In 2014, Frank Sturm graduated with his doctorate in Mathematics. He represented his department in the Graduate Student Council as a senator from 2011 to 2013 and served as president from 2013 to 2014. Frank’s leadership style focused on collaboration among students and faculty in many different fields of study. From creating the COSAM interdisciplinary colloquium, a platform for graduate students both to share and to practice presenting their research with those outside their field, to initiating informal seminars about topology, Frank exemplified a passion for learning and a dedication to improving academic dialogue on campus. One could always count on a diverse group of people at events that Frank initiated.
In addition to his dedication to interdisciplinary research and leadership, Frank’s passion for teaching was his motivation to always look for innovative ways to instruct his students. He frequently attended and spoke at the Legacy of R.L. Moore conferences and was a huge proponent of the “Texas Style” of teaching, which was a variation of the Socratic Method. He also worked with K-12 education through a fellowship at Auburn University. Frank cared deeply about his students and colleagues, routinely placing their needs before his own. His teaching was a reflection of his dedication to students, as he encouraged them to not only understand, but also to apply the material to their lives.
Frank was always searching for new knowledge, experiences, and friends that could add to his breadth of understanding about life. He was a motorcycle enthusiast who had a passion for travel and exploration of the world around him. In remembrance of Frank’s ideas, will and devotion to interdisciplinary collaboration, the Frank Sturm Memorial Fellowship will provide opportunities to attend an off-campus colloquium, seminar or conference. The ideal recipient of this fellowship will be a graduate student who exemplifies leadership through campus or community involvement regardless of his or her GPA. Preference will be given to applicants who are involved in multidisciplinary research/teaching projects or those who intend to participate in an off-campus interdisciplinary research/teaching conference.
Please read carefully before submitting an application: Applicants for the Frank Sturm Memorial Fellowship must be pursuing the highest graduate degree offered by the department of the applicant. The applicants must fill out the application (distributed by the Graduate Student Council) in its entirety.
If the applicant is granted the fellowship, he or she will be expected to submit a proof (picture) of the event or work done and a short statement on how funds were used for publication on a website commemorating the fellowship.
The Frank Sturm Memorial Fellowship will be granted every year. Applications for this fellowship will be submitted from December to January. The selection process will take place in February to March in order to present the fellowship in April at the Graduate School Awards Ceremony. The money will be available for one full calendar year from the date the fellowship is granted. There will also be a commemorative honor plaque on which the name of the winner will be engraved each year and will be displayed in Hargis Hall.
The amount awarded will be $1000.00 every year.
Automatic Rejection • Not pursuing the highest graduate degree offered by the department of the applicant. • Failure to obtain any of the necessary documents. • Failure to submit the application by the deadline. • The application does not fulfill the objectives of the fellowship.
Last modified: January 31, 2024
