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Scholarships and Awards

The Wilks Institute for Leadership and Service coordinates scholarships, grants, and funding opportunities that help students expand their leadership skills, engage with their communities, pursue meaningful experiences, and create positive change.

Whether you are seeking support for a service project, interfaith initiative, leadership development opportunity, or residential learning experience, these programs help make impactful experiences more accessible to Miami students.

Ford Family Mini Grants

Through support from the Ford Family Initiative on Spirituality, Meaning, and Purpose, student organizations and community partners can apply for mini-grants for projects that promote interfaith engagement and connection.

The Ford Family Initiative sponsors events focusing on service, social justice, and spiritual growth to encourage open dialogue between people of all faiths, or no faith. It also supports interfaith learning, respect, and understanding.

Any Miami student, faculty, or staff member can apply. Oxford community partners leading projects that connect Miami and the Oxford community are welcome to apply. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis yearly funding runs out. Projects with multiple campus and community partnerships receive priority consideration.

To request a mini-grant application, or learn more about interfaith opportunities at Miami, please email WilksLeadership@MiamiOH.edu.

Please note: Projects that involve proselytizing of any kind and projects exclusionary of or exclusive to any religious, spiritual, or secular group will not be funded.

Apply for LEAF (Leadership Enrichment Access Fund) Award

The TRIO Foundation LEAF award supports second-year students or above seeking personal and professional growth, leadership development, and exposure to diverse, global perspectives through co-curricular activities. The award helps students with financial need participate in opportunities they may not otherwise afford. The LEAF award varies based on financial need and the request amount. Typically, two to three awards are offered per year, ranging from $2,000-$5,000.

Previous awards have funded:

  • Study abroad programs
  • Independent research projects
  • EMT Certification
  • Sorority dues
  • Miami Mock Trial participation

The qualities and characteristics of LEAF recipients should include:

  • Demonstration of financial need
  • Personal accountability for financial self-sufficiency and fiscal responsibility
  • Highest standard of ethics and integrity
  • Broad and active view of citizenship
  • Reputational sensibility
  • Exemplary academic record
  • Record of working to pay for all or a portion of their college costs
  • Campus and/or community involvement

Scholar Leader Living Learning Community Scholarships

Scholar Leader is an upper-class residential living-learning community involving a one-year residence in Elliott or Stoddard Halls - two of the most historic residence halls in the nation. Endowments for each room provide partial scholarships to those students selected to live in the community. Each year, approximately 75 students are invited to join the Scholar Leader community after a multi-stage application and selection process. The Scholar Leader community encourages resident-guided programming, academic involvement, service projects, and the opportunity to explore leadership through intensive group engagement.

More information can be found at Scholar Leader.

Harry T. Wilks Institute for Leadership and Service

Suites 2026 and 2029 Armstrong Student Center
550 E. Spring Street
Oxford, OH 45056
513-529-0830 513-529-3445(fax)
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