Kummer Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellows Program

The Kummer Innovation and Entrepreneurship Doctoral Fellows Program (Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows) is one of several new initiatives established through a generous gift of $300 million from June and Fred Kummer, longtime benefactors of Missouri S&T. This program is designed to help Missouri S&T realize Mr. and Mrs. Kummer’s desire to encourage innovative-minded students to pursue doctoral degrees to strengthen applied research, technological innovation, and economic development in the region, state and nation.

The Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Program is limited to no more than 100 scholars each year. The program is open to domestic and international students. Each Kummer I&E Fellow will receive a 12-month fellowship (paid out semesterly) and tuition remission for required course work for up to four years.

Exclusive opportunities

Kummer I&E Fellows will engage in a number of special opportunities, including:

  • The Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Welcome and Kickoff the week prior to start of classes
  • Participation in the annual two-day Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows research conference that includes researchers from industry and academia
  • $1,500/year in supplementary funds to be used to advance research (conference travel, software, etc.)
  • Attendance at S&T Industry Day where fellows get to pitch their ideas/research to industry subject matter experts
  • Serving as mentors to S&T undergraduate Kummer Vanguard Scholars — collaborating on joint poster presentations to be showcased at the Kummer I&E Fellows and Kummer Scholars poster competition day
  • The Kummer Doctoral Achievement Award and medal for fellows who complete their Ph.D. in 4 years
  • Doctoral I&E Award for fellows whose research leads to commercialization

Program Requirements

The Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Program is open to on-campus domestic and international full-time Ph.D. students admitted to a STEM degree program for fall and spring terms. Preference will be given to those with a master’s degree.

Current Missouri S&T students

S&T graduate students currently enrolled in either M.S., M.A. or Ph.D. programs are not eligible to be nominated for or awarded a Kummer I&E Fellowship unless they meet the following exception:

  • Students who are currently pursuing a M.S., M.A. at S&T in a department that does not offer the doctoral degree.

Thus, students enrolled in M.S., M.A. degree programs in Biological Sciences, Psychological Science, Business and Information Technology, and English and Technical Communication are eligible to be nominated for and awarded a Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellowship for pursuit of a Ph.D. degree at S&T.

Application Deadlines and Review Process

Only potential incoming doctoral students who have not yet started their graduate program at S&T are able to apply for the Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Program. Potential incoming students must complete their application to a doctoral program, prior to submitting this fellowship application. After submitting the student application, the faculty advisor for the student candidate will complete a nomination form. The completed packet (student application and faculty advisor nomination) will then be reviewed by the Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Program Selection Committee for final review and awarding of the fellowship. See specific deadlines below

Spring 2023/Fall 2023 Semester Application Deadlines

September 16/January 31: Submit your completed Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellowship Program application.

  • IMPORTANT: You must first have submitted a doctoral graduate program application before you apply for the Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellowship.

October 3/February 15: The faculty advisors will have until this deadline to complete and submit a faculty advisor nomination form.

October 25/March 13: Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows selection committee to announce awards.

October 25 - November 16/March 13 - April 14: Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellow awardees living in the U.S. will be invited to campus for an in-person visit with their academic departments. Travel costs will be covered. International students will be able to schedule a virtual visit. Visits will be coordinated by the academic departments.

November 16/April 14: Deadline for Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows to accept their award.

Application Process

Step 1: Apply to a Doctoral Graduate Program

If you have not applied to the Missouri S&T doctoral program, you must first apply for the doctoral program and submit all required documents. Once that process is complete you can submit your Kummer I&E doctoral fellow application.

Start your doctoral application

Step 2: Apply to the Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Program

Doctoral students who have already applied to S&T or are newly admitted, please review the fellowship application requirements and complete a Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellowship application.

Apply to the Kummer Fellowship

 

Admitted Kummer Doctoral Fellow Requirements

Once you have been admitted as a Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellow you will receive a welcome packet with additional program information.

Requirements to stay in the I&E Doctoral Fellows program include:

  • Maintaining a GPA of 3.5 and be enrolled with full-time status
  • Passing a PhD qualifier exam by the end of third full semester (excludes summer semester)
  • Participation in I&E classwork/activities
  • Preparing an annual progress report, to be reviewed by the Kummer Fellows Committee

 

Have questions about the scholarship?

Contact us at kummerfellow@mst.edu or 573-341-6903.

 

Kummer I&E Doctoral Fellows Program Nomination Form - Internal

Are you an academic faculty/leader internal to S&T who would like to nominate an exceptional student for this fellowship program?

NOMINATE