Department Related Prizes and Fellowships
The following prizes and awards are administered by the Political Science department. Except for the Edwin Robbins Fellowship and the Phyllis Stevens Sharp Fellowship, students DO NOT play an active part in the nomination process. Instead, faculty members nominate students at their own discretion.
Charles A. Beard Prize
A cash prize, awarded every other year to the student who writes the best paper in Political Science during the academic year.
Caroline Phelps Stokes Prize
A cash prize, established at the bequest of Caroline Phelps Stokes, is awarded to a student who has been a degree candidate at Columbia College or Barnard College for at least one academic year, and who has written the best essay in course or seminar work on the general subject or the rights of man.
Alan J. Willen Memorial Prize
A cash prize, awarded to the College student who writes the best seminar paper on a contemporary American political problem.
Edwin Robbins Academic Research/Public Service Fellowship
The Robbins Fellowship provides a stipend each summer for at least two Political Science students in Columbia College who will be engaged in research in important matters of politics or policy making, or who will be working, without other compensation, as "interns" in a governmental office, agency, or other "public service organization." Each February, the Department invites students to submit Fellowship proposals. Awards are announced in April.
Phyllis Stevens Sharp Fellowship in American Politics
The Phyllis Stevens Sharp Endowment Fund provides stipends each year during either academic semester or the summer for one or more Columbia College or School of General Studies students majoring or concentrating in Political Science to support research in American politics or policymaking or otherwise uncompensated internships in a government office, agency or other organization serving the public. Each February, the Department invites students to submit Fellowship proposals. Awards are announced in April.
