Robert W. Thunen Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
Thunen Memorial Scholarship — Overview and Requirements
Award amount
- $1,000 to $5,000 per recipient.
Purpose and timing
- Funds are intended to support students pursuing education and careers in lighting. Deadline for consideration for the fall term: April 30. (Example: an application submitted by April 30, 2025 would make any awarded funds available for the 2025–2026 fall school year.)
Who is eligible
- Full‑time third- or fourth‑year undergraduate students (junior or senior level) studying lighting-related subjects.
- Graduate students engaged in lighting-focused study. Graduate applicants should be working on a lighting-centered project or thesis as part of their degree program.
- Special consideration is given to applicants whose projects directly address light or lighting.
- Acceptable fields include, but are not limited to: lighting architecture, electrical engineering, interior design, theater, film/TV, lighting design, vision science, or other clearly lighting-related disciplines.
- Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited four‑year college or university located in northern California, northern Nevada, Oregon, or Washington state (the late Mr. Thunen’s former business territory).
- Eligible candidates must intend to study illumination as a career and be enrolled for the fall semester only.
Application materials required
- Completed application form.
- A Statement of Purpose describing the applicant’s lighting education goals and plans.
- At least three letters of recommendation, with a minimum of one recommender who is a lighting professional or an academic involved in lighting.
Submission timing and notification
- Applications and accompanying recommendation letters should be submitted before April 1 of each year. (Note the primary fall deadline listed above is April 30; applicants should verify the required date for the current year.)
- Thunen Scholars are expected to be selected and announced no later than mid‑May each year.