Clemson University Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives Research Travel Award
Overview
The research travel award is designed to promote scholarly research undertaken in Clemson University Libraries’ Special Collections and Archives (SCA). This travel award provides financial support for a master’s or doctoral graduate student or an established scholar to visit and conduct original research in SCA. The award can only be used towards travel and accommodation in Clemson for the purpose of researching collections in SCA. Collecting areas of note in SCA include political, military, agriculture, and local history.
Please see the Special Collections and Archives website for further details about the collections. Finding Aids are also available online.
Amount
Up to $5,000 USD
Eligibility
Students currently enrolled in either a master’s or doctoral level program, as well as established scholars across all disciplines, are invited to apply for the Travel Award.
Current Clemson University students and faculty are not eligible.
Applications from students or scholars living within a 50-mile radius of Clemson are not eligible.
Application
The number of awards offered each year is dependent on the number of applications received and their associated budgets.
To apply, please submit:
- a letter of no more than two pages outlining the research project including the collections to be studied, as well as the intended scholarly output
- the proposed dates and duration of the research visit
- a budget outlining the requested financial support
- an up-to-date curriculum vitae
Completed applications for the 2026 award cycle should be submitted by December 14, 2025, to Nick Richbell
Please send applications in one pdf file and add “2026 SCA Research Travel Award Application” in the subject line.
Review of Applications
The Research Travel Award committee will review applications in January 2026. The successful candidate(s) will have demonstrated that their research will make maximum use of Special Collections and Archives’ primary source materials.
Expectations of the Research Travel Award
The recipient of the Research Travel Award is expected to conduct their research in Special Collections and Archives within one year of being notified of the award. The travel award must be acknowledged in all works produced as a result of the research conducted in Special Collections and Archives.
The recipient will present their research in-person to the library either during their time at Clemson or online at a later date.
Research Travel Award Committee
The Research Travel Award committee shall be an interdisciplinary team including library staff and faculty. The Head of Special Collections and Archives will be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the committee and will act as a resource to the committee.
Questions about the award or SCA’s collections can be sent to Nick Richbell, Head of Special Collections and Archives.