Open to Juniors in Any Major
The Joseph Reeves Hyde Award in Religious Studies allows an outstanding Rhodes student to pursue a summer research project related to the discipline of Religious Studies. The project might involve travel, library research, or field work. The award may be used for such things as defraying the costs of travel, compensating for a summer job not taken, and purchasing material relevant to the subject. In the fall semester following the summer research, the award winner will make a formal presentation about the project to the Rhodes community. Recent recipients of the award have focused on a diverse array of topics including the practice of Christianity in Japan, contemporary worship styles among churches in Nashville, the moderate-conservative split among Southern Baptists, the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage in Spain, and Voodoo in New Orleans.
Amount of Award. The winner will receive a medal and an award in the range of $5,000. The recipient is not required to return any unused portion of the award to the College, but may apply it toward senior year tuition if he or she chooses.
Eligibility. Candidates for the award must be current juniors. Eligibility includes non-majors who have demonstrated excellence in the study of religion. If no candidate in a given year is judged outstanding, the award will not be made.
Faculty Sponsor. Students must develop their proposals under the supervision of a member or members of the Department of Religious Studies. The completed application should indicate who will be involved in the planning and execution of the proposed project. Faculty involvement should not be so heavy as to constitute an unofficial Directed Inquiry. The supported project will not be accepted for academic credit.
Applications. The five-page application should consist of a cover sheet with the project’s title, student’s name, and the name and signature of the faculty sponsor; a two-page proposal narrative explaining the nature and significance of the research and the student’s academic preparation for pursuing it; a one-page budget sheet estimating expenses associated with the project; and a one-page time table.
Calendar. Applications should be submitted to the Religious Studies Department Chair by early February. The award winner will be notified immediately after the selection and recognized at the College Awards Convocation in April.
For further information, contact any member of the Department of Religious Studies.
