Graduate students interested in conducting research or taking courses at KBS are eligible to apply for competitive research and education awards and fellowships. Students enrolled at MSU have preference for some research awards. Funds can be used to cover research supplies, minor equipment, travel, housing or tuition. MSU students are awarded these funds through their student accounts. Preference is given to students early in their research careers. These awards come from endowed scholarships at KBS and the MSU Graduate School; only MSU students are eligible for the Graduate School Fellowship funds. Funding sources are described below. Funds are limited; typical awards are $1,000-$2,000. Larger requests need to be carefully and thoughtfully justified.

To apply, please complete the Graduate Fellowship and Award Application. Review of applications will take place throughout the year; however, highest priority will be for applications received prior to April 14th each year.

Questions? Contact the KBS Academic Programs Coordinator, Sarah Roy, at roysara1@msu.edu

KBS Outreach Fellowships

The Kellogg Biological Station outreach fellows engage with local audiences, including non-scientific groups like teachers, students, the general public, and farmers. It’s an excellent opportunity to simplify complex scientific concepts for a broader audience.

Who can apply: Graduate students pursuing a master’s or Ph.D. at MSU will be given priority to those who have advanced to candidacy and have established or intend to establish research at KBS.

Expectations: The fellowship position requires the candidate to:

• Have a KBS affiliation.
• Be available part-time (10 hours/week) or full-time (20 hours/week) for the duration of the fellowship.
• Attend weekly meetings with a fellowship mentor(s) via Zoom or in person.
• Be enrolled for at least one credit hour per semester for the duration of the fellowship
• Completion of a project agreed upon by the mentors, community partner(s), students, and the program coordinator

To Apply:

Candidates must submit an application package that includes:

• A C.V. or resume
• A 1–2-page statement of interest describing why you are interested in the position and any relevant skills or experiences
• A letter of support from your faculty advisor.
• The application file should be a single pdf. Titled “LastName_Fellowship_Title .pdf” and emailed to Misty Klotz at klotzmis@msu.edu

Apply by February 26, 2025:  Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis, with the first review scheduled to start on February 26, 2025.

Compensation

• See the fellows’ descriptions for compensation information.

Summer Semester Fellowships 2025 

Blending Art and Science Fellowship The fellow will support outreach to communicate ecological principles, develop skills in science communication and program management, connect artists with KBS grad students, and use scientific and artistic methods for public understanding of ecological issues. Full Description: Blending Art and Science FINAL

Broader Impacts and Outreach Fellowship The goal is to help graduate students explain the importance of their work to non-scientific audiences, such as local organizations, students, the general public, or farmers. It’s an excellent opportunity to simplify complex scientific concepts for a broader audience. Full Description: Broader Impacts and Outreach Fellowship Summer 2025- FINAL

KBS Science Communication Fellowship The KBS Science Communication Fellowship aims to improve scientific knowledge and understanding communication between KBS members and the non-scientific community. Full Description: SciComm Fellowship Summer 2025_Final

KBS LTER Artist in Residence Fellowship – Summer 2025 The Artist in Residence fellow will provide support for the artist residency program as we welcome artists to our station, foster connections between the artist and our community, connect our artists to summer programming, and host events to showcase our work to the public.  Full Description: Artist in Residence Fellowship

Academic Year (2025 -2026) Fellowships

K-12 Science Education and Outreach Spring-Summer Fellowship 2025 As a fellow, you will inspire and empower educators and students in their outdoor classrooms, foster professional growth for K-12 teachers, enrich youth through field experiences, and share the KBS science through dynamic events and workshops.  Full Description: Science Education and Outreach Fellowship FINAL

Questions

Questions and application materials should be sent to Misty Klotz, Education and Outreach Coordinator MSU, Kellogg Biological Station.

The KBS Academic Programs (AP) team offers fellowships  for graduate students to assist with development, coordination, and leading of the KBS summer programs for undergraduate students. AP Fellows will help put together the professional development program for summer students, help coordinate and lead activities and field trips, and assist with program evaluation. KBS will offer two summer 2025 AP Fellowships. See link for full details, including compensation and detailed descriptions of the position duties.

