Gumpertz and Paumier Master's Scholarship

Award nominations open September 23, 2026; deadline: December 14, 2026

The Office of Graduate Education invites nominations for the Gumpertz and Paumier Master's Scholarship. This scholarship is provided through a gift by Marcia Gumpertz and her desire to support graduate students at Oregon State University. The scholarship will be awarded based on academic performance, demonstrated financial need, and is limited to degree-seeking master’s level students.

The award also aligns with and supports development in the OSU Grad Advantage core competencies for graduate students. Nominees should complete the OSU Grad Advantage Self-Assessment Tool at the time of their nomination to gauge their ongoing professional development progress and need.

Award Details

The Gumpertz and Paumier Master's Scholarship amount varies but typically does not exceed $2,000. One awardee will be selected annually for the award. The scholarship will be disbursed in one installment during the winter term. This award may be offered in addition to a graduate assistantship or fellowship.

Eligibility

  • Nominee must be a current master’s student, having successfully completed at least 5 graduate credits toward their degree by the time the award is allocated (i.e., winter 2027).
  • Nominee must be enrolled for at least 5 graduate credits in the awarding winter term to receive the award.
  • Nominee must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25, including all previous graduate-level coursework completed at OSU or approved as transfer credits.
  • Nominee may not have received any other award, combination of awards, or funding administered or distributed by the Office of Graduate Education totaling $4000 or more during their time as a graduate student.
  • Nominee must have demonstrated financial need as evidenced by a completed FAFSA or ORSAA for the 2026-2027 academic year on file with the Office of Financial Aid.

Evaluation Criteria

  • Quality of the nomination materials in addressing:
    • The nominee’s previous academic success and commitment to graduate studies
    • The nominee’s scholarly potential and quality and impact of their scholarship in their field of study
    • The nominee’s demonstrated financial need, as evidenced by aid application and nominee statement.

Nomination Period

The nomination period begins on September 23, 2026. All nominations must be submitted by 11:59 p.m., December 14, 2026. Awards will be determined in early January 2027.

Please note that this posted deadline refers to the date/time by which the Office of Graduate Education must receive the final and complete nomination packet and any accompanying materials. Academic units may have earlier deadlines to accommodate their internal selection and nomination processes, so students are encouraged to verify the timeline with faculty and/or their graduate program leadership.

Nomination Procedure

Nominations may be submitted by the nominee's graduate program director, department chair/head, college leadership, or appropriate leadership in an institutional partner (see linked document below) unit. Students may not apply directly for this award. Each unit (as defined by university major code) and institutional partner may nominate no more than ONE nominee (total) per award cycle.

File
institutional_partners.pdf (56.45 KB)
In the online nomination form, nominators will be required to prepare/upload the following materials as one PDF document using the following file name convention:
"Nominee's Last Name_Department_Gumpertz.pdf" and then upload it through the nomination form.

  1. A statement from the nominee (2 pages maximum) that clearly describes (a) their previous academic success and commitment to graduate studies; (b) their scholarship and its impact in their field of study; (c) their leadership roles and service; and (d) how this award will support them in their graduate studies. Nominees are encouraged to review the Office of Graduate Education ’s OSU Grad Advantage core competencies and complete the OSU Grad Advantage Self-Assessment Tool.
    • These criteria can be demonstrated in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, prior coursework, degrees, and institutions of higher education; honors, awards, scholarships, or other academic distinctions; scholarly activity at previous institution(s) or employment; progression of academic performance over time; commitment and persistence related to previous academic pursuits; intellectual curiosity and degree progress to date; the ways in which current scholarship will make a significant contribution to their field of study; financial obstacles that have impacted the ability to persist within the current degree program.
  2. A nominating letter (2 pages maximum) from college leadership or the nominee’s major professor, unit chair/head that clearly describes (1) the nominee’s previous academic success and commitment to graduate studies; (2) the nominee’s scholarly potential along with their proposed or current scholarship and its impact in their field of study; and (3) a description of any financial support the unit has provided to the student or intends to provide to the student.
    • These criteria can be demonstrated in a variety of ways including, but not limited to, their prior coursework, degrees, and institutions of higher education; honors, awards, scholarships, or other academic distinctions; their scholarly activity at previous institution(s) or employment; their progression of academic performance over time; their commitment and persistence related to previous academic pursuits; their intellectual curiosity, commitment, and degree progress to date; the strengths and skills they bring to their graduate studies.
  3. A copy of the nominee’s résumé or curriculum vitae

NOTE to Institutional Partners:
If an institutional partner (see linked document below) is submitting the nomination, they must also have confirmation from the student’s academic unit that:
•    the student is not already being nominated for the same award by the academic unit, and
•    the student is in good academic standing, making satisfactory progress, and that the nomination aligns with the student’s status in the program.

Nomination Form

Available September 2026

Scholarships and Fellowships Application Form Overview

Questions

For questions about this award or any Office of Graduate Education administered awards, please contact our Graduate Scholarships and Fellowships team