The OU History Department offers its graduate students unique experiences as editorial fellows with the University of Oklahoma Press and two internationally renowned scholarly journals, The Western Historical Quarterly and the Journal of Women’s History.
Editorial Fellows have an unparalleled opportunity to develop key skillsets in scholarly publishing, including writing, editing, and managing editorial production. Editorial Fellowships also support graduate students’ preparation for careers in both the academy and in scholarly publishing by immersing them in innovative historical scholarship.
Please scroll down for specific information on each fellowship.
Incoming students are eligible for the Western Historical Quarterly Fellowship; Applicants should mention their interest in the Statement of Purpose.
About the Western Historical Quarterly
Western Historical Quarterly, the official journal of the Western History Association, presents original articles dealing with the North American West—expansion and colonization, Indigenous histories, regional studies (including western Canada, northern Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii), and transnational, comparative, and borderland histories. Each issue contains reviews and notices of significant books in the field. The OU History Department hosts The Western Historical Quarterly (WHQ) under the editorship of Dr. Anne Hyde.
WHQ Editorial Fellowships
The University of Oklahoma offers two Editorial Fellowships with the WHQ. The duration of each fellowship is two years, beginning in August of the student’s first year in the OU History program.
Because of the two-year cycle, the WHQ fellowship is usually reserved for MA candidates who generally finish their program in two years.
In addition to excellent training in writing and editing, fellows are immersed in the scholarship of western and Indigenous histories. The position requires 20 hours a week as fellows work closely with OU faculty to publish a traditional journal and digital content.
Duties include: 1) assisting the editor in preparing and copy-editing manuscripts; 2) taking on all facets of the book review process; and 3) helping to develop digital content and manage social media for the journal.
The fellows also work and receive a stiped for the equivalent of two months during the four-month summer period but have the flexibility to work remotely with time to conduct their own research.
Applications to the OU History graduate program require a statement of purpose. If applicants are interested in the WHQ editorial fellowship, they should include in that statement a paragraph that addresses their preparation to work for a scholarly journal focusing on the North American West. Applications must be submitted through this link by December 15.
About the Journal of Women’s History
The award-winning Journal of Women’s History is the first journal devoted exclusively to the international field of women’s history. It publishes cutting-edge scholarship from around the globe in all historical periods. The Journal also promotes comparative and transnational methods and approaches to historical constructions of gender as they shape and are, in turn, shaped by women’s experiences. The OU History Department hosts the Journal of Women’s History (JWH) under the editorship of Dr. Sandie Holguín and Dr. Jennifer Davis, with Dr. Jennifer Holland serving as the Book Review Editor.
JWH Editorial Fellowships
The History Department offers two editorial fellowships for PhD students who serve as Managing Editors for the JWH. The duration of each fellowship is two years, beginning in July. Additionally, the Department funds a part-time editorial position assisting the Book Review Editor. The journal and its editors work closely with OU History professors and students who specialize in the department’s graduate field in Transnational Women’s and Gender History.
In addition to providing excellent training in writing, editing, and the production of an internationally renowned journal, the editorial fellowship ensures that students are immersed in the latest scholarship in transnational women’s and gender history. The position requires 20 hours a week.
Recipients of editorial fellowships 1) assist in preparing manuscripts for review; 2) correspond with authors and reviewers; and 3) copyedit and finalize manuscripts for publication.
The fellows receive an assistantship from the University of Oklahoma during the nine-month academic calendar. Fellows also work during the summer receiving a comparable hourly wage, with the flexibility to work remotely to conduct their own research.
Applications for the Managing Editor position require a statement of purpose and an interview with Drs. Holguín and Davis. In the statement of purpose and interview, applicants should address their preparation to work for a scholarly journal focusing on women’s and gender history.
