Robert W. Thunen Memorial Scholarship

Deadline April 30 for the fall school year

(Example: If you submit your application by April 30 of 2025, any awarded funds will be available for fall 2025-2026 school year.)

$1000-5000 scholarship for:

• Third or fourth year undergraduate student with lighting-related studies.
• Graduate students with lighting-related studies.
• Special consideration for specific projects or Grad students working toward a thesis about light or lighting.
• Fields related to lighting architecture, electrical engineering, interior design, theater, film/TV, lighting design, vision, or a field clearly related to lighting.
• Students must be enrolled in school in northern California, northern Nevada, Oregon, or Washington state.

Criteria:

Applications for the Thunen Memorial Scholarship may be submitted by full-time students who desire to study illumination as a career.  Applications for the Thunen Memorial Scholarship may be made by those who will be an undergraduate junior, senior, or graduate student (Fall semester only) in an accredited four-year college or university located in Northern California, Nevada, Oregon, or Washington (the late Mr. Thunen’s business territory). Graduate applicants must be undertaking a lighting-centered project as part of work towards a graduate degree.

Submission Requirements:

In addition to an application, applicants shall submit a Statement of Purpose with respect to the applicant’s lighting education and arrange for at least three letters of recommendation, at least one of which shall be from someone involved with lighting professionally or academically.

Applications and letters of recommendation should be submitted before April 1 of each year. It is expected that the selected Thunen Scholars for each year will be announced no later than mid-May of each year.