
• Expenses related to creating or staging a significant work in the visual or performing arts as part of the student’s professional education 
• Costs associated with submitting an article or articles for publication

• Membership dues for a professional association.

Application deadline: Friday October 12, 2012

(Must be postmarked by Sun., October 14, 2012 to be considered)

Application forms are available at the U of L Women’s Center (lower level of Administrative Annex), online and at the U of L Writing Center in Ekstrom Library. They must be submitted to the Women’s Center by 4:00 pm, October 12, 2012.

View the M. Celeste Nichols Award Application

Scholarship Criteria and Guidelines:
The application form must be typed and accompanied by:

• 1-page description of the activity being funded, including a description of how this will help your professional development.
• Budget, including supporting documents, e.g., a copy of the conference announcement, and a list of other funding sources (Please note: Travel to conferences, workshops, etc. must be taken weeks after the award announcement in November and not before.  No reimbursements of travel or attendance to conferences/workshops taken prior to the award announcement will be given.  Travel, attendance and participation must be completed by the recipient before June 30th of the following year after the award announcement.)
• Current class registration sheet or letter from graduate advisor indicating current enrollment
• Eligible students must be in good standing as a graduate student with the University of Louisville
• Must submit a current official transcript
• The winner(s) are expected to attend the ECS luncheon in November

Winner(s) will be chosen according to how well the applicant’s 1-page description meets the intent of the award as explained below. U of L Women’s Center encourages applicants without regard to gender, race, creed, age, sexual orientation, national origin or disability.

The Dr. M. Celeste Nichols Professional Development Award is intended to honor the memory of Dr. Margaret Celeste Johnson Nichols and to further the mission of the University of Louisville Women’s Center to “promote women’s equality, increase women’s self-reliance, and highlight women’s contributions to all cultures and societies.” 
Dr. Nichols was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from the University of Louisville’s Department of English.  She graduated in 1992 with a Doctor of Philosophy in Rhetoric and Composition. Her dissertation topic was “The Rhetorical Structure of the Traditional Black Church.” Prior to receiving her doctorate, she was an instructor at the University of Louisville for six years, teaching courses in African American literature, honors English, and basic writing. While at U of L, Celeste was a close friend and mentor to many. After graduating, she taught at Kentucky State University and at Bellarmine University before her death at age 45 in 1996.