A call for applications will be issued on February 1. Applications must be submitted to sholguin@ou.edu and jennifer.j.davis@ou.edu by March 1. Applications are considered on a rolling basis. The Editors will announce the incoming Managing Editor fellows at the History Department’s Awards Banquet each spring.
About OU Press
During its more than ninety years of continuous operation, the University of Oklahoma Press has gained international recognition as an outstanding publisher of scholarly literature. It was the first university press established in the Southwest, and the fourth in the western half of the country. The Press is a preeminent publisher of books about the American West and Native Americans, while expanding its program in other disciplines, including Environmental History, military history, classical studies, political science, and African & African American Studies.
Editorial Fellowships at OU Press
OU Press offers the Robert H. Ruby Editorial Fellowship in Native American Studies and the Merrick Family-OU Press Publishing Fellowship for advanced PhD students in the OU History Department. The duration of each fellowship is two years, with the incoming Editorial Fellow’s tenure overlapping the outgoing Editorial Fellow’s tenure for one year.
During the spring semester, OU Press issues a call for applications from advanced History PhD students. Applications require a cover letter and CV. OU Press will interview a select group of applicants. In the cover letter and interview, applicants should address their preparation to work for a scholarly press.
Under the supervision of the Editorial Director or Senior Acquisitions Editor, the Editorial Fellows learn how manuscripts are evaluated and guided through peer review, presented at various in-house meetings, and transmitted to manuscript editorial. In addition to gaining familiarity with the basics of editing, copywriting, design, marketing, and book budgets, the fellows will have the opportunity to travel to an academic conference.
Editorial Fellows:
Graduate students are encouraged to pursue external funding to support the extensive archival and library research required to make original scholarly contributions in the master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation. The list below is not a comprehensive list of available funding. It represents some of the agencies that have funded OU History graduate students or faculty in the past. Funding sources are dynamic—new grants become available, and others run through available funding. It is graduate students’ responsibility to research funding sources for their projects, in coordination with their advisors and committees.
National Organizations
Scholarly Organizations
Researching Institutions and Libraries
** Check relevant state historical societies for fellowships and travel grants
** Check relevant presidential libraries for fellowships and travel grants
Postdoctoral Fellowships
The OU History Department works hard to support our graduate students as they seek funding from external sources. In recent years, our students have obtained support from, among others, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and American Indian College Fund, the Organization of American Historians, the Western History Association, the American Society for Environmental History, the Society for the Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, the Agricultural History Society, the Huntington Library, the Newberry Library, the Briscoe Center, and various presidential libraries.
There also are substantial internal funding sources at the University of Oklahoma. In addition to Graduate Assistantships, the OU Provost’s Office, the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, the OU Graduate College, and the OU Department of History offer a wide array of resources to support the educational goals and scholarship of its graduate students.
The University of Oklahoma offers various recruitment fellowships to facilitate the recruitment of an excellent and diverse cohort of new graduate students. The Hudson Family Fellowships are only available to PhD students in the OU History Department. The History Department nominates prospective students for other recruitment fellowships, which are competitive across the campus. The OU History Department has a proven record with these fellowships.
HUDSON FAMILY FELLOWSHIPS: With the generosity of the Hudson Family, the OU History Department is home to up to six Hudson fellows at any time. This fellowship provides $8,000 a year beyond the regular Graduate Assistant stipend. Recipients hold the title Hudson Family Fellow. This fellowship is renewable up to 5 years, contingent upon satisfactory performance and degree progress. The fellowship accompanies a 0.5 FTE GA position.
DODGE FAMILY RECRUITMENT FELLOWSHIPS: The OU Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences makes approximately 20 fellowship awards to prospective doctoral students. Historically, these awards are in the amount of $5,000 per year beyond the regular Graduate Assistant stipend. Recipients will hold the title Dodge Family Graduate Fellow. This fellowship will be renewable for up to 5 years, contingent upon satisfactory performance and degree progress. The fellowship must accompany a 0.5 FTE GA position.
