A scholarship has been created in the name of the late political science professor, Martin Dubin, to award NIU graduate students doing research in the political science department.

The Martin David Dubin Memorial Scholarship in International Relations was created in December 1999 by Martin’s wife, Eileen Dubin, and the NIU Foundation. The scholarship is awarded annually to political science Ph.D. candidates working to complete their dissertation in international relations.

An initial contribution of about $3,000 was donated by Dubin to start the scholarship, with the intention of having the scholarship last in perpetuity.

John Bass, director of gift and estate planning for NIU, said the scholarship should reach endowed status in two years in the amount of $10,000, where it will be available indefinitely, using the interest gained from the amount as the annual award.

Bass said his office has handled writing the scholarship and has done some minor fundraising for the award.

Dubin said that researching for a Ph.D dissertation is a very difficult financial burden for students, and this award should help defray some costs involved.

“Political science and international relations is so crucial in today’s society, and I hope that students maybe consider political science as a career,” Dubin said.

The scholarship will be awarded annually, with applications being received late in the fall semester and a winner being announced early each spring semester. The first scholarship winner was named in January for the 2001 semester. Yoshinori Kaseda, a political science graduate student, won and said it will help him in his dissertation on Japanese security policy.

Martin Dubin was very active with the NIU and political community, serving as chairman of the DeKalb County Democratic Party from 1968-1978 and from 1998 until his death. With NIU, Dubin served as the president of the University Council, sat with the NIU Library Committee and sat on various other university committees.

Requirements for the scholarship include multiple letters of recommendation and a written essay of the research being done for the dissertation, as well as the person applying must be a Ph.D. candidate in international relations.

Eliot Kang, an assistant political science professor and chairman of the scholarship committee, said the scholarship recognizes promising dissertation research, especially in international relations.

“The scholarship is limited to Ph.D students and provides students an excellent achievement to use on their resume,” Kang said.

Dubin had been at NIU since 1965, teaching and working with students, and passed away five months after his retirement from the political science department in October 1999. Kang said that although Dubin suffered from diabetes that impaired his sight and movement, he remained strong and active in his teaching and research.

“I think professor Dubin set a high standard for both students and himself, using those standards as a model for students,” Kang said.