Paul Nollen Biological Sciences Honor Scholarship

This scholarship was established by Paul Nollen, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences from 1967 through 1999, upon his retirement. Dr. Nollen is a parasitologist who published 73 papers in international and national parasitology journals and presented a like number of papers at scientific meetings during his 32-year career at Western Illinois University. Dr. Nollen received his undergraduate training in biology and education from Carroll College (Waukesha, Wisconsin), where he graduated magna cum laude and received the scholar-athlete award in 1956. He earned a master’s degree from The University of Wisconsin, Madison in botany (mycology) in 1957. After this, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed for two years in Japan, working on research for the Medical Corps dealing with several human parasites. Upon being discharged, he taught high school biology and coached baseball at Oconomowoc
(Wisconsin) High School for two years before starting doctoral studies at Purdue University in 1962. There, he served as director of teaching assistants for the general biology courses and later as a National Institute of Health Fellow for his doctoral research. After graduating with a degree in zoology (parasitology) in the spring of 1967, he took a position in the Department of Biological Sciences at Western Illinois University, where he remained for the rest of his professional career.
Dr. Nollen has received several honors at WIU including being named WIU Distinguished Professor twice, in 1990 and 1991. In 1991 he was also named BGU Distinguished Professor, being chosen from nominees from five Illinois Universities at that time under the Board of Governors. In 1975 he was the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer. At WIU he received research awards from Sigma Xi in 1974 and the College of Arts and Sciences in 1987. During his career at WIU, Dr. Nollen received 12 Presidential
Merit/Faculty Excellence Awards.
Dr. Nollen has a very deep interest in the graduate and undergraduate programs. He has mentored 20 graduate students and ten honors students in parasitological research projects. He was director of the honors program in the Department of Biological Studies for 21 years, from 1978 through 1999, and in that time participated in the graduation of 116 students with honors. Due to this interest, he has established scholarships and awards for outstanding honors students from proceeds upon his retirement for unpaid sick days. Dr. Nollen is proud of the fact that in 37 years of teaching, he never missed a day of classes due to sickness. Thus, he thinks a good investment would be for the support of outstanding students.
CRITERIA:
To qualify for a Paul Nollen Biology Honors Scholarship, applications must:
1. Be a member of the University Honors Program.
2. Be enrolled in good standing in the Department of Biological Sciences Honors Program with a departmental major.
3. Have a minimum of 3.5 GPA.
4. Have completed or will complete the introductory Biological Sciences core courses of BOT 200, MICR 200, and ZOOL 200 by the end of the semester in which this application is submitted.
5. Participate in University Honors Program Student Activities.
6. Participate in Department of Biological Sciences Student Activities such as Tri Beta Wildlife Society, Microbiology Club, and Pre-professional Club.
7. Submit a statement on the value of the honors program and a WIU biological sciences education to their future.
8. Financial need will NOT be a consideration in awarding these scholarships.