ALUMNI AND FOUNDATION RECRUITMENT FELLOWSHIPS: The OU Graduate College awards Alumni and Foundation Fellowships to prospective doctoral students. Historically, these awards are in the amount of $5,000 per year beyond the regular Graduate Assistant stipend. Recipients will hold the title Alumni Fellow. This fellowship will be renewable for up to 5 years, contingent upon satisfactory performance and degree progress. The fellowship must accompany a 0.5 FTE GA position. The University and the History Department encourage applications that support diversity goals by recruiting underrepresented students.
The McNAIR FELLOWSHIPS are multi-year awards based on the student’s degree program. Available, with differing levels of support, these awards are available to MA and PhD students.
The WETHINGTON GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP is used to recruit outstanding doctoral students in the areas of business, engineering, history, mathematics, and natural science. Preference is given to students who have previously resided in Alfalfa, Garfield, Grant, or Woods counties in Oklahoma; however, if students from those counties are not available, other Oklahoma and non-Oklahoma students may be considered (including international).
HOVING FELLOWSHIP: The Hoving Fellowship rotates through various disciplines and will next be available to the History Department in 2026. Awarded to an incoming doctoral student, this four-year fellowship provides $5,000 a year beyond the regular Graduate Assistant stipend. Recipients will hold the title Hoving Fellow. This fellowship will be renewable for up to 5 years, contingent upon satisfactory performance and degree progress. The fellowship must accompany a 0.5 FTE GA position.
See above for details.
Endowed by Fred and Patricia Schonwald of Oklahoma City, the JACK HALEY FELLOWSHIPS provide MA and PhD students in OU’s Department of History the opportunity to conduct research and engage in archival or curatorial projects in OU’s Western History Collections for 8 weeks during the summer.
The Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences awards up to 15 DISSERTATION RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS to Ph.D. students in their 3rd, 4th, or 5th year of studies. These awards up to $5,000 can be used to support travel and accommodation expenses to conduct research, and purchases of data sets, software and other materials to facilitate research outcomes.
The NANCY L. MERGLER AND BULLARD DISSERTATION COMPLETION FELLOWSHIPS are awards for Ph.D. candidates who are in the final phases of dissertation writing. Seven applicants (as determined by a committee of faculty from diverse fields of study across campus) will be awarded the Nancy L. Mergler Dissertation Completion Fellowship, which will pay for up to two semesters of a .50 GA appointment. The stipend amount awarded will equal the program’s usual GTA stipend. Tuition waivers and health insurance coverage will be provided. The student will be awarded the money in place of working as a GA, in order to have the opportunity to devote time to completing the dissertation. Additional awardees (determined by the same committee) will be awarded the Bullard Dissertation Completion Fellowship which will pay for one semester of a .50 GA appointment.
To facilitate doctoral dissertation completion, the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences awards up to 10 DISSERTATION COMPLETION FELLOWSHIPS to doctoral students in the final year of their studies—but no later than their 6th year in the program. Applicants must have a current TA appointment within the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, should be in good standing in their programs and must have defended their dissertation proposals. In place of receiving a teaching stipend, the fellowship will provide student funding equivalent to a semester’s pay at their normal rate. This will allow them to focus on dissertation research and writing without loss of revenue for a semester during their last year of study.
The Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences provides funds through the STUDENT TRAVEL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM for MA and PhD students to help pay for expenses related to academic conference travel or for conducting research. Graduate students may request up to $750 for academic travel.
The GRADUATE STUDENT SENATE (GSS) offers grants to assist MA and PhD students of the University of Oklahoma in scholarly endeavors, preparation for a competitive grant writing process and research. These grants are designed to encourage graduate students to participate in professional and graduate conferences, creative exhibitions, and career fairs. Only students who are members of a department in good standing with the Graduate Student Senate are eligible for this grant. Competition is campus wide.