Full Description (Summer 2025 AP Fellow): Summer 2025 Academic Programs Fellow_FINAL

Expectations: The fellowship position requires the candidate to:

• Be available part-time (10 hours/week) or full-time (20 hours/week) for the duration of the fellowship.
• Attend weekly meetings with a fellowship mentor(s) via Zoom or in person.
• Be enrolled for at least one credit hour per semester for the duration of the fellowship
• Spend at least two days per week on-site at KBS (fellows are not required to reside full-time residence at KBS during the summer)

To Apply: Submit the following as a single PDF: 1) a cover describing why you are interested in the position and any skills or experiences that would be relevant; 2) a curriculum vitae. Please indicate if you are applying for a 1/2 time or 1/4 time fellowship. Application file should be, named “LastName_KBS_APGradFellowship.pdf”, and emailed to KBSsummer@msu.edu. 

Apply by February 26, 2025: Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis, with the first review scheduled to start on February 26, 2025. 

Questions about KBS Academic Programs Fellowships should be sent to Sarah Roy at roysara1@msu.edu.

Research Assistantships – Available through individual faculty for research associated with specific externally funded grants.  Assistantships are usually half-time (20 hours per week) and include tuition waivers. Stipends vary somewhat by department.

MSU Distinguished Fellowship Program – A four-year Ph.D. fellowship program awarded on the basis of academic performance and leadership promise.

Plant Science Fellowships – A one- to two-year Ph.D. fellowship to work with faculty in the general area of plant sciences, including plant/phytoplankton community ecology, evolution, and ecosystem ecology / biogeochemistry.

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Graduate Financial Assistantship Program – A 3-plus-year Ph.D. fellowship program targeting women and underrepresented minorities in agriculture and natural resource departments (including KBS).

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dissertation Completion Fellowships

Environmental Science and Policy Program (ESPP) Doctoral Recruiting Fellowship – One year of support for students pursuing ESPP Doctoral Specialization

Part-time MSU research assistantships

National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Additionally, students may seek out external fellowships.

There are 17 houses that contain 21 separate rental units in and around KBS that are available to KBS graduate students, post docs, faculty and staff. Several of these houses are group or multi-unit houses. There are 5 houses at Lux Arbor (a large KBS property north of the KBS main site). Graduate students are given first priority for this type of housing.

Rent for a house is generally between $500-$550/month, not including utilities. Rent for a room in a house is generally $350/month, including utilities.

***There is also shorter-term housing available on-site.  Visit the KBS Conference Center for more details on KBS room & board, and a link to the request housing form.

Graduate and undergraduate students that have done research at at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) can apply for a limited number of funds to support participation in regional, national and international meetings in order to present their KBS research.

What you will need:

-Name, date, and location of the meeting
-A PDF of the document indicating your abstract was accepted
-A PDF of the accepted abstract (if not included in the above)
-Total support requested from KBS
-An itemized budget for the total cost of meeting attendance that includes cost of travel (flight, or driving at $0.58/mile), registration, meals, and lodging

CLICK HERE TO APPLY!

Due to generous donations to support students at KBS, ALL students taking at least 4 credits of KBS summer courses (or a 2-week intensive) and opting to stay at KBS will be awarded a 50% housing scholarship to offset the cost of living at KBS (reducing your cost to $180/week).

Students taking at least 4 credits of KBS summer courses (or a 2-week intensive) and eligible for Federal Pell Grant awards will be awarded a 100% housing scholarship. To be considered for this scholarship, eligible students must submit a PDF of their most recent MSU Financial Aid Award letter demonstrating they are Pell Grant eligible when they apply for courses.

***All housing scholarships will be transmitted directly to the KBS Conference Center on behalf of each student and reported to MSU Financial Aid.

For questions please contact the Academic Programs Coordinator at KBSsummer@kbs.msu.edu.

Each summer over 100 undergraduates and graduate students from MSU and around the country live at KBS.  Resident Mentors facilitate student life activities at KBS including bonfires, volleyball games, group meals, camping trips and weekend excursions.

KBS is located on beautiful Gull Lake, which is 1.5 hours from the MSU main campus. Students can choose to live at KBS, or commute for their summer courses. There is recreation, dining, and shopping around the lake and within a 5-20 minute drive from KBS in the towns of Richland, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek.

All student housing at KBS is shared in the KBS Apartments or the Orchard Dorm Suites.  Depending on availability, the KBS Conference Center may be able to honor a request for private housing, but additional charges will apply.

