Sophomore Scholarships

First-year WISP interns who have actively participated in all aspects of the WISP Internship Program and who wish to continue research with the same faculty mentor are invited to apply.

Scholarships recipients will receive funding for an additional term of research with their WISP faculty mentor during their sophomore year (the term may be chosen by the recipient). Those who are not selected to receive a Sophomore Scholarship may apply for funding through the Undergraduate Research Assistantship at Dartmouth (URAD) program. Important notes:

Students are responsible for ensuring that all materials, including faculty recommendation letters, arrive by the deadlines indicated below. Extensions will not be granted, and late applications cannot be accepted.

May X, 2025: Online faculty recommendation request form must be submitted by the student

May X, 2025: Online student application form (including a 2,000-2,500-word research proposal) and faculty recommendation are due.

Guidelines for a successful research proposal:

• Summarize your first-year research project (goals, methods, results, conclusions).
• Describe your role in the project thus far.
• Plan for continuing the research for another year (goals, methods, scientific significance).

Guidelines for the faculty mentor's recommendation:

• Summarize the student's progress during her WISP first-year internship.
• Provide your reasons for supporting the student in her application for this merit-based scholarship.
• Commit to mentoring and supervising the student during their sophomore year.
• Provide a brief summary of the research plan for the upcoming year.

The Barbara E. Crute Memorial Internship honors the memory of biologist Barbara E. Crute, Ph.D. Dr. Crute epitomized an ideal research scientist. Noted for her generosity, cooperative spirit, academic aptitude, and strong work ethic, she improved every laboratory in which she worked. She mentored WISP interns and guided numerous other undergraduates, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows throughout her Dartmouth research career.

Hailing from Mount Vernon, New York, she earned her undergraduate degree in biochemistry and a master's degree in biology with a specialization in biochemistry at the State University of New York at Binghamton. She earned her doctoral degree in Biochemistry from the Dartmouth Geisel Medical School in 1997 and remained in the department as a postdoctoral fellow and then a research associate.  

In addition to being a talented and dedicated scientist, she found much in life to enjoy outside of science. She was a gifted flutist and enjoyed baking, crafts, photography, crocheting, knitting, science fiction, music, art, travel, and collecting antiques. She built her own cabin from the ground up and spent the seasons hiking, jogging, cross-country skiing or just walking in the woods or gardening. She hiked and backpacked with family and friends throughout the continental U.S. as well as in Alaska, Scotland, England, Germany, and Switzerland. On September 14, 1999, Dr. Crute unexpectedly collapsed and died as she reached the summit of Killington Mountain in Vermont. She was just thirty-five years old. 

The Carol Folt Research Scholarship Award honors the dedication and significant contributions of Carol Folt, Ph.D., to the Women in Science Project at Dartmouth. She was one of the original faculty mentors in the WISP Research Internship Program as well as a member of WISP's Faculty Advisory Committee. Carol has been a steadfast supporter of the program and a dedicated mentor to young women in the sciences throughout her years at Dartmouth. She is an environmental scientist and award-winning educator, known for her research in salmon conservation, metal toxicity, and effects of dietary mercury and arsenic on human and ecosystem health. In addition to her role as a scholar and educator, she served as Dean of Graduate Studies, Dean of Faculty, Provost, and Interim President at Dartmouth. In 2010, she was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for her scientific work and academic leadership.