WKU MSW Program – Scholarship Information

*MSW Scholarship Application*

Each year the WKU MSW Program has a limited amount of scholarship funds available for supporting MSW students in completing their graduate education. Applications for these scholarships are available in the MSW Office or may be requested by email.

All applications, when submitted, should be accompanied by a one-two page essay (double-spaced) discussing your specific career goals post-MSW graduation. Without this essay, your application will not be processed.

The MSW Scholarship Committee (comprised of MSW faculty members appointed by the MSW Program Director) reviews all applications for program scholarships. Applications are generally reviewed before each semester. Some scholarships are administered once a year; others are administered each semester. The Scholarship Committee makes award recommendations to the MSW Program Director, who then makes the final determination and notifies students of awards via email or letter of award.

It is expected that students receiving scholarships send a personal note of thanks to the funders for their grants and also provide documentation to the Program that the funds were used for the purposes intended.

For the 2009-2010 Academic Year, all scholarship applications are due to the MSW Program Office by June 30th, 2009. Awards will be made during the first two weeks in September 2009.

The following scholarships are available:

Rosalyn Stamps Scholarship

This scholarship was established to honor one of western Kentucky’s first MSW’s in public child welfare. Ms. Stamps provided care and assistance to Kentucky’s families and children for over 40 years. She obtained her MSW from the University of Tennessee-Nashville campus in 1960. She was a strong advocate for social work skills and commitment to growth in the profession. Scholarship amount ranges from $500 to $1000 per year.
Criteria:
• Student must be planning on working with children and families in rural Kentucky
• Financial need a consideration

Rural Social Work Scholarship

The faculty of Western Kentucky University’s Social Work funds this scholarship each year to provide scholarships to an MSW student with a financial need or to individuals of minority status who plans on working in rural Kentucky. Scholarship amount ranges from $100 to $500 per year.
Criteria:
• Student must have a financial need or have minority status
• Student must plan on working in rural Kentucky

Kentucky Social Welfare Foundation Scholarships

The Kentucky Social Welfare Foundation was established by the late Martha Davis to augment social services, especially to Kentucky’s rural poor. The Foundation’s grant is designated exclusively to support scholarships for social work graduate students. Scholarship amounts are variable and are allocated each semester.
Criteria:
• Student must have financial need
• Student must be working and/or doing field placement in rural area

Lin Ching Zer Social Work Scholarship Fund

This scholarship was developed to honor Dr. Muh bi Lin’s father, Lin Ching Zer. The purpose of this scholarship fund is to encourage and acknowledge WKU social work student’s scholarly excellence and achievements in engaging organized religious institutions in responding to unmet human needs and promoting justice and equality. Eligibility is limited to BSW or MSW students who are currently enrolled at WKU on a full time basis with an accumulated GPA of 3.0 or above, or with at least a GPA of 3.2 or above in social work courses. Scholarship amount ranges from $200 to 600 per academic year.

Criteria:
• Demonstrate a strong commitment and significant achievements in mobilizing religious institutions in creating or expanding services for meeting the needs of the underprivileged populations in the community.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment and significant achievements in engaging religious organizations in activities leading to prejudice reduction, inter-faith dialogue, conflict resolution, and in promoting justice and equality.
• Scholarly work in the forms of course term paper, published journal article, newspaper editorial comment, or conference presentations, which contribute to the understanding of spirituality, religion and social work practice.
• The scholarship could be awarded to an individual or a small group of students as mini grant for pursuing activities leading to the fulfillment of any of the above three (3) criteria.
• Priority will be given to applicants that emphasize projects that are utilitarian in nature and emphasize long-term impact on the community