English Graduate Scholarships

The Stokes Center Scholarship for Incoming Graduate Students

Provides $6000 for the first year of study. Open to creative writing students whose work displays exceptional promise.

The Stokes Center Diversity Scholarship for Incoming Graduate Students

Provides $6000 for the first year of study. Open to writing students who are members of underrepresented groups and whose work displays exceptional promise.

Steve and Angelia Stokes Graduate Fiction Award

$1000 award. Applicant must be full-time, have taken (or currently taking) a creative writing course, and have a 2.5 or above GPA.

Steve and Angelia Stokes Graduate Nonfiction Award

$1000 award. Applicant must be full-time, have taken (or currently taking) a creative writing course, and have a 2.5 or above GPA.

Steve and Angelia Stokes Graduate Poetry Award

$1000 award. Applicant must be full-time, have taken (or currently taking) a creative writing course, and have a 2.5 or above GPA.

Father James F. Dorrill Thesis Award

Named after a former member of the English Department, this award provides for $1,000 to be given to the English M.A. student who has produced the best critical (as distinct from creative) thesis. Eligible theses are those defended during the regular academic year (fall or spring term) when the award is made, or during the previous summer term. If, for whatever reason, a thesis award is not made in a given year, a grant of $1,000 is to be awarded to an outstanding first-year, non-creative-writing graduate student in English, as determined by the graduate faculty.

English Department Endowed Scholarship

Provides an award of $500 to an outstanding first-year graduate student who is nominated by the faculty.

Dr. Patricia Stephens Memorial Scholarship

$500 awarded to a graduate student for the best essay in Renaissance and/or 17th or 18th century studies in even years, and for a non-designated area of study in odd years. GPA of 3.5 or higher is required. Donated in 2000 by Ms. Lana Silverthorn.

Shelley Memorial Scholarship

Donated by former USA President Moulton and Mrs. Gordon Moulton in honor of her mother, this scholarship awards no less than $500 to one graduate student for excellence in poetry writing. Applicant must have a 2.5 or above GPA. Applicant must submit 10-15 pages of poetry.

English Department Graduate Student Essay Contest

Provides $100 for an outstanding graduate student essay written during the previous academic year. Past winners may re-enter.

Janet Mahan Summer Humanities Scholarship

Funds summer tuition for a high school teacher of English or History returning to pursue additional work in either discipline. Contact History Department to apply.

Students may apply for any awards or scholarships not previously won. For questions regarding our scholarships, please contact Dr. Nicole Amare.

Applications

The English Department receives scholarship applications during the spring semester each year, with the application deadline in March. To apply for English Department scholarships, please visit Jag$POT, USA's scholarship application portal. For more information about the online process, please visit USA's Office of Scholarship Services.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the following 2024/25 winners: Jeremy Buckner (Stokes Grad Nonfiction, Stephens, English Endowed), Rebekah Chappell (Stokes Undergrad Fiction, Maisel), Maria Conrey (Holmes), Jay Giles (Grad Essay, Shelley), Emma Holm (Dorrill), Jessica Jordan (Stokes Undergrad Nonfiction, Stokes Undergrad Poetry, Undergrad Essay, Greene), Jade Laffiette (Stokes Undergrad Creative Writing, Shelley, Wilson, McIver), Dori Lumpkin (Stokes Grad Fiction), Stuart McNair (Stokes Grad Poetry), Madyson Napier (Barber), Gavin Robinson (Richardson), and Abby Sargent (Stokes Undergrad in Southern Prose).