Offered by the OU Graduate College, the ROBBERSON TRAVEL AND RESEARCH GRANTS address different needs. Travel grants provide financial assistance to MA and PhD students who are presenting their research results or creative products at a professional venue. Robberson Research Grants provide financial assistance for expenses incurred as graduate students conduct their research or produce their creative products. Funded activities may include dissertation or thesis research and national research presentations, exhibitions or performances. These grants are awarded on a competitive basis.
Offered by the OU Graduate College, the ROBBERSON AND WETHINGTON SCHOLARSHIPS provide financial assistance for academically outstanding MA and PhD students to attend competitive and prestigious training/courses at other universities or institutions. Funding for this opportunity is provided from the Richard, Mary, and Glenn Robberson fund and the Mr. and Mrs. W.O. Wethington Scholarship fund. These grants are awarded on a competitive basis.
The SCHUSTERMAN CENTER FOR JUDAIC AND ISRAEL STUDIES offers a broad variety of competitive awards and scholarships to MA students pursuing these fields on the OU campus and for travel to Israel. The Schusterman Center is housed within the OU History Department.
The EDDIE CAROL SMITH SCHOLARSHIP, offered through the Graduate College, is a one-year award up to $2000 that will go to a graduate student whose research/capstone project either opens a new area of scholarly endeavor or significantly expands an existing area of scholarly endeavor. Applicants must be near the end of their degree requirements, as it is expected that the academic year during which the student serves as the Eddie Carol Smith Scholar is also the academic year in which the student will complete the degree. The award includes a full tuition waiver for the fall and spring semesters of the award year. The scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis.
The PRESIDENTIAL INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP is a scholarship created to support travel for study abroad for awards up to $2500. A student must have a program selected when applying for the PITF and awarded funds apply only to the program listed in the application.
The OU Department of Women’s and Gender Studies sponsors the ALICE MARY ROBERTSON AWARD, established to honor the memory of Alice Mary Robertson, Oklahoma's first female representative to the United States Congress. The purpose of this one-time award of $1,000 is to stimulate an interest among graduate students in the study and interpretation of the contributions made by women to the culture and society of Oklahoma.
The Carl Albert Congressional Research and Studies Center’s Congressional and Political Collections established the AMBASSADOR JAMES R. JONES GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP to assist with archival digitalization efforts. Graduate students in history may apply for this award which includes a tuition waiver, stipend, and research travel fund.
The OU History Department is eager to support our graduate students in their research activities. After exploring other university sources, students may apply for department funding for travel for conferences or research using this form (pdf).
The OU History Department is honored to be able to recognize our graduate student’s best work and their research potential with the following annual honors:
WILLIAM LIVEZEY SCHOLARSHIP is awarded to the outstanding first-year graduate student.
A.K. CHRISTIAN GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP IN HISTORY is awarded to the best paper written in a graduate seminar.
BEA MANTOOTH-ESTEP SCHOLARSHIP IN OKLAHOMA OR LATIN AMERICAN HISTORY is awarded for graduate research in these fields.
E.E. DALE/ A.M. GIBSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP IN WESTERN AMERICAN HISTORY recognizes progress on outstanding dissertations in Western American History.
ANNE HODGES and WAYNE MORGAN DISSERTATION RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS are competitive travel grants that enable doctoral students to travel to archival and library collections, both within the United States and outside. This competition is restricted to history department students. Multiple fellowships may be awarded in any year. Students self-nominate for this fellowship.
Students from the University of Oklahoma Department of History are eligible for awards of distinction in campus-wide competitions:
The GRADUATE DEAN'S DISTINGUISHED THESIS PRIZE is awarded by the Graduate College to recognize outstanding performance by thesis-based master’s students. The award involves a campus-wide competition.
The PROVOST'S DOCTORAL DISSERTATION PRIZE allows the University of Oklahoma to recognize and reward outstanding performances by our doctoral students. This award involves a campus-wide competition.