***To secure your housing, room and board scholarship, and seat in your KBS course(s) you must pay a 1-week, non-refundable deposit after you are accepted. The deposit will be deducted from your total due upon arrival at KBS.

If you have questions about housing, please feel free to email KBSSummer@kbs.msu.edu.

Graduate and undergraduate students that have done research at at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) can apply for a limited number of funds to support participation in regional, national and international meetings in order to present their KBS research.

What you will need:

-Name, date, and location of the meeting
-A PDF of the document indicating your abstract was accepted
-A PDF of the accepted abstract (if not included in the above)
-Total support requested from KBS
-An itemized budget for the total cost of meeting attendance that includes cost of travel (flight, or driving at $0.58/mile), registration, meals, and lodging

CLICK HERE TO APPLY!

 George H. Lauff Scholarship

• Undergraduate Funding
• Graduate Funding

The Lauff Scholarship was established by KBS Director Emeritus Dr. George H. Lauff for undergraduate and graduate students at KBS. This scholarship is the first endowed scholarship at KBS and celebrates the commitment of Dr. Lauff to fostering the next generation of ecologists. This scholarship can be awarded in the form of a tuition award, research scholar award, or research award.

Joe Johnson Endowment for Wildlife Conservation Fellowships

• Undergraduate Funding

The Joe Johnson Fellowship supports student internships and research at the Kellogg Biological Station conducting research or studying wildlife conservation, species, habitat preservation and/or restoration. The fellowship was established to honor Joe’s 48 years of work at the Kellogg Bird Sanctuary and his lifetime commitment to wildlife conservation and education.

KBS Graduate Student Research Fellowship

• Graduate Funding

B. William and Jeannette Maxey established the KBS Graduate Student Research Fellowship in 2015 after spending a day with KBS graduate students in the field, appreciating their work and the discoveries these students are making. This fund supports graduate students performing research with preference given to those doing aquatic or bird research.

Sharin E. & Thomas C. Noall and Charles & Thelma E. Noall Scholarship in Biological and Environmental Science

• Undergraduate Funding

This scholarship honors Sharin E. & Thomas C. Noall and Charles & Thelma Noall who recognize research and education as key elements to our future. The intent for this scholarship is to provide a life changing experience for MSU students at KBS.

T. Wayne and Kathryn Porter Graduate Fellowship Endowment Fund

• Graduate Funding

Porter Fellowships are available to graduate students pursuing research at KBS, with preference given to students interested in studying invertebrates. The fellowship honors the lifelong commitment of Dr. Porter to field studies of invertebrates and the many years he taught at KBS.

Benjamin Skulnick Endowed Scholarship & Research Fund

• Undergraduate Funding

Harvey and Janet Skulnick established the fund in loving memory of their son, Benjamin, who spent several summers at KBS. Ben was an undergraduate at Michigan State University, earning a BS in Zoology. He took classes at Kellogg Biological Station during summers of 1998-1999 and also worked as a research assistant. The scholarship honors his life and recognizes the impact KBS had on Ben as an MSU student. The Skulnick scholarship can defray the cost for a student to be in residence at KBS and participate in coursework or research.

Patricia A. Werner Scholarship for Ecological Field Studies

• Undergraduate Funding
• Graduate Funding

This scholarship honors Patricia A. Werner, a former KBS faculty member, internationally recognized plant population ecologist, educator and science administrator. The intent of this scholarship is to provide hands-on field experiences to students as a vital complement to their classroom and laboratory studies.

Conservation Legacy Fund

• Undergraduate Funding

The W.K. Kellogg Biological Station Conservation Legacy Fund endowment gifted by David G. Dvorak, M.D., provides overarching support for all areas of KBS. It supports education and outreach programs, student scholarships, as well as grounds and facility upkeep, including the W.K. Kellogg Manor House and Kellogg Bird Sanctuary.

ROKS (Residential Opportunities at Kellogg Station) Scholarship

• Undergraduate Funding

The Residential Opportunities at the Kellogg Station scholarship was established by an anonymous donor to provide students the opportunity to combine classroom and field research experiences while living in residence at the Kellogg Biological Station. Funds are awarded to cover tuition, housing, and related expenses to students planning to be in residence at KBS for any academic term.