Named in memory of Professor Michael Scher, who taught in the department between 1971 and 1975, the Scher Award was created in 1977 to recognize the outstanding undergraduate paper or project submitted in a regular History course during the preceding calendar year.  

Eligible papers or projects (see below) should have a clear historical relevance, organization, coherence, and inner integrity.  (“Historical relevance” means that the paper or project should illustrate or illuminate some significant theme or event in some specific time and place.)  They should be of reasonable length or scope, and should show originality in conception and execution.  A reasonable length for a paper is ten to thirty pages.  Acceptable projects might include plays or stories, poems, paintings, sculpture, dance exhibits, films, audio histories, websites, etc. 

Independent primary research, while desirable, is not an absolute necessity for this undergraduate award.

The deadline is Friday, April 1, 2021.  Entries (preferably in word or .pdf) should be submitted to the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies, Stefan Djordjevic (djordje1@illinois.edu).   Please include the name of the class and instructor for which the paper was submitted in the email to Professor Hoganson. The winner will be determined by a faculty committee and will receive a cash prize and certificate.