Undergraduate Awards

Awards are given out every year around towards the end of the Spring Semester. After Spring Break, the Undergraduate Committee for the Psychology Department will solicit nominations, then they will meet and vote. Awardees are honored during an awards ceremony held at the end of the Spring Semester.

To see a list of award recipients for the current year, please visit the awards page

Jeanne C. Mellinger Award

The Mellinger Award candidate must be an undergraduate psychology major, who is a graduating senior, and who has a minimum 3.50 overall GPA and a 3.65 Psychology GPA in 60 or more total hours at George Mason University.  Graduating seniors in their last semester may include current hours toward the total of 60 if the Psychology Department faculty judge that their overall GPA and Psychology GPA are likely to remain at or above the minimums.  The successful candidate should also demonstrate scholarship, leadership, and service to the department, university, and/or community through activities such as assisting faculty in research, serving actively in honor societies (e.g., Psi Chi, Golden Key, Alpha Chi), and student organizations (e.g., Psychology Club, Habitat for Humanity), and/or volunteering in mental health organizations, nursing homes, schools, churches, etc. 

Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher

Candidates for this award must be seniors who have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.00, and a minimum grade point average in their psychology coursework of 3.25, while having completed, by graduation, a minimum of 45 credits taken at GMU. The successful candidate will be the one who has excelled at research, either through development of his/her won project or through contribution to laboratories on campus or in the community.  Relevant publications and presentations will be considered when choosing a winner.

Nominations must be submitted to the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies (Erin Murdoch) by full-time or adjunct faculty members with knowledge of the candidate’s research experience.  Nominations should include a statement of qualifications written by the faculty member, an unofficial transcript, a resume of the nominee, and copies of relevant publications/presentations.

Outstanding Community/Campus Leader

Candidates for this award must be seniors who have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.00, and a minimum grade point average in their psychology coursework of 3.25, while having completed, by graduation, a minimum of 45 credits taken at GMU. The successful candidate should demonstrate active involvement and leadership in departmental, university, and/or community activities.  These activities may include, but are not limited to, participation in honor societies, student organizations, campus projects, or community agencies.  Both breadth and depth of involvement may be considered when choosing a winner. 

Nominations must be submitted to the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies (Erin Murdoch) by full-time or adjunct faculty members with knowledge of the candidate’s research experience.  Nominations should include a statement of qualifications written by the faculty member, an unofficial transcript, a resume of the nominee, and copies of relevant publications/presentations.

Faculty Choice Award

Candidates for this award must be seniors who have a minimum grade point average in their psychology coursework of 3.00, while having completed, by graduation, a minimum of 45 credits taken at GMU. This award is designed to reward the senior psychology major who demonstrates an exceptionally high degree of interest, maturity, motivation, and effort in his/her psychology classes.  The primary focus of this award is the attitude of the nominated student.  In determining the recipient of this award, personal challenges or circumstances that the student has had to overcome can be considered.  In addition, community or campus involvement can be used to distinguish between candidates.  Grades should be used as a secondary consideration.

Nominations must be submitted to the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies (Erin Murdoch) by full-time or adjunct faculty members with knowledge of the candidate’s research experience.  Nominations should include a statement of qualifications written by the faculty member, an unofficial transcript, a resume of the nominee, and copies of relevant publications/presentations.

Outstanding Undergraduate Research Assistant

Candidates for this award must be seniors who have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.00, and a minimum grade point average in their psychology coursework of 3.00.  The successful candidate will be the one who has excelled at research through contribution to laboratories on campus or in the community.  Relevant publications and presentations will be considered when choosing a winner

Nominations must be submitted to the Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies (Erin Murdoch) by full-time or adjunct faculty members with knowledge of the candidate’s research experience.  Nominations should include a statement of qualifications written by the faculty member, an unofficial transcript, a resume of the nominee, and copies of relevant publications/presentations.