Scholarships, Research Opportunities & Internships
How do I find money for my studies?
The Office of Scholarships Heading link
For sociology students Heading link
UIC Sociology regularly updates our list of scholarships, research opportunities, and internships for Sociology undergraduates at UIC and beyond:
Current Research Opportunities with Sociology Faculty for Sociology Majors and Minors Heading link
-
Between the Binary
Research Opportunities for “Between the Binary” Interview Project
Prof. Barbara Risman (Sociology) brisman@uic.eduWe have an on-going research team beginning a project on interviewing people who identify as between the binary/ nonbinary/ genderqueer.
This is a qualitative research project which involves literature reviews, participating in research meetings, transcribing interviews, and once trained, opportunities for interviewing as well.
Currently, we have the capability of accepting two more research assistants, preferably those that have taken either Sociology of Gender or Sociology of Sexualities courses and their required methods course as well. Familiarity with the research population is a plus as is past research experience doing in-depth
interviews. -
Racial Wealth Disparities among the Middle-Class in Chicago
Principal Investigator: Amanda Lewis, Professor of Sociology and African American Studies at UIC, Director of the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy
aelewis@uic.eduProject Abstract:
By the time they reach adulthood, black and Latinx children born to middle income families in Chicago are far less likely than white children from families with the same income to remain in the middle-class or attain a college degree (Chetty, Friedman, and Hendren 2018). There is growing evidence to suggest that differences in wealth between middle earning families may explain racial differences in educational attainment and mobility. Wealth is the total value of
assets minus debt. Studies have found that racial wealth gaps are extremely high in the U.S., with whites’ net worth estimated to be over 20 times that of blacks and 18 times the net worth of Latinxs (Taylor et al. 2011). Unlike income, one of the primary ways wealth is accumulated is through intergenerational transfers such as inheritance or financial gifts (Pfeffer and Killewald 2015). As a result, racial wealth gaps may persist even among individuals with similar education, income, and occupational standing. Research has shown that intergenerational wealth transfers provide significant opportunities for those from privileged backgrounds. For example, the
financial support provided by wealth, over and above income, allows families to send their children to better schools, live in well-resourced neighborhoods, pay for college educations, and provide the connections for entry into chosen career paths (Conley 1999; Johnson 2006; Keister 2000; Killewald, Pfeffer, and Schachner 2017; Shapiro 2004).In this project, we seek to explore the role of wealth in racial inequality among middle-class Chicagoans. Specifically, we ask:
Research Question: How does wealth influence the lives of middle-class families across race/ethnicity?
To examine this question, we use two methods. First, we will be conducting 150 interviews with black, Latinx, and white middle-class residents of Chicago to learn about aspects of wealth attainment and the consequences of wealth/debt status. Second, we are partnering with Morningstar Inc. to enroll respondents in a tech application that will collect information on financial transactions, investments, and expenses to examine the relationships between financial behavior, social context, and wealth status.
Students’ participating in this project will assist with administrative duties such as scheduling interviews, preparing study materials, and transcribing interviews. Students will work closely with the project’s Principal Investigator and will learn how large-scale studies are designed and implemented to investigate social problems.
Because wealth is transferred across generations, it constitutes one mechanism by which historical racism reinforces contemporary patterns of inequality. Information gained from this study will inform social policy aimed at improving wealth equity and addressing intergenerational cycles of racial inequality both in Chicago and across the U.S.
2023-2024 Academic Year Scholarships Heading link
The department is currently accepting applications for the following:
2023-24 Patrick Juris Award
2023-24 –Undergraduate Paper Award
—
UIC Student Affairs is accepting applications for more than 30 competitive scholarships open to students across all colleges and academic disciplines. Students are currently receiving over $277,000 in financial support from these opportunities. Scholarship applications are currently being accepted in UIC SnAP to determine funding support for the 2020-2021 academic year.
The scholarship opportunities include, but are not limited to the:
Dr. Thomas Beckham Memorial Scholarship
Gordon J. Flesch Memorial Scholarship
Graduate – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship (for current graduate level students)
La Verne Noyes Scholarship
Lorilyn Espique Aquino Fund
Noveline Delk Kennedy Scholarship
Officer Brian T. Strouse Memorial Scholarship
Professional – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship (for current professional level students)
Rundgren Foundation Scholarship
Supporting Excellence Endowment (S.E.E.) Scholarship
UIC Conrad and Grace Kroll Scholarship Fund
UIC Donald and Patricia Langenberg Award
UIC Eileen and Michael Tanner Award Fund
UIC Eleanor Daley Scholarship
UIC Ethel Bohlen Scholarships
UIC Fred Garcia Endowed Award
UIC Hassan Mustafa Abdallah Memorial Scholarship Fund
UIC Hearst Foundation Scholarship Fund
UIC Jim’s Original Scholarship
UIC Michael J Lewis Scholarship Fund
UIC Navy Pier Scholarship Fund
UIC Salinas-Chapa Family Memorial Fund
Undergraduate – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship (for current undergraduate level students)
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Scholarship
Wensel Morava Scholarship
If you have questions about the scholarships or the application process, contact the Student Financial Aid & Scholarships office at (312) 413-1066 or scholarshiphelp@uic.edu
Network with Sociology Alumni Heading link
The alumni of UIC Sociology are an excellent resource as you begin to think about career paths and job opportunities after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. Visit our Alumni page to learn more about the Sociology Alumni Advisors Network and how you can benefit from connecting with our alumni!
Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Journal Heading link
UIC is home to an open-access Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Journal (IURJ), which aims to disseminate the work of UIC’s undergraduate researchers in order to further scientific discovery and scholarly dialogue. It is co-sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research, the Honors College, the Graduate College, and the University Library.
Undergraduates, please submit a scholarly or scientific article for publication. Be sure to work with a faculty member on preparing your manuscript for review, since a faculty member’s endorsement is required as part of the process.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email UICUndergradResearchJournal@gmail.com and a member of the advisory board will get back to you soon.