Professor Ivy R. McManus, Assistant Chair and beloved faculty member of the Department of Biological Sciences left a bequest to the Department upon her death in 1982.
A good friend suggested that the money be used as a scholarship fund for the support of a graduate student within the Department who would be known as the "Ivy McManus Scholar". The monetary scholarship is awarded once annually to a graduate student completing their first year and is provided in the recipient's September paycheck. A certificate of award is presented at the annual Departmental meeting in September. The decision is made at the end of the previous Spring term.
Winners of the Ivy R. McManus award are:
| Year | Awardee | Mentor(s) |
| 2025 | Marco Gonzalez Santoro (Communication) Akash Grover (Communication) Crystal Lara-Santos (Effort) Sierra Schmidt | Dr. Cori Zawacki Dr. Karen Arndt Dr. Anne Carlson Dr. Cara Haney |
| 2024 | Lauren Chronister | Dr. Justin Kitzes |
| 2023 | Aakash Grover | Dr. Karen Arndt |
| 2022 | Tessa Rhinehart Katherine Sharp | Dr. Justin Kitzes Dr. Jeffrey Brodsky |
| 2021 | Tasniem Fetian Faith Rovenolt | Dr. Karen Arndt Dr. Jessica Stephenson |
| 2020 | Sanchirmaa Namjilsuren | Dr. Karen Arndt |
| 2019 | Alex Francette Veronica Iriart | Dr. Karen Arndt Dr. Tia-Lynn Ashman |
| 2018 | Samantha Fontaine | Dr. Kevin Kohl |
| 2017 | Donya Shodja | Dr. Mark Rebeiz |
| 2016 | Sarah Sokol | Dr. Jon Boyle |
| 2015 | Hiba Al-Ashtal | Dr. Andrea Berman |
| 2014 | Travis Mavrich | Dr. Graham Hatfull |
| 2013 | Daniel Totten | Dr. Andrea Berman |
| 2012 | Elizabeth English | Dr. Jon Boyle |
| 2011 | Matthew Koski | Dr. Tia-Lynn Ashman |
| 2010 | Erica McGreevy | Dr. Jeffrey Hildebrand |
| 2009 | Lauren Oldfield | Dr. Graham Hatfull |
| 2008 | Alison Hale | Dr. Susan Kalisz |
| 2007 | Maya Groner Karen Hecht | Dr. Rick Relyea Dr. Jeffrey Brodsky |
| 2006 | Justin Pruneski | Dr. Joseph Martens |
| 2005 | Amy Mucka Jill Dembowski | Dr. Deborah Chapman Dr. Paula Grabowski |
| 2004 | Julia VanKessel Shruthi Vembar | Dr. Graham Hatfull Dr. Jeffrey Brodsky |
| 2003 | Alycia Bittner | Dr. Valerie Oke |
| 2002 | Laura Marinelli | Dr. Graham Hatfull |
| 2001 | Janette Steets | Dr. Tia-Lynn Ashman |
| 2000 | Diane Hoffelder Annette Schneider | Dr. William Saunders Dr. Jeffrey Brodsky |