BFA in Creative Writing

Christine Worthen Eames Memorial Scholarship Endowment was established in 2006 in memory of Christine W. Eames, Communications ’99, an alum of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, by her mother, Joan Christensen Eames. The purpose of the fund is to provide scholarships for students who are aspiring writers.  Recipient must be an undergraduates majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing or majoring in communications with a concentration in journalism.  Recipient may be a full-time or part-time student, be an in-state or out-of-state student, and qualify on the basis of academic merit and financial need. The scholarship is renewable, subject to the availability of funds.

Dr. Barry Berkey Personal Essay Award Endowment was established in 2010 by Velma Berkey, the wife of Barry Berkey. The purpose of the fund is to provide a prestigious annual award for undergraduate students pursing a degree in English that recognizes and encourages writing excellence in general and creative nonfiction in particular. Candidates must be juniors or seniors as defined by at least 60 completed credit hours at the time of application, and must submit a personal essay of 1,000 words or less. Submissions must be original, not previously published, and entirely true. Candidates must include their G numbers on the essay as their names will be blinded. Recipients may be in-state or out-of-state students, and may be either full-time or part-time students. Junior students may submit in both junior and senior years. One essay per applicant per year may be entered.

Randolph and Lucy Church Scholarship Endowment was established in 2006 by Randolph W. Church Jr. and Lucy C. Church, ’81, MPA ’86, to attract outstanding students majoring in English, history, modern languages, philosophy, psychology, political sciences, humanities, or economics. Mr. Church, an attorney, is a former rector of the Board of Visitors and former trustee of the George Mason University Foundation. Mrs. Church, a former trustee of the foundation and a former faculty member, is an alum of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Recipient must:

• Be an incoming freshman with a minimum high school GPA of 3.5 and a strong record of scholastic achievement in college preparatory courses
• Be a full-time undergraduate student
• Be a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia
• Show unusual promise of superior scholastic achievement in the opinion of the college dean
• Major in one of the following: English, history, modern languages philosophy, psychology, or economics

The Cynthia Wynn Herman Scholarship Endowment was established in 1995 in memory of Cynthia Wynn Herman, MA English '90, by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wynn, joined by others, to benefit students pursuing a degree in English with an interest in women's studies. Recipients may be full-time of part-time and in-state or out-of-state students. The scholarship may be renewable. Cynthia Wynn Herman, an alum of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, was assistant director of the Writing Center and editor of the women's studies program newsletter.

Current students may apply for this scholarship and many other scholarships through the Office of Financial Aid's Academic Works portal.  

English Scholarships recipients will qualify on basis of merit and/or need; and may be in-state or out-of-state students.

To provide support for undergraduate students pursuing a bachelor of fine arts (BFA) in creative writing. Scholarship recipients may be full-time or part-time students, in-state or out-of-state residents, and should demonstrate academic merit and financial need. Recipients should be involved in a community group, activity or registered student organization that works on issues or causes related to an underrepresented group at George Mason. Applicants must submit a creative writing piece of their choosing which can come from a class at the university or be a portfolio piece used to gain admission to the BFA program. Applicants may use this piece to show their work on issues related to their related to their experience or involvement with an underrepresented group. Current students may apply for this scholarship and many other scholarships through the Office of Financial Aid's Academic Works portal.