University of Arkansas at Little Rock

The Department of Rhetoric and Writing has scholarships available for outstanding students who are committed to our program. We encourage students who meet the criteria for each scholarship (as described below) to apply.

The Oliver Breeze Kennedy Undergraduate Scholarships in Technical Communication and Digital Literacies

Through the kindness and generosity of the family of one of our alumni, the Department of Rhetoric and Writing is pleased to offer the annual Oliver Breeze Kennedy Undergraduate Scholarships in Technical Communication and Digital Literacies.

The donor has generously offered two $1500-per-year awards: one for an established junior or senior student studying technical communication and one for an established junior or senior student studying digital literacies in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing. Each scholarship will fund at a rate of $750 per semester, and recipients must enroll in fulltime study both semesters to receive the award, which may be used for whatever expenses the recipients deem necessary to support their education.

The scholarships will be awarded on the basis of

• Need as established by FAFSA (Applicants may offer additional or other information related to need if they wish or if FAFSA is not available.)
• Accomplishments in the field of study (Each applicant must supply a three-item portfolio including full explanations of each of the three items included. The committee will also secure an official transcript to assess coursework in Rhetoric and Writing and overall academic performance.)
• A letter of application (Applicants must explain how and why they qualify for the scholarship and describe how it will aid them in achieving specific career and/or educational objectives.)

Each part (need, accomplishments, letter) will count 1/3 in the decision. All decisions will be made by the Rhetoric and Writing Department Scholarship Committee and will be final. These scholarships are renewable for a second year; however, first year recipients must file a second application emphasizing and detailing outstanding work done during the first award year to be considered for renewal.

Applicants must complete all parts of the application by the advertised deadline to be eligible for consideration. If you have questions, please email Dr. George Jensen

Deadline for all application materials: March 15

The Clarence and Judy Albers Quality Writing Scholarships (Graduate Students Only)

The Clarence and Judy Albers Quality Writing Scholarships are endowed scholarships designed to support graduate students in the Department of Rhetoric and Writing pursuing work in both nonfiction and editing.

The scholarships are awarded annually, when possible, in amounts to be announced in the call for applications. The amounts and number of awards for a given year will vary, depending upon the state of the economy. The awards are contingent upon continued enrollment (minimum of six graduate hours per semester) and progress toward the recipients’ graduate degrees. Funds may be used to support any part of the recipients’ education—tuition, fees, books, living expenses, etc. The scholarship is renewable, but the recipient must reapply annually. These scholarships are not to be used to support thesis work (8300/8301 courses). When there are two or more awards, at least one will be directed toward an entering student (award based on graduate admission portfolio) or one early in his/her graduate studies. Academic accomplishment, GPA, and financial need will be considered.

Recipients are required to enroll in a minimum of six graduate hours per funded semester.

To apply, submit a portfolio containing the following:

1. A cover letter addressed to the members of the Scholarship Committee describing the applicant’s career goals and background.
2. Three pieces of work demonstrating the applicant’s capabilities in both nonfiction and editing, with particular attention to editing. These need not be written for UALR classes, especially if the applicant is new to the program.
3. Brief explanations of each piece’s context and importance.

Completed applications should be sent to the Scholarship Committee, UALR Department of Rhetoric and Writing, 2801 South University, Little Rock, AR 72204. They may also be dropped off at the Rhetoric and Writing office. Digital applications should be sent as email attachments to George Jensen under the subject line Albers Quality Writing Scholarship Application.

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Upon receiving the award, recipients will write a letter of appreciation to the Donors, which will serve as recipients’ official notice of acceptance. Letters should be sent to the Scholarship Committee at the address above.

Deadline for completed applications: March 15.