Undergraduate Essay Award

To honor excellence among undergraduate History majors, the FSU Department of History has created an award for the best undergraduate research paper. The winning essay will demonstrate the author’s potential for undertaking independent historical research and for engaging critically with both primary and secondary sources.  

By giving to the Undergraduate Essay Award, you are helping reward outstanding FSU History majors. Students who win this award will benefit from this achievement as they apply for jobs or to graduate programs.

“This award was an amazing thing for me when I got it. It definitely influenced my decisions about post-graduate studies. I am now doing a master's in Latin American Studies and have been working at the Middle American Research Institute at Tulane University! This award and the process of writing that paper gave me the boost and the confirmation that I was on the right track and to pursue this interest in Latin American Studies further.” – Ana, FSU 2024

“Receiving the award showed me that I was capable of writing something special enough to be recognized not just by my professor, but the department. Until that point, I had accepted my grades as simply that: grades. But it was through this experience that I realized that my professor genuinely believed I had a talent worth recognizing and nurturing. This has inspired me to pursue my goal of being a scholar.” – Alejandro, FSU 2026

“Winning the 'Honorable Mention' was a really fulfilling part of my educational journey, as it was an affirmation that the work I did was not only seen as quality research by academics who are well regarded in their fields, but that my work deserved to be seen and celebrated by others as well. It was humbling to receive, and it gave me confidence in my voice and my work that I have been able to carry with me into the wider workforce.” – Anne, FSU 2023

Join us and give now!

*Funds raised in excess of this goal will be used to provide additional scholarships and academic support to the department’s talented students.