Kelly Foundation Tropical Botany Scholarship

Kelly Foundation Tropical Botany Scholarship

The late Mr. Loyd Kelly (1918-2013), Owner and President of Kelly Tractor Co. and President of Kelly Foundation, Inc., established an endowed scholarship fund through the Kelly Foundation at FIU for students in tropical botany in 2002. Mr. Kelly had a life-long fascination with tropical plants and wished to encourage their study. The scholarships are defined broadly to support diverse studies, research or interest in tropical plants, including in subtropical south Florida. Although this fund is designated primarily for undergraduates, we have the flexibility to provide scholarships to support graduate student projects when funds are available. Awards can be used for undergraduate tuition and expenses, small projects or travel, and as funds are available, for graduate student projects. Travel can be to a research site, but it can also be for expenses at a meeting to present the results of research in the general subject area of tropical botany.

Depending on funding availability, undergraduate awards are in the range of $1,000-$3,000, while graduate awards are no more than $500. Undergraduates applying must have a GPA of 3.0 or better with a concentration in tropical botany. Graduates applying must have a GPA of 3.2 or better with a concentration in tropical botany.

The Kelly Foundation Tropical Botany Scholarship program is administered by the FIU College of Arts & Sciences’ Department of Biological Sciences in collaboration with faculty from the International Center for Tropical Botany, established in 2013.

Requirements for undergraduates- A letter stating your interest and experience in tropical botany, your career goals, and a brief, current resume that provides educational information and additional background to your letter.

Requirements for graduates- A letter stating your interest and experience in tropical botany, your career goals, including a statement as to how your project relates to the goals of the Kelly Foundation Tropical Botany scholarship, as well as a brief project budget and current resume that includes educational background and other pertinent information.

If you wish to apply, please submit an application on fiu.academicworks.com. We will be accepting applications between now and deadline.

Please contact Dr. Javier Francisco-Ortega (ortegaj@fiu.edu) if you have any questions pertinent to the program or Scholarships(scholarships@fiu.edu) if you have queries on the online application process.

Supplemental Questions that must be answered
1. Undergraduate Students- Please upload a letter stating your interest and experience in tropical botany, and your career goals, and a brief, current resume that provides educational information and additional background to your letter.
2. Graduate students- Please upload a letter stating your interest and experience in tropical botany, and your career goals, and a brief, current resume that provides educational information and additional background to your letter.

Students who are awarded with this scholarship will need to the items listed below shortly after you are notified that you are awarded.
1.- A one page thank you letter to the Kelly Foundation
2.- A photograph of the student preferable performing lab or field work
3.- A one page statement (max 500 words) indicating how the funds will help the student to pursue her future activities in tropical botany.

Awarded during Spring 2025 or Summer 2025. Students must be enrolled during the awarding term. For example, if awarded in Summer 2025, students must be enrolled in Summer for awarding.

Undergraduate students awarded with the Kelly Foundation Tropical Botany Scholarship can receive the award in summer; however, for this to happen they need to be registered during the summer term. If the student is under a student aid program, they must register for a minimum of six credit hours during summer. If the student is not under a student aid program, they can register for only one credit in any course offered in summer, including those focusing on undergraduate research experience such as Biological Science Internship (BSC 3941). All students entering FIU with fewer than 60 credit hours are required to earn at least 9 credit hours prior to graduation by attending one or more summer terms.

Course Catalog: http://catalog.fiu.edu/2023_2024/undergraduate/Admission_and_Registration_Information/UG_Rules_and_Regulations.pdf (page 3).