English ~ Awards and Scholarships

Application Process

Each year, the English Department awards scholarships to incoming and current English students.

Elligibility: Elligibility varies based on the scholarship.Qualifications for the majority of our scholarships are based on the general application information as well as information pulled directly from your admissions application.

Criteria: Determining factors for English scholarships vary. Criteria might include strength of the application, academic achievement, extracurricular achievement, career promise, financial need and/or study-abroad plans.

How to apply: Madison Scholarships Hub is the application center for all JMU Foundation scholarships administered by the following areas: Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, College of Arts & Letters, and the College of Business. To log in, go to MyMadison and under the "Student" tab click on the logo for Madison Scholarships Hub. Once you complete the general application, you will be matched to scholarships for which you are elligible. Most scholarships have a deadline of early March for current students (early June for incoming students).

NOTE: The Taschek Family Scholarship and the Jean Wampler Cash Scholarship require specific applications. You should review the criteria for each scholarship and complete the associated application if you wish to be considered for the scholarship.

Scholarship Awards for Continuing Students

The Joye and Robert Ledford Scholarship

Established by the Ledfords in April 1993 and is an annual cash award. Robert Ledford was the president of Ledford Associates, Inc. He passed away in September 2010. Their daughter, Angie Ledford Hutchison, graduated from JMU in 1994 with a B.A. in English.

The Ella A. Dahms Myers Scholarship

Established in 2015, in memory of her grandmother, by Cheryl (“Cherie”) Myers Warfield, ’85 alumna and legacy parent who serves on the James Madison University Parent’s Council. Ms. Warfield has made provisions to permanently endow this scholarship through her estate. The scholarship is intended to recognize and support the intellectual spark in an exceptional junior or senior English major.

The Faculty Prize in English Language and Literature

Awarded, during the spring semester for use in the subsequent academic year, by the faculty in the Department of English to a rising sophomore or junior who has demonstrated excellence in the study of the English language and linguistics or of literature written in the English language. This is an annual cash award.

Taschek Family Scholarship

Established February 2018 by John, Linda and the Taschek family to support an English major with a 3.3 or above overall GPA who has completed at least three English courses.

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The Stanley Rhys Say Scholarship

Established in Say’s memory, provides an annual cash award to a rising junior or senior English major.

The Flora Morris Scholarship

Provides an annual cash award to an eligible English major. This scholarship was established in 2010 with a gift from the estate of Flora Morris, a graduate of the class of 1943.

The Mark Facknitz Outstanding New Major Scholarship

Established in 2017, is awarded in honor of Mark Facknitz, a Professor of English at JMU for 34 years. Dr. Facknitz earned a BA in French from Lawrence University, an MFA from the Writer’s Workshop, University of Iowa, and a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico. He taught creative writing, twentieth century American and British Literature, and Critical Theory. He was deeply committed to teaching English 299: Writing about Literature, the gateway course to the English major, which prepares students to read, write, and research in the field.

Joan Frederick Scholarship

An endowed scholarship established by Michael Szymanski (’77) in honor of Professor Emerita Joan Frederick. Mr. Szymanski has described Professor Frederick as a professor who had three amazing attributes. She clearly loved educating and challenging students, she had a vast knowledge of literature which she shared, and her office door was always open for pleasant conversation, coursework or otherwise. He appreciated her insight, both academically and personally, and has never forgotten the encouragement and kindness she showed him. Professor Frederick helped nurture his love of English and writing, both skills he uses in his business and personal life.

Sandra Hepp Eagle Memorial Scholarship

Established in 2018 in memory of Sandra Hepp Eagle, a JMU graduate (’62, ’80) and a longtime member of the English Department faculty. The scholarship is awarded to a “deserving” Junior or Senior English major with a GPA of 3.0 or greater; it is renewable for a Junior if the recipient continues to meet the criteria. Sandra’s mother, Rita Hepp Hawley has made provisions to permanently endow this scholarship in her estate plans.

Jean Wampler Cash Scholarship for the Study of Southern Literature

An endowed scholarship established by Professor Emerita Jean Wampler Cash. This scholarship will provide financial resources annually to one or more outstanding undergraduate junior or senior scholars who demonstrate exceptional achievement in the study of Southern Literature.

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Awards for Cumulative Accomplishments by Senior English Majors

2024 Award for Overall Excellence

Sydney Dudley

Senior, English and Philosophy and Religion double major with minors in Honors Interdisciplinary studies; Classical studies; Christian studies; and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies

2024 Outstanding English Student (Award from Dean)

Sydney Dudley

Senior, English and Philosophy and Religion double major with minors in Honors Interdisciplinary studies; Classical studies; Christian studies; and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies