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Robert F. Munn Scholars Award

Robert F. Munn Library Scholars Award for the Humanities and Social Sciences

The Robert F. Munn Library Scholars Award is presented annually to students for outstanding research contributions in the humanities or social sciences that have culminated in the production of an exceptional thesis or capstone research paper.

Winners will be awarded $1,000 and be recognized publicly by the University and the Libraries. The Robert F. Munn Library Scholars Award judges may select up to three winners.

Eligibility

To be eligible to win, applicants must:

Submission Process

The completed paper can be submitted anytime during the fall and spring semesters. The deadline is Friday, May 17th, 2024.

Applicants should submit:

Email paper, memo, and abstract to the Instructional Design Assistant of the Libraries’ Office of Curriculum and Instructional Support, Miranda Smith, miranda.smith2@mail.wvu.edu.

Subject

The research topic must be in the realms of the humanities or social sciences.

Criteria

Judges will evaluate the submissions on:

*Submission is student's own work rather than to assist a faculty member's current research.

History

The Robert F. Munn Library Scholars was established during the fall of 2008 in honor of Dr. Robert F. Munn, Dean of Library Services from 1957-1986. Dean Munn nurtured the West Virginia and Regional History Collection, the Appalachian Collection, and a unique East Africa collection. He maintained strong collections in the humanities, especially American history and literature. The Libraries’ collections in these areas today are remarkably complete and are a legacy of Dean Munn’s consistent care.

Munn was born in Seattle and grew up in Pittsburgh, where his father was director of the Carnegie Library. He received his bachelor’s degree from Oberlin, his master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and his doctorate from the University of Michigan.