Student Awards
Each year, the Department of Biology offers a series of undergraduate and graduate student awards.
Mohamed Shaaban Humanitarian Award
The Department of Biology’s highest award bestowed to a student is the Mohamed Shaaban Humanitarian Award. This award is named after Mohamed Gamal Shaaban Ibrahim (1992-2013, VCU Biology Class of 2013), who died suddenly and unexpectedly in his first semester at VCU’s Medical School. This award honors students who, like Mohamed, display an exceptional commitment to service and inspire us to do more, help others, and strive to make a real difference.
Black History in the Making Awards
The Black History in the Making Awards were founded in 1983 by Dr. Daryl Dance, the distinguished scholar of African American and Caribbean literature, who served as program coordinator during the 1983-84 academic year. Dr. Dance established the awards to recognize the achievements of African American students.
In the founding year, Dr. Dance invited academic units and organizations to recognize a student who has made an important contribution. The nominating units established criteria for selecting recipients. Since the inaugural awards, more than 550 students have been recognized by more than 50 departments and organizations.
Outstanding Student Awards
Each year, the Department of Biology presents the annual Outstanding Student Awards. These awards honor undergraduate and graduate students who have shown considerable promise and exceptional performance in academics, research and service. Selection of each recipient is based on the following minimum criteria (other awards may require additional criteria for selection):
- Cumulative GPA
- Courses taken and total credits earned
- Research experience (e.g., publications, presentations at meetings, funding)
- Honors (e.g., awards or participation in Honors College)
- Service to VCU, including to the Biology department and the community
- Quality of the application essay
- Strength of the letter of recommendation from a faculty member in the Biology department
Undergraduate
- Outstanding Senior: This award is presented to a senior who will be graduating in May of this academic year (i.e., you must have completed Graduation Check Out and submitted your graduation application) and is based on the student's academic prowess, research experience, and service to VCU and the community. The award includes a gift and the addition of the recipient's name to the departmental awards plaque, which is located on the first floor of the Trani Center for Life Sciences.
- Outstanding Undergraduate Student: This award honors students demonstrating outstanding achievement as a student of the department. Depending on the applicant pool, the department grants one award in each area of excellence of the Department of Biology:
- Evolution and Ecological Processes and Applications
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
Graduate
- Outstanding M.S. Student: This award honors students demonstrating outstanding achievement as a student of the department. Depending on the applicant pool, the department grants one award in each area of excellence of the Department of Biology:
- Evolution and Ecological Processes and Applications
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
- Outstanding Ph.D. Student: This award honors students of the Integrative Life Sciences Ph.D. demonstrating outstanding achievement. ILS students are eligible for this award if the student’s primary adviser is a faculty member in the Department of Biology. Depending on the applicant pool, the department grants one award in each area of excellence of the Department of Biology:
- Evolution and Ecological Processes and Applications
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
- Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award: This award honors a graduate student with outstanding teaching performance as a teaching assistant in a biology lab (BIOZ) course.
Application Details
If you wish to apply for any of these awards, you will need to provide the following information:
- CV/resume (two pages maximum): Include information relevant to items 3-5 above, your career goals, your expected graduation date and any other information that is pertinent to the award. Also include your local mailing address and your email address.
- Personal statement/essay (one page maximum): This statement should address what you have accomplished to earn the award for which you are applying. If you are applying for the Outstanding Senior Award, you should also include:
- What motivated you to complete an undergraduate major in biology?
- Following your graduation from VCU, what do you anticipate doing with your biology major (short term and/or long term)?
- In future endeavors, what do you feel will be the value of your experiences as a biology major at VCU?
- Copy of your academic record: Available through eServices (i.e., PDF of unofficial VCU transcripts)
- Letter of recommendation from a VCU Biology faculty member to be submitted to the nomination form