Financial Support for Graduate Students

The Maurice Scharton Award celebrates the over 140 years during which dozens of teachers and thousands of students at Illinois State University have delivered oral "rhetoricals," presented written "themes," and revised Comp 101 "portfolios." The nonmonetary award is presented to the graduate student and undergraduate student who have written the best papers in rhetoric, composition, and writing studies in history, theory, or criticism.

To be eligible, students must: 

1. Be Junior or Senior English majors (for the undergraduate award), or graduate students in English (for the graduate award);      
2. Submit one piece of scholarship (no more than 25 pages), the content of which must be grounded within the scholarly tradition of rhetoric and composition studies        
3. Attach a cover letter with their submission that describes the context within which the text was written as well as states the writer’s purpose, target audience, and strategies undertaken during the revision process. 

The Anna Keaton English Scholarship was established in 1993 through an estate gift of Anna Keaton. Keaton had a 30-year career at Illinois State Normal University (1937-1968). She was a professor of English and also served for some period as dean of students. Through a bequest, she directed that a scholarship fund be created to support upper class or graduate students majoring in English.

Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program in the English Department.

To apply, submit:

1. A separate cover letter with your name, UID, email address, local phone number, and mailing address.  Applicants should discuss how their academic records distinguish them as students of English, what their academic interests are and how their programs of study correlate with these interests, and how financial circumstances might create special need for this award.
2. Twenty- thirty pages of their writing completed while they were enrolled in the undergraduate or graduate English program at ISU, and one letter of recommendation from a faculty member.  

Both graduate and undergraduate students who have a pedagogical and theoretical interest in TESOL are eligible for this award. Candidates must be in good standing in the area; undergraduate students should be enrolled in the TESOL minor, while graduate students should have a clear concentration in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. Selection is based on outstanding performance in course work, teaching, and/or research in the field of TESOL.

Applicants must submit the following supporting documents in the Awarded scholarship system:

1. Cover sheet indicating your name, student level (graduate/undergraduate), major/minor/concentration, university identification number, and email address; also include 1-2 paragraphs explaining what artifact you included and how that artifact demonstrates your values and goals in TESOL and Applied Linguistics.
2. A copy of transcript showing courses taken and GPA (unofficial is sufficient)
3. A statement of purpose essay (400 words maximum) that highlights the pedagogical work you have done with multilingual students across a wide range of contexts, your interest in the field of TESOL, and your plans after graduation. You may also include other information that you believe is relevant to the selection committee.
4.  A sample artifact (created while you have been an ISU student) showcasing your knowledge and values as a TESOL educator. The content of the artifact must be grounded within the scholarly tradition of TESOL and should reflect your familiarity with the current trends and principles in the field. The artifact could be a paper that you wrote for a TESOL course or a lesson plan that you designed for multilingual learners, or it could be something you created outside of class.

Applicants must be English Department graduate students and have a focus in Publishing Studies.

To apply submit:

1. A separate cover letter with your name, UID, email address, local phone number, cumulative GPA, English GPA, and mailing address.
2. Please submit either a sample of your writing that demonstrates your scholarly and critical study of publishing or an artifact/facsimile of an artifact that demonstrates excellence in publishing practices.  
3. A statement explaining your interest in literary and scholarly publishing and your future goals within this area of study.

Applicants must submit a lesson plan, current CV, and be enrolled in a graduate program in the English Department.

To be considered for the Diversity and Equity Teaching Award, interested GAs may self-nominate by providing the following materials:

1. Curriculum vitae
2. completed lesson plan template
3. 1- to 2-page cover letter that explicitly outlines pedagogical goals that address concerns of diversity and equity and provides a reflection on those goals in relation to the submitted lesson plan and course context 

Each candidate for a Dr. Elizabeth Hatmaker Memorial Scholarship must be a first-year doctoral student and Graduate Assistant in English Studies in good standing at Illinois State University.

To apply submit a cover letter of no more than one page detailing how you have distinguished yourself as a doctoral student and teacher in the Department of English during your first year of study.

The George R. Canning Scholarship was established in 1976 by family, friends, and colleagues in memory of George Canning, professor of English at Illinois State University. The scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate and/or graduate student majoring in English, with preference given to students focusing on some aspect of British or Anglophone literature.

Applicants must be English Department graduate students focusing in Literary and Cultural Studies.

To apply submit:

1. A separate cover letter with your name, UID, email address, local phone number, and mailing address. 
2. One substantial literature essay, with preference given to essays focusing on some aspect of British or Anglophone literature.
3. A letter of nomination from a faculty member. 
4. A brief statement of goals

Applicants must be enrolled in the masters program in the English Department and submit a teaching portfolio.

Applicants must be enrolled in the doctoral program in the English Department and submit a teaching portfolio.

Applicants must be upper division students in the English Department.The Taimi Ranta Children’s Literature Scholarship endowment was established in 1996 in memory of Professor Taimi Maria Ranta. The scholarship is awarded to a full-time or part-time junior, senior, or graduate student majoring in English focusing on children's or adolescent literature. In addition to scholarships, funds may be used to provide resources for deserving students who are studying children's literature and who wish to present scholarly works at related conferences. Those students who receive these scholarships will be designated as "Ranta Scholars."

Applicants must be enrolled in or intend to focus on Children's Literary and Cultural studies.

To apply submit:

1. A separate cover letter with your name, UID, email address, local phone number, cumulative GPA, English GPA, and mailing address.        
2. A written statement (two double-spaced pages in length) that explains the place of children’s or adolescent literature in their future goals.
3. At least two letters of recommendations from recognized professionals in fields related to children’s or adolescent literature who are familiar with the applicant’s academic and extra-curricular achievements.    

This Tom Kuster Creative Writing Award endowment was established in 1998 by Richard and Marilyn Kuster in memory of their son. The award is given to a full-time or part-time junior, senior, or graduate student majoring in a program within the English department.

Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program in the English Department.

To apply submit:

1. A separate cover letter with your name, UID, email address, local phone number, cumulative GPA, English GPA, and mailing address.  
2. Please do not put your name on the creative writing itself.
   During an even numbered year the award will be made in fiction with a requirement of 2-3 short stories totaling no more than 30 pages.  In an odd numbered year, a student should submit a portfolio of 6-8 poems totaling no more than 15 pages.  Also include a brief statement indicating how the award money will be beneficial to your writing career.  

William W. Morgan was a member of the Illinois State University English Department from August of 1969 until his retirement in June of 2000. Although he taught courses in many areas of the Department, he was especially committed to the importance of poetry--both the study of classic and contemporary poetry and the writing of original poetry--in the English Studies curriculum and in the lives of English professors, teachers, students, and ordinary citizens.

Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program in the English Department.

To apply submit:

1. A separate cover letter with your name, UID, email address, local phone number, cumulative GPA, English GPA, and mailing address.   Please do not put your name on the creative writing itself. 
2. Candidates for the Award should submit both 5-6 original poems and 6-10 pages of scholarly writing about poetry.  Candidates may, if they wish, include a brief introductory commentary on their application materials.