The Joseph R. Morris Award for Outstanding Contributions to
Multicultural Counseling and Psychology
Western Michigan University - Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology
Background
The intent of the award is to recognize interest and achievement related to race and
psychology in the United States. Recipients may demonstrate their interest and
achievement through presentations, publications, teaching, and/or organizational leadership.
The fund shall support travel expenses to conferences for presentations on topics related to
race and psychology, travel expenses to research sites, journal publication expenses,
purchase of research materials such as tests, transcription services, software programs,
access to specialized data sets and/or incentives for participation in dissertation research.
The fund shall not be used for tuition, fees, books, research completed prior to submitting an
application for the award or to support a course project or assignment. The fund will be
administered by the Chair of the Department of Counselor Education and Counseling
Psychology who will seek input from the faculty through the Department of Counselor
Education and Counseling Psychology Scholarship Committee.
Eligibility Criteria
 Enrolled full-time in the Ph.D. program in Counseling Psychology (eventually the award
will also be open to Ph.D. students in Counselor Education).
 Minimum 3.5 GPA.
 Provide evidence of superior academic achievement and a significant degree of promise
for continuing achievement as scholars, teachers, clinicians and/or administrators.
 Preference shall be given to historically underrepresented populations in the field,
specifically Alaska Natives, African Americans, Mexican Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos,
Native Americans, Native Pacific Islanders, and Puerto Ricans.
 Recipients will need to submit receipts within twenty-one days following the funded event
to receive reimbursement.
 Award is not renewable and no student may reapply after having received the award
while attending WMU.
 Intent is to award a minimum of $1,000 each to two students each academic year as
endowment funds are available.
Deadline
February 13
Application Information
Name: ___________________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________
WIN: ____________________________________________________________________
Phone: ___________________________________________________________________
Email: ____________________________________________________________________
February 8, 2016
Anticipated graduation date: __________________
Program:
Year in program:
Counseling Psychology*
1
2
3
4
5+
Counselor Education
1
2
3
4
5+
Current GPA: ___________________
Which of the following best represents your racial or ethnic heritage:
 Alaska Native
 African American
 Mexican American/Chicana/o/Latina/o
 Native American
 Native Pacific Islander
 Puerto Rican
 White
 None of the above
Please submit with this form:
1. Resume, including any volunteer experiences and community involvement, as well as a
statement regarding future career aspirations.
2. Proposal:
In 500 words or less, please provide a statement of proposed activities, goals, and/or
learning objectives that will further the applicant’s interest in issues related to race and
psychology among United States racial minority populations. Fundable race and
psychology expenses include travel expenses to research sites and conferences to
make presentations, journal publication expenses, purchase of research materials such
as tests, transcription services, software programs, access to specialized data sets,
and/or incentives for participation in dissertation research. Preference shall be given
proposals and proposers focused on historically underrepresented populations in the
field, specifically Alaska Natives, African Americans, Mexican
Americans/Chicanas/Chicanos, Native American Indians, Native Pacific Islanders, and
Puerto Ricans. The fund shall not be used for tuition, fees, books, research completed
prior to submitting an application for the award or to support a course project or
assignment. Candidates should be sure to address how their proposed activity will be of
benefit to future clinical work, scholarship, teaching, organizational leadership,
supervision or some combination of these pursuits relevant to improving the
circumstances of racial minority populations identified above.
3. Proposed budget
*The fund should eventually make two $1,000 awards each academic year to students demonstrating an interest and
achievement in race and psychology, one in Counseling Psychology and one in Counselor Education. Until such time
that two awards can be made each year, the award will be given only to doctoral students in Counseling Psychology.
Once the spending bucket has reached the amount to award two $1,000 awards, one will go to Counseling
Psychology and one will go to Counselor Education.
February 8, 2016