The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition invites applications for the 2025-2026 Paul P. Fidler Research Grant, which is designed to encourage the development and dissemination of knowledge that has the potential to make a national impact and improve the experiences of college students in transition. Application submissions will be accepted through 11:59PM ET, Monday, July 14, 2025. 

Comprehensive Award Package

The Paul P. Fidler Research Grant award includes a cash stipend, travel to two national conferences, a presentation at a national conference, and priority consideration for publication. Specifically, the grant's comprehensive award package includes:

• Research grant in the amount of $10,000. 
• Priority consideration for publication in the Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition, our semiannual refereed journal by the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition. 
• Registration to the 32nd National Conference on Students in Transition (2025), where the awardee will be introduced. 
• Registration to the 33rd National Conference on Students in Transition (2026), where the research grant findings will be reported. 
• Announcement on the National Resource Center webpage, listservs, and online publications.

Finalist Recognition

*New for 2025: Up to three finalists will also receive priority consideration for a National Conference on Students in Transition presentation session and registration waiver (within a two-year period of notification).

Eligibility 

The Paul P. Fidler Research Grant competition is open to faculty, staff, and graduate students who plan to conduct research on issues of college student transitions. Entries can be submitted for an individual researcher or a team. 

The following individuals are not eligible and may not be included as part of proposed research teams: National Resource Center staff and fellows; current members of our National or International Advisory Boards; and students, staff, and faculty of the University of South Carolina system.

Proposal Submission

Submissions are limited to one proposal per applicant. Only complete proposals will be considered.

Proposal items include:

• A Brief Description (100-word maximum) of how the principal investigator's experiences have prepared them to conduct the proposed research. Please do not include personally identifiable information.
• Research Study Title 
• Abstract (100-word maximum). The abstract should be a brief summary of the proposal's key points.
• Introduction (400-word maximum). Introduce the issues/theories/programs to be addressed by your research. Be sure to include the rationale for the study, a discussion of relevant literature, and the proposal's connection to college student transitions.
• Method and Procedures (800-word maximum). Describe the research methodology. Be sure to address the research question(s), sample/subject selection, data collection, instruments/protocols, and data analysis.
• Potential Implications (200-word maximum). Be sure to discuss the potential impact of your findings on college student success.
• Timeline (100-word maximum or small table). Provide a timeline of activities related to this research. Please include anticipated start date(s) and completion date(s) for all relevant activities (i.e., data collection, analysis, dissemination). Please note that research must be completed so that presentation of findings can be made at the National Conference on Students in Transition in Fall 2026. 
• References (as needed, no word limit). Fully cite all sources referenced in your proposal. Please use APA style (7th edition) throughout the proposal.
• Budget (no word limit). Provide a detailed, itemized budget for all expenditures that total up to $10,000. In addition to costs associated with conducting the research, the budget can include funds to travel to relevant conferences to disseminate the findings of the study, compensation for the researcher's time, and/or graduate assistants. 
  • When including compensation for research personnel's time (including the principal investigator, research staff, graduate assistant(s), or other staff), provide a clear justification and relevant details (role, responsibilities, and time on the project; total amount of compensation per individual) in the budget narrative.
  • The Paul P. Fidler Research Grant does not cover any indirect costs including overhead and facilities & administrative costs. Funds are direct to the full expenses of the proposed project.
• Contact and CV (no word limit) The proposal also requires submission of contact information for the principal investigator and any additional researcher(s), as well as a PDF of a current curriculum vitae for the principal investigator only.

Research Requirements and Selection Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated on the extent to which they: 

• focus on issue(s) related to college student transitions. Though all issues related to college student transitions will be considered, special consideration will be given to proposals addressing transitions outside of the first-year of college.
• Clearly articulate a strong research design. 
• Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies will be considered. Methodology must be appropriate for the research question(s).
• Explore unique issues, subjects, analysis, participants and/or sample. 
• Research must be the original work of the investigator(s) and may not have been reported elsewhere.
• Have potential for national impact on student success initiatives. The results of the research should be relevant to a broad audience.

Acknowledgment

All research outputs resulting from this grant, including but not limited to publications, presentations, and other scholarly products, must acknowledge the National Resource Center for the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition as the funder.

Questions about submissions? Email nrcrsrch@mailbox.sc.edu. 

Application submissions will be accepted through 11:59PM ET, Monday, July 14, 2025.