Undergraduate Scholarships and Prizes
English major scholarships
Complete information regarding the English Majors scholarship competition, held each year in the spring semester, can be found in the Undergraduate Office, 7195 Helen C. White Hall. Numerous awards, varying from year to year in number and amount are awarded to English majors who have distinguished themselves through their academic achievements and also through service to the college or community.
All applicants must be declared English majors in their junior or senior year. Students in their junior year must have completed a minimum of three upper level English classes (English 215 and above) on the Madison campus; seniors must have completed a minimum of four classes on the Madison campus. Eligible students must have maintained an overall cumulative grade point average and a grade point average in the major, as well, of at least a 3.5. All majors will be notified of the competition through email. Those majors who meet the criteria necessary to apply will automatically be sent a scholarship application. A brief description of the scholarships is given below.
Vivian Mowry English Scholarships
These scholarships are funded through a trust that was established in 1963 by Vivian Mowry, who graduated with a Bachelors Degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1910. Students receiving these awards must be English majors who have maintained an overall grade point average and a grade point average in the major of 3.5 or above. Awards are made on the basis of "scholastic proficiency and active participation in campus activities."
Mary Brabyn Wackman Scholarships
These scholarships were established by Charline M. Wackman in 1961. Charline
was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin; the awards are named for her mother,
Mary Brabyn Wackman who is believed to have held a degree in English. Awards are
made to English majors who are "bonafide Wisconsin residents specializing
in literature" with a 3.5 grade-point average in both the major and overall.
Helen Black Bennett Memorial Scholarship
This fund was established by the donor, Penelope G. Sticha, in honor of her mother. The fund was established in 1994. These awards are granted to deserving students who meet the same academic criteria as the scholarships listed above.
Lila Hicks Furber Scholarship
These scholarships were established in 1995 by Lila Hicks Fruber who graduated with a degree in English from the University of Wisconsin in 1926. After graduation, Lila became a teacher. These scholarships may be awarded annually using the same academic criteria listed above.
English Department Writing Prizes
The Lewis and Vilas prizes are prizes are awarded each spring for exceptional writing accomplishments by students. These awards are given for expository papers of any length and on any subject. Works of fiction and poetry are not eligible for these prizes and only one paper can be submitted by any student. Each submission should have a cover page that includes your name, year in school, title of the paper, instructor's name, and the course for which the paper was written. A brief description of each award is given below.
James T. Lewis Prizes
Established in 1968 and awarded annually for the two best essays written by freshmen in an English Department course; these prizes are approximately $125.
William F. Vilas Prizes
Established by Anna M. Vilas in 1912 and awarded each year for the two best essays written by undergraduates in upper level English Department courses. The Vilas Prizes are approximately $200 for the best essay and $100 for the second best essay.
The Standish Henning Shakespeare Prize
This award was established by Professor Andrew Weiner (emeritus) in recognition of his teacher and colleague Professor Standish Hemming (emeritus). An award of approximately $100 will be given to the best essay written by an undergraduate in one of the upper level Shakespeare courses taught in the department.
Creative Writing Awards
Each year writing competitions are held for students interested in the Creative Writing area. See the Creative Writing website for complete details.
(rev. 2/2008)
