Student Resources
Central States Chapter Student Research Grant Requirements
CSACSM offers two research grants per year at the undergraduate, masters, and PhD level (six grants total).
Award Amounts:
Undergraduate: up to $500
Masters: up to $1,000
PhD: up to $1,500
- The applicant is a current student (undergraduate, masters, or doctoral) at a university in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, or Oklahoma during the proposed time of data collection.
- The student is majoring in an ACSM related field (e.g., clinical/applied or basic exercise science or sports medicine)
- The student is a current CSACSM member (as of time of the grant submission)
- The student’s mentor has been a CSACSM member for at least 1 year prior to the grant submission (mentors who have been a CSACSM member <1 year and relocated to the region within the past 12 months ARE eligible).
- The student can attend and present their research progress at the 2026 CSACSM Regional Meeting held in Tulsa, OK in early Late February/March 2026.
- Two letters of recommendation (one being from the applicant’s mentor) evaluating the applicant’s potential to develop as a researcher/scholar.
- A one-page abstract with the specific subheadings OVERVIEW, PURPOSE, METHODS, ANALYSIS detailing the project.
- A grant proposal with the specific subheadings: OVERVIEW, INNOVATION, SPECIFIC AIMS, APPROACH, SIGNIFICANCE.This section should not exceed 5 pages
- Both the abstract and grant proposal must be written using Microsoft Word and follow these formatting guidelines: Times New Roman 12-point font, 1-inch margins, single spaced
- A detailed budget for the project and an explanation what the grant will cover from the overall budget (if the budget exceeds the grant).
- References for the grant proposal.
Proposal submissions is now CLOSED.
Application requirements for 2026 can be downloaded here: 2026_CSACSM_Student_Research_Grant_Information_050725
2025 Central States Chapter Student Award Recipients
Undergraduate Reseach Grant Winners
Hali D. Anderson | Oklahoma State University
Mentor: Bree Baker
Angela Davis | Oklahoma State University
Mentor: Bree Baker
Master’s Research Grant Winners
Sarah Davis | Oklahoma State University
Mentors: Bree Baker
Amanda Ehrlich | Oklahoma State University
Mentor: Doug Smith
Doctoral Research Grant Winners
Petra Kis | Oklahoma State University
Mentor: Shane Hammer
Jacob E. Matney | The University of Oklahoma
Mentor: Mikhail Kellawan
Undergraduate Outstanding Award
Sadie Thompson| University of Arkansas
Mentor: Megan Rosa-Caldwell
Master’s Outstanding Award
Emma Rice | Oklahoma State University
Mentors: Taylor Dinyer-McNeely
Doctoral Outstanding Award
Meghan Lemons | University of Kansas Medical Center
Mentor: Bryan Vopat
2025 CSACSM Award Winners
Student Podcast
Student Podcast Episode 1
Conversation with Aaron Caldwell, University of Arkansas PhD candidate
Student Podcast Episode 2
Conversation with Dr. Nicholas Greene, Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas
Student Podcast Episode 3
Conversation with Dr. Tim Lightfoot, Omar Smith Endowed Professor of Kinesiology and Director of the Huffines Institute, Texas A&M University
Student Podcast Episode 4
Conversation with PhD student Whitley Atkins about working in a tech start up firm