Doctoral-Undergraduate Opportunities for Scholarship (DUOS) and Ziegler-Orloff Endowment Fund Awards
The Doctoral-Undergraduate Opportunities for Scholarship (DUOS) and Ziegler-Orloff Endowment Fund Awards are student-focused research opportunities that promote meaningful collaboration between doctoral and undergraduate students studying Psychology at DePaul University. By combining their unique skills and perspectives, participants enrich the scholarship emerging from DePaul.
Through the DUOS and Ziegler-Orloff awards, undergraduates engage in research under the guidance of a doctoral student mentor. Either student may initiate the application, but both share intellectual ownership of the project. The final application must be co-developed, signed by both students, and supported by a faculty sponsor.
Award Features
· An emphasis on undergraduate students gaining hands-on experience in research and scholarship under the mentorship of doctoral students.
· Up to nine collaborative DUOS projects are supported. One additional award—thanks to the Ziegler-Orloff Endowment Fund—is granted to women researchers or other students who demonstrate commitment to increasing the prevalence and role of women in research in the field of psychology.
· A monetary award of $2,000 ($1,000 per student) per academic year.
Benefits of the Award
· Adds a distinctive experience to undergraduate education.
· Enhances doctoral student research through partnership with talented undergraduates.
· Enables doctoral students to mentor undergraduate students and become more reflective about the role they play in undergraduate education at DePaul.
· Creates the basis for later job application materials documenting doctoral students’ experiences and achievements in their role as research collaborators and mentors.
· Promotes undergraduate students’ preparation and credentials for graduate school and research assistantships.
· Provides undergraduate and doctoral students valuable experience in professionally presenting their research.
· Enhances university-wide awareness and appreciation of the collaborative synergy between doctoral and undergraduate Psychology programs.
· Integrates with academic credit-bearing opportunities, such as Independent Study or the Psychology Honors Program.
Eligibility Requirements
· Undergraduate Student:
· Has completed at least two years of courses at DePaul or another undergraduate institution.
· Has a cumulative DePaul GPA of 3.25 or higher and must submit a current transcript.
· Is a Psychology major.
· Is enrolled as a DePaul student for the full award academic year.
· Doctoral Student:
· Must be enrolled in a Psychology doctoral (MA/PhD) program.
· Has completed at least one year of graduate school in Psychology at DePaul.
· Has support from a faculty sponsor/mentor for the project.
· Is in good standing in the doctoral program with verification from the Program Director.
· Must be enrolled as a DePaul student for the full award academic year.
Finding and Selecting Undergraduate-Doctoral Student Partnerships
Undergraduate and doctoral students are encouraged to seek partnerships well in advance of the application deadline to allow ample time to develop a research project proposal and mentoring plan.
Undergraduate students can review faculty research interests on the departmental website and ask faculty whose work aligns with their interests to recommend a suitable doctoral student for collaboration. DePaul’s Psi Chi chapter hosts events and resources for finding research opportunities. Undergraduates should also check for research announcements from Psychology Advising, the Psychology Instagram page, and posted flyers.
Timeline, Application Process, and Review Criteria
· Applications are distributed to Psychology doctoral students in September and are due in late October of each academic year. Students may contact a faculty member, a psychology advisor, or Dr. Molly Brown, Chair of the DUOS Committee, for more information and to request the application materials.
a. The application includes several components:
i. Applicant eligibility questions.
ii. An upload of the undergraduate student applicant’s current official or unofficial transcript.
iii. A research project proposal (background and methods).
iv. Reflections on the feasibility and educational value of the project.
v. A description of the doctoral student’s mentoring experience and a plan for mentorship of the proposed project.
· Applications must include the signed support of a faculty sponsor and the Program Director's confirmation of the doctoral student's good standing in the program.
· Applications are evaluated based on the quality, feasibility, and potential importance of the research project as well as on the completeness and readability of the proposal.
· Late proposals will not be reviewed.
Awardee Commitments and Completion Requirements
Awardees are expected to complete the following activities:
1. Attain Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval (if applicable).
2. Present a project overview at a January awards ceremony luncheon.
3. Present a poster based on their project at Psych Night.
4. Submit a final scholarly product of their work, such as a research paper, conference-style poster, or presentation slides.
Payment of the $1,000 (per student) monetary award is contingent upon completion of program requirements.
Contact Us
For further information or questions, contact Dr. Molly Brown at molly.brown@depaul.edu.
The 2025-2026 DUOS and Ziegler-Orloff Award Committee:
Dr. Molly Brown (Committee Chair)
Dr. Antonio Polo (Committee Advisor)
Dr. Nyssa Snow-Hill
Dr. Suan Tran
Dr. Jennifer Zimmerman
We strongly encourage you to apply and look forward to reviewing your application.