Comprehensive Award Package

The 2026 Paul P. Fidler Research Grant award package includes:

• An award of $10,000.
• Priority consideration for publication in the Journal of The First-Year Experience & Students in Transition.
• Registration to the 33rd National Conference on Students in Transition (virtual, September 30-October 2, 2026), where the awardee will be introduced.
• Registration to the 34th National Conference on Students in Transition (2027), where the research grant findings will be reported.
• Public announcements from the National Resource Center (webpage, social media, etc.)

Finalist Recognition

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. Ph.D. and Ed.D. students are strongly encouraged to apply.

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 Advisory Board; and students, staff, and faculty of the University of South Carolina system.

Defining 'Students in Transition'

Transitions are understood as key inflection points in students' educational journeys, including academic, social, and personal adjustments such as:

• Entry into higher education (e.g., first-year experience)
• Shifts in academic direction (e.g., major changes)
• Institutional movement (e.g., transfer pathways)
• Advancement to graduation or professional education
• Preparation for and transition into the workforce
• Re-entry or re-engagement with higher education

Evaluation

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.
• How the proposal articulates a strong research design.
• Suitability of methods for the research question(s). Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method studies will be considered.
• The extent the proposal explores unique issues, subjects, analysis, participants and/or sample.
• Potential for national impact on student success initiatives. The results of the research should be relevant to a broad audience.

Research must be the original work of the investigators and may not have been reported elsewhere. Please use APA 7 throughout the proposal.

Grant Decisions

The staff of the National Resource Center will conduct an initial review of all completed proposals to ensure they meet the criteria guidelines and submission requirements of the Fidler Grant. Proposals that meet the submission guidelines and requirements will undergo masked review and evaluation by an external review board of leading research scholars and practitioners in the field of higher education.

The external review board will nominate up to five finalists for the Paul P. Fidler Research Grant. The finalists' proposals will then be blind-reviewed and evaluated by a panel of scholar-judges selected from our current Advisory Board. 

Decisions are expected to be emailed to the primary investigator by October 1, 2026. Reviewer comments will be made available to the primary investigator by December 2026.

Questions?

Contact our Research and Grants team at NRCRSRCH@mailbox.sc.edu for assistance.