Steady growth in the Irma Delson Bridge to the Future Fund has allowed the Graduate School to issue its second award. D. Erik Ellis, a PhD student in history of science, applied to the fund late last summer when it became clear that he would deplete his finances a few months before finishing his degree. He had been working under an NSF Dissertation Research Grant, traveling back and forth to Washington, D.C. on a regular basis to access the archives there. The Bridge to the Future award of $500 helped to keep him on track toward completing his dissertation and defending it this fall.
Erik's situation is not uncommon among graduate students. Quite often, the generous funding sources that have carried them through the bulk of their research and writing are exhausted near the end of their studies. The Bridge to the Future Fund was developed as a source for small, quick grant awards to help students through these short-term funding crises. It's named in honor of Irma Delson, whose 23-year career at OSU was dedicated to helping students in need.
The Bridge to the Future Fund depends on the generosity of alumni, faculty, and the many others who value OSU graduate programs. To contribute, or to explore other ways of supporting graduate education at OSU, please use the OSU Foundation website. Under the "Other" heading, you can specify the Irma Delson Fund in the "Designation Description" box.
Thank you for your support.
