The English Department offers a number of scholarships that support and recognize the academic achievement of English majors. Students apply for all department and university scholarships through the Appalachian Scholarship Application Portal (ASAP). Students apply during December and January each year for scholarships for the following academic year. Unless otherwise indicated, scholarship recipients are expected to be full time students and to maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average.
Department of English Endowed Scholarship
This scholarship goes to rising junior or senior English majors at Appalachian State University. This award is based on academic achievement and promise.
Dr. Hans G. Heymann Scholarship for English "Honors" Students
Applicants must demonstrate and maintain satisfactory academic potential and/or achievement, be a rising junior or senior, be a declared English major, and be enrolled in the English Department’s honors program.
Ella Thompson Hobbs Endowed Scholarship for English Majors
Applicants must be rising junior or senior English majors who demonstrate satisfactory academic achievement (3.0 overall grade point average). Financial need will be a consideration in awarding these scholarships.
Jeni Gray Memorial Endowed Scholarship in English
This award goes to an undergraduate English major who, in the words of the document establishing this fund, exhibits "exceptional integrity and distinguished academic achievement (3.0 GPA)." Financial need and an interest in journalism may also be taken into consideration. This scholarship is renewable based on satisfactory academic achievement (3.0 GPA).
Kate Peterson Scholarship for English
This scholarship is open to any student majoring in English at Appalachian.
Mary Montgomery Dunlap Scholarship in English
Applicants must be rising juniors or seniors or graduate students majoring in English, with a need for financial support and with satisfactory academic achievement as demonstrated by a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Mary Willis Shores Memorial Scholarship in English
This scholarship is for English majors with a need for financial support and with satisfactory academic achievement, as demonstrated by a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Richard H. Rupp and Henree Rupp Study Abroad Scholarship for the English Department
The recipient must be an English major who plans to study abroad. Criteria shall include merit, promise, and financial need. The study abroad program may be for summer study, ISEP (International Student Exchange Program), or a sponsored exchange with a foreign university for a semester or a year.
The Rosemary Horowitz Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is directed to a student majoring in English with financial need. Whenever possible, preference in the selection of the scholarship recipients shall accrue to students who have also demonstrated 1) a thoughtful commitment to civic-minded service and leadership in the community and/or the workplace and 2) an interest in ethics and technical writing as reflected in course selection, class projects, and/or desired internship focus.
Cratis D. Williams Memorial Scholarship in English Endowment
Recipients must be either a rising junior, a rising senior, or a current senior who plans to enroll for graduate work in English. The donor agreement specifies that candidates will be judged "on the basis of promise and possible need."
Graydon and Daisy Eggers English Scholarship Endowment
Applicants must be seniors majoring in English or graduate students continuing their education at Appalachian. Recipients must have at least a 3.0 overall grade point average and at least a 3.5 grade point average in English. Financial need will be a consideration in awarding this scholarship. This scholarship is renewable, based on verification of satisfactory academic performance (3.0 overall grade point average and at least a 3.5 grade point average in English).
Loyd Hilton Endowed Award for Excellence in English
This scholarship goes to the senior English major with the highest grade point average in English coursework. In the event of a tie, overall grade point average will be considered. [Note: The recipient is selected in the Spring. The scholarship is awarded for the following academic year, so students graduating that Spring are not eligible to receive the award.].
Jeffrey Kermit Lowe Memorial for English Majors Endowment
The Jeffrey Kermit Lowe Memorial Scholarship for English Majors supports incoming freshmen who intend to major in English at Appalachian State University.
David Hodgin Writing Award
This award is named for Dr. David Hodgin, who was an English Professor in the Appalachian State Teachers College (which later became Appalachian State University) for 24 years (1941-1965). For the current year’s competition (application cycle Dec. 1, 2024 to Feb. 7, 2025), the prompt is "After the Flood: Reflections on Hurricane Helene." Students are asked to write up to 500 words addressing this prompt.
Scholarships for Creative Writing
For the following Creative Writing scholarships, students must upload samples of their writing. For the 2024-24 award cycle only, applications were accepted through a Fall 2023 competition. Thereafter, creative writing scholarships with the exception of the Capote scholarship, will follow the same application cycle as other department, college, and university scholarships.
John Foster West Endowed Creative Writing Prize
This award is named for and sponsored by a well-known writer and former professor at Appalachian State University. This scholarship is open to currently enrolled students of all majors and years.
Marian Coe Scholarship in Creative Writing
Named for a well-known local author, this scholarship is awarded to an English major.
Marjorie South Idol Prize for Fiction and Creative Prose
To recognize achievement in fiction and creative prose genres (fiction, creative nonfiction, memoir, playwriting, screenplay) written by students majoring in English in any concentration.
Marjorie South Idol Prize for Poetry
To recognize achievement in poetry written by students majoring in English in any concentration.
Rogers and Janice Whitener Creative Writing Scholarship
This scholarship is named for Rogers and Janice Whitener, who were notable for their support of students and of the arts during their years at Appalachian. The Whitener Scholarship will be awarded to a recent high school graduate entering college for the first time and intending to major in Creative Writing. The criteria will be financial need and active good citizenship in courses and the creative writing program. Applicants will address questions about financial need and their citizenship (contributions to class climate, peers and participation in program-related activities), along with a list of creative writing concentration courses. No writing sample is required for this scholarship.
Truman Capote Literary Trust Scholarship for Creative Writing
(Spring 2024 application window is April 3-11)
This scholarship is supported by the Truman Capote Literary Trust Fund. The scholarship is awarded to the rising junior or senior Appalachian State University English major whose submissions of prose (fiction, creative non-fiction or play) or poetry are judged to be the most outstanding works submitted to the creative writing competition named after Truman Capote and endowed by the late author's estate. Normally, there will be two awards each year, one for poetry and one for prose. To be eligible, students must complete a sequence of creative writing courses leading to a concentration in Creative Writing as part of a B.A. degree in English. A 3.0 GPA and full-time status is required for this scholarship.
Questions about English Department scholarships may be addressed to Dr. David Orvis at orvisdl@appstate.edu.
College Scholarships
The following scholarships are offered by the College of Arts and Sciences. Questions about these scholarships may be directed to the Dean's office at cas@appstate.edu or (828) 262-3078.
- Sally A. Callegari Memorial Scholarship for Gender Diversity in Animal Studies
- Drs. Joanne Smith and Don R. Brannon Scholarship for Natural Sciences
- Richard A. Thomas Memorial Scholarship for Arts and Sciences
- Jonathan K. Perryman Memorial Scholarship for the Sciences
- GlaxoSmithKline Women in Science Scholarships
- The Peggy Harmon Shore Pre-Health Care Professional Endowed Scholarship