John W. Schuster Research Proposal Award

John W. Schuster Research Proposal of the Year Award

ACRES provides this award to a graduate student proposing completion of thesis or dissertation research relevant to delivery of services to persons with disabilities in rural areas in the United States. The award is named for the late John W. Schuster, an early member and long-time supporter of ACRES, in recognition of his dedication to supporting graduate student research as a professor at the University of Kentucky. The recipient of the award is provided with a one-year membership to ACRES and receives free registration to the ACRES National Conference the year after receiving the award (the awardee is required to present research outcomes at this conference). Selection of the award winner will be made on the overall quality of the proposal, relevance to rural special education and the potential impact of the research upon completion. This award is presented annually at the ACRES National Conference.

To be eligible for the Research Proposal of the Year Award, applicants must

• Demonstrate that they are currently a graduate student
• Demonstrate that the proposed thesis or dissertation research relevant to persons with disabilities in a rural area has been accepted by the faculty committee.

Applications must consist of

• A completed application form detailing key elements of their proposal.
• A curriculum vita or resume.
• One (1) signed letter from the student’s committee chair on department letterhead verifying acceptance of proposal.
• A research proposal that must be double-spaced and should not exceed 30-pages, including references.

The full proposal should include the following sections

1. Rationale for the study, including a brief summary of relevant literature
2. Purpose or problem statement
3. Research questions or objectives
4. Methodology, including research design, measures, procedures and data analysis
5. Hypothesized findings
6. Potential of proposed research to positively affect research, policy, and practice relating to rural special education