The student use fund is available to assist YSU undergraduate and graduate students with travel fares to participate in national competitions, performances, or conferences to present posters or to serve as invited speakers. Funding can cover any travel. This includes hotel, car rental/fuel, flight, or conference registration. Funding will not cover meal reimbursement.

FUNDING IS LIMITED!

• Award Amounts: $400-$500
• One award per year
• For group projects, a maximum of 2 students will be funded
• Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis

Eligibility

Must be a currently enrolled student in a degree program at YSU. If the conference is in the summer, registration for the following fall semester is required at the time of the request to be eligible. 

Application Process:

Complete the application. Requests must be made prior to travel. Applications, and proof of presentation acceptance or participation in competition or performance, should be sent to research@ysu.edu.

Student Use Fund Application

The Student Small Grant (SSG) program is a competitive program designed to enrich the research, scholarship and creative arts projects experience of undergraduate and graduate students at Youngstown State University.

Selected students will receive a $5,000 award to work on their project(s) with their faculty or staff mentor(s) between May 15, 2025 and May 15, 2026.  

Who should apply?

Interested and motivated undergraduate or graduate students who are:

• Enrolled in a degree program as a full-time student at YSU during the 2025-2026 academic year
• In good academic standing with the University.
• Working on a project under the guidance of a faculty or staff mentor.

When to apply?

• Application Deadline: February 28, 2025
• Expected Award Date: April 30, 2025
• Project Period: May 15, 2025 – May 15, 2026

How to apply?

Complete the application form and send to research@ysu.edu by 5 pm on February 28, 2025. The application requires a project description, a personal statement, and a statement of support/reference from your faculty or staff mentor(s).

Student Small Grant Application

What are the requirements?

Students who receive an award from the Student Small Grant Program will be REQUIRED to complete/participate in the following:

• Satisfactorily complete applicable research training (IRB, Lab Safety training,…)
• Provide proof of either an oral or poster presentation at Youngstown State University
• Write a final report
• Participate in an evaluation by their faculty/staff Mentor

Other Frequently Asked Questions

What if I am a Graduate Assistant?

• Students who hold a graduate assistantship may not use the SSGP funds during the academic year.

Can my mentor use a grant to pay for my tuition while I am being paid with SSGP funds?

• Students may not use SSGP funds in combination with other funding (e.g., external funding, campus employment).

Can the funds be used for travel or supplies?

• No, the SSGP funds are to be used for student wages and fringes for the student applicant.

How long will the funds be available?

• Funds can be used until May 15, 2026 or until they are exhausted and as long as you are full-time student during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Who will review my application?

• SSGP applications are reviewed and winners are chosen by the University Research Council (URC). 

Who will approve my timesheet?

• The faculty or staff mentor will be the financial manager of the award, approving student timesheets.

What happens if I need more funds?

• When SSGP funds are close to being exhausted, the faculty or staff mentor will be contacted to either provide a new FOAP or to terminate the student employment.

The SSG program is supported by the Office of Research Services and the Youngstown State University Foundation.

The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences welcomes proposals from undergraduate and graduate students for the eleventh annual Valerie Waksmunski-Starr Memorial Conference on the Liberal Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (LAHSS-Con), to be held April 16-18, 2025, at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor.

We invite proposals for individual papers, posters, panels, workshops, and round tables on any subject related to the liberal arts, humanities, and social sciences. We particularly encourage presentations that reflect community engagement.

YSU capstone students are encouraged to apply. You may choose to present in the capstone sessions (automatic acceptance) or the peer-review sessions (competitive) or both.

We are pleased to offer prizes to the best graduate and undergraduate presentations.

To apply, please submit an abstract of no more than 250 words at the “Submit Proposal” link above by January 17, 2025. YSU capstone students only: submit proposals by January 31, 2025.

LAHSS-Con is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary conference that provides students with valuable opportunities for professional development. Participation in the conference enables students to present original research and demonstrate its credibility, develop communication skills, respond to feedback, and network with peers and professionals.

Please direct any questions to Dr. Amy Laurel Fluker, with subject line LAHSS, at alfluker@ysu.edu.

Community Engagement Symposium call for proposals
The annual YSU Community Engagement Symposium will be held Tuesday, April 15, 2025, on the YSU campus.

The day will feature poster presentations, breakout sessions, and interactive professional development opportunities centered around community engagement.

YSU faculty, staff, students, and community partners can fill out the form below to be considered for a presentation role. Proposals can be submitted here and are due February 1, 2025.