Madelyn Lockhart Dissertation Fellowship
An award from the UF chapter of the Association for Academic Women (AAW)
2026-2027 Application Cycle Now Open!
Deadline for applicant submissions to departments/colleges:
Friday, November 20, 2026
Deadline for college submissions to the Graduate School:
Friday, January 15, 2027
Click here for instructions · Click here for application form
The Madelyn Lockhart Dissertation Fellowship — awarded by the University of Florida chapter of the Association for Academic Women (AAW) — spotlights and aids a Doctor of Philosophy candidate who is an outstanding researcher and has overcome challenges, helped others overcome challenges, or contributed to a larger sense of community on campus, locally or more widely.
- This fellowship awards up to $2,000 yearly to assist in the dissertation phase of the doctoral degree program.
- AAW awards one fellowship yearly.
- Candidates can come from any UF Ph.D. program.
- Nominations can come from a faculty member or from the Ph.D. candidate.
For more details, read Eligibility Requirements, Criteria, Procedures, and Instructions to Departments and Colleges below.
Have questions? Email Dr. Edith Kaan, Madelyn Lockhart Dissertation Fellowship Committee Chair, at kaan@ufl.edu.
- You must be a full-time UF Ph.D. candidate who has completed doctoral course work.
- You must have passed your qualifying exam and be ready to write your dissertation.
- Your supervisory committee must approve your dissertation proposal by the application deadline for this award.
- You must be enrolled in dissertation credits the semester (fall, spring, or summer) that you receive the fellowship.
- AAW will give preference to applicants in the later stages of their dissertation research.
Criterion 1: Candidates must demonstrate both achievement and promise in their chosen fields.
Criterion 2: The project must have a potentially transformative impact on the candidate’s field of study.
Criterion 3: In addition, reviewers will favorably consider...
- An applicant’s success in overcoming challenges or helping others to overcome challenges in academic achievement.
- An applicant’s commitment to helping others overcome challenges, to creating a welcoming environment for all, and to expanding opportunities in academic, co-curricular, and/or research endeavors.
- An applicant’s commitment to a larger sense of community on campus or more widely.
You must submit your completed application to your department/college by the deadline shown at the top of this webpage.
You must submit your application as a single PDF file that includes these items in this order:
- The complete application form.
- A three-to-five-page double-spaced proposal that describes your dissertation and how it addresses Criteria 1 and 2 in language written for a general academic audience that avoids jargon.
- A three-to-five-page double-spaced statement that addresses Criterion 3.
- Three recommendation letters. One letter must come from your supervisory committee chair and describe your progress toward your degree.
- Your official or unofficial graduate transcript.
- Your current curriculum vitae.
Applicants must submit their completed applications to your department/college by the deadline shown at the top of this webpage.
Colleges then review the applications that they received. They can choose how they wish to select the best among those applications — however, Criterion 3 ought to weigh as strongly as Criteria 1 and 2 combined.
Colleges then email their best applications to the Graduate School at gradawards@aa.ufl.edu by the department/college deadline shown at the top of this webpage.
Colleges can select up to the number of applicants shown on this table:
Dr. Madelyn McClintock Lockhart (1924-2015)
Dr. Lockhart served as UF Dean of the Graduate School and Dean of International Studies and Programs (1985-1993), Associate Dean (1981-1985), and Assistant Dean (1973-1977 and 1979-1981). She aided students in many ways, such as implementing this fellowship program to support Ph.D. students working on their dissertations.