Awards and Scholarships

Spring 2023

Deadline for submissions is Friday, March 24, 2023 by noon (note: Scholarship submissions will be accepted in the semester that they are due.)

Note: Only currently enrolled students are eligible. Award values are estimates only and will be determined after endowment distributions are finalized; amounts may be distributed to more than one awardee.

Guidelines

Submissions not following these guidelines will not be considered.

  • Submission must include a cover sheet with your name, student ID, your status (undergraduate or graduate student), the title of the award you are applying for, and your email address.
  • Submit only one entry per student.
  • DO NOT put your name on ANY page of your submission except the cover sheet.
  • Include the last 4 digits of your student ID# in the upper right hand corner of each page of your submission.
  • Submit all entries by email as a word doc or pdf to: english@sjsu.edu. 

Scholarships Available by Student Submission

  • Bonita M. Cox Award For Classical And Medieval Literature: 
    Awarded for outstanding achievement in classical or medieval studies. The recipient will demonstrate achievement by writing the best paper addressing an arguable classical or medieval issue or theme in literature or history (e.g., the uses to which Dante puts flower metaphors as an important structural element in the divine comedy). The essays may be on any topic and from any discipline. Preference shall be given to those essays that demonstrate a clear connection between the past (classical or medieval periods) and the present.

Eligible students: Junior, Senior & Graduate students taking 6 units or more. Essays must be double‐spaced, follow the format of the MLA Style Sheet & should be 12‐25 pages.

  • The Academy Of American Poets / Virginia De Araujo Prize:
    Monetary award for best submitted poem. Open to any undergraduate or graduate student (taking 6 units or more). This prize is judged by a distinguished poet not affiliated with SJSU. A maximum of three poems may be submitted; no longer than 150 lines each.
  • Kichung Kim Scholarship:
    Scholarship awarded to an SJSU student majoring in English. Submit an essay based on American/Ethnic American Literature. Eligible students will be enrolled full time, have a minimum 2.5 GPA, & demonstrate financial need.

Scholarships Available by Faculty Submission

Open To Freshmen Students

  • The Shirley Nelson Iverson Scholarship:
    To a freshman or junior English major with intentions of becoming a high school teacher.

Open To Undergraduate Students

  • The Lois King Thore Scholarship Fund:
    To an English Major who indicates they wish to pursue a degree in English and shows promise in short story writing.

Open To Graduate & Undergraduate Students

  • Schelby A. Sweeney Beowulf Prize:
    To an English major for outstanding scholastic achievement in studying the language of Beowulf or Old English.
  • The Dr. Jack E. Fink and Maxine Hunt Fink Scholarship Endowment:
    For a deserving Graduate and/or Undergraduate Student in English.
  • The Dorrit A. Sibley Writing Scholarship Award Fund: 
    To a graduate(s) or undergraduate English Major student(s) with promise as a writer of poetry and demonstrate financial need.
  • Marjorie McLaughlin Folendorf Award:
    This Creative Writing Scholarship is awarded to a SJSU student for outstanding achievement in creative writing. Applicants must have completed at least 24 units at San Jose State University.
  • Anne Lillis Memorial Scholarship Fund:
    To an English major for excellence in Creative Writing with a preference for poetry.
  • The Robert H. Woodward Memorial Scholarship:
    The student must show significant achievement in research and scholarship in American Literature.
  • The Abraham and Eleanor H. Bezanker Scholarship Endowment:
    To provide scholarship support for students with a major in English. Must be third year undergrad or graduate students, and qualify for financial aid.
  • James Phelan Award for Criticism:
    Awarded to undergraduate and graduate students for verse and prose work produced in literary criticism and analysis.
  • James Phelan Award for Poetry:
    Awarded to undergraduate and graduate students for verse and prose work produced in metrical or free verse.
  • James Phelan Award for Fiction Story:
    Awarded to undergraduate and graduate students for verse and prose work produced in short story.
  • James Phelan Award for Non-fiction Essay:
    Awarded to undergraduate and graduate students for verse and prose work produced in personal essay.

Open To Graduate Students

  • Ida Fay Sachs Ludwig Memorial Scholarship:
    To an MFA student(s) for excellence in creative writing with a preference for poetry. Must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and demonstrate financial need.

Fall 2023

Deadline for submissions: Wednesday, November 1, 2023 by noon (note: Scholarship submissions will be accepted in the semester that they are due.)

Note: Only currently enrolled students are eligible. Award values are estimates only and will be determined after endowment distributions are finalized; amounts may be distributed to more than one awardee.

Guidelines: Submissions not following these guidelines will not be considered.

Each submission must include a cover sheet with your name, student ID, your status as undergraduate or graduate student, the title of the award you are applying for, and your email address. Submit only one entry per student.

  • Do not put your name on any page of your submission except the cover sheet.
  • Include the last 4 digits of your student ID number in the upper right hand corner of each page.
  • Submit all entries by email as a Word doc or PDF to english@sjsu.edu.  If access to email is unavailable, hand deliver to the English Department office FOB 102.  Please email us for any questions you may have. 
  • Check the Scholarship and Awards Information Board in the English Department building (FOB) for additional information.

Scholarships Available by Student Submission:

Open to graduate and undergraduate students:

  • The James O. Wood Fund for Shakespeare Studies: Scholarship to the best essay, reading, scene representation, musical presentation, costume, painting, sculpture, or other appropriate project related to any of Shakespeare’s dramatic works. Submissions must include a one-page statement about the project.

Scholarships Available by Faculty Nomination:

Faculty will consider some of their best students from this academic year for the following scholarships.  

Open to undergraduate students:  

  • The Catherine Urban Scholarship/s: For Junior and Senior English majors displaying academic promise in writing. Applicants must be at least half-time students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 overall and in English, and demonstrated financial need.
  • The Dorothy Wright Children’s Literature Award: For outstanding work in children’s literature by an undergraduate English major.
  • The Dr. Josephine Chandler Scholarship: For a student who demonstrates clear academic excellence and a commitment to the study of Humanities. Must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and majoring in one of the following: English, Foreign Languages, Humanities, Philosophy or LLD.

Open to graduate and undergraduate students:  

  • The W.O. Crockett Scholarship: For full time graduate or undergraduate student(s) with a minimum of 12 completed units, a minimum 3.0 GPA, and financial need. Candidate should have demonstrated commitment to African-American culture and Literature.
  • The Roberta Holloway Scholarship: For an English major with Junior, Senior or Graduate student status, demonstrating outstanding scholastic achievement.
  • The Ruth MacLean McGee Scholarship Fund: For an English major undergraduate/graduate student with a minimum of 12 completed units or an undergraduate student English major with a minimum of 24 completed units. Must have with a minimum 3.0 GPA and is awarded for outstanding achievement in non-fiction.

Open to graduate students: 

  • Harvey Birenbaum Prize: For students enrolled in courses in the MA program showing excellence in the graduate study of Literature.
  • Owen Milton Broyles Scholarship: For outstanding achievement by a graduate student.
  • The Rico-Ressman Scholarship: For a full time MFA student showing excellence.

All categories will have a graduate and an undergraduate competition.

The top three students in each category will be asked to submit a writing sample which will be judged by an appropriate committee.