The PROVOST'S GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT AWARD is open to MA and PhD students who have exceled in their GTA responsibilities. This campus-wide competition offers a $1000 award and a certificate of honor.
The University of Oklahoma is proud to be one of 20 institutional members in the Newberry Library’s Consortium in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (NCAIS). The Newberry is a world-class, independent research library specializing in the humanities. The NCAIS offers distinctive advantages to the graduate students of its member institutions. NCAIS Summer Institute brings students to the Newberry for a funded four-week intensive graduate course on an important theme in Indigenous Studies. A spring workshop provides funded students with an introduction to a specialized archive in the United States or Canada. Students also may participate in a Graduate Student Conference at the Newberry with limited funding. The NCAIS also offers graduate student fellowships for 1-2 months of research at the Newberry or at NCAIS institutions.
OU Graduate College and Graduate Student Life
Parking Passes and Maps
Setting up OU Email account
Setting up OU Net account
Institutional Equity Office – including 24-hour hotline
Damon Akins (2009), Guilford College
Matthew Bahar (2012), Oberlin College
Chelsea Ball (2021), West Texas A&M University
William J. Bauer (2003), University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Patrick Bottiger (2009), Kenyon College
Mark Boxell (2020), University of Nebraska, Omaha
Courtney Buchkoski (2020), Doane University
Anthony E. Carlson (2010), U.S. Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, Ft. Leavenworth
Justin Castro (2013), Arkansas State University
Daniel Cobb (2003), University of North Carolina
Matthew Corpolongo (2020), Oklahoma Department of Transportation Cultural Resources Program
Robyn Lily Davis (2009), Millersville University
Jay Dew (2007), Texas A&M University Press
James Dupree (2019), Lecturer, University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley
Linda English (2005), University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley
Donald Fixico (1980), Arizona State University
Mette Flynt (2018), Oklahoma State University
Jeff Fortney (2014), Florida Gulf Coast University
Curt Foxley (2020), The Boeing Company
Catharine Franklin (2010), Texas Tech University
Brian Frehner (2004), University of Missouri, Kansas City
Alexandria Gough (2021), Archivist, Choctaw Nation
Brandi Hilton-Hagemann (2013), Doane College
Chet Horn (2021), Southwestern Christian University
Lance Janda (1998), Cameron University
Sarah Eppler Janda (2002), Cameron University
Paul Kelton (1998), Stony Brook University
Courtney Kennedy (2019), Librarian for Research Services, Oklahoma State University
Sunu Kodumthara (2011), Southwest Oklahoma State University
Katrina Lacher (2011), University of Central Oklahoma
Jacob Lackner (2018), Instructor, Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City
Dustin Mack (2015), Chief Curator, The History Museum at the Castle
Marcus Macktima (2023), Northern Arizona University
Lindsay Marshall (2019), Illinois State University
Jeffrey Means (2007), University of Wyoming
Douglas Miller (2014), Oklahoma State University
George Milne (2006), Oakland University
Michael Molina (2017), Oklahoma Transportation Library
Bethany Mowry (2023), Acquisitions Editor, Indiana University Press
Daniel Moy (2012), Lecturer, University of Virginia Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy
Matthew Pearce (2014), National Register of Historical Places Coordinator, Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office
Jackie Thompson Rand (1998), University of Iowa
John Truden (2023), Postdoctoral Fellow, Center on the Futures of Native Peoples, Dickinson College
Walker Robins (2015), Lecturer, Merrimack College
Bryan Rindfleisch (2014), Marquette University
Joseph Schiller (2022), Acquisitions Editor, University of Oklahoma Press
Tash Smith (2010), Bethany College
Rowan Steineker (2016), Florida Gulf Coast University
Michele Stephens (2011), West Virginia University
Garrit Voggesser (2004), Director, Tribal Partnerships at the National Wildlife Federation
Emily Wardrop (2015), Casady School
