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Graduate Scholarships

The Professional Writing Program is proud to offer several scholarships funded by a generous endowment from William H. and Ruth E. Crouse. These awards are designed to support students of exceptional ability and promise as they gain experience in professional writing

Submission Instructions

Students may apply for multiple awards, but are asked to create individual applications and letters for each award. Preference will be given to those who have not received previous Crouse awards and those who have at least one year left in their degree. Students cannot apply if they are graduating.

For each award you're applying to, please submit your application as a single PDF document to the Director of the Professional Writing major, Professor Bradley Dilger (dilger@purdue.edu) with the subject line: Crouse [Year]: Award Title.

Application deadlines are typically in February. More info about AY 2023-24 awards coming soon!

Promising Scholar Award

Professional Writing and the Department of English offer a $5,000 scholarship for a first-year PhD-level graduate student planning on a secondary PhD area in “Rhetoric, Technology, and Digital Writing,” “Technical and Professional Writing,” or a closely related area. PhD-level students may apply for this scholarship during their first year in the program.

Applications for the award are judged by a committee composed of faculty in Professional Writing at Purdue. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of academic achievement, an application letter, a resume, and portfolio of work. Recipients of this scholarship will be encouraged to develop a project during the award period for presentation at a local or national conference or submission to a journal.

To apply for this scholarship, submit one copy of the following materials:

  • an application letter that specifies which scholarship you have applied for and that discusses your interests in a PhD secondary area related to Professional Writing
  • an unofficial transcript
  • a resume or vita
  • a portfolio containing one or two samples of your work

Emergent Scholar Award

Professional Writing and the Department of English offer a $5,000 scholarship for an advanced PhD student who has specialized with a secondary PhD area in “Rhetoric, Technology, and Digital Writing,” “Technical and Professional Writing,” or a closely related area. Preference will be given to students who have successfully defended their prospectus by the application submission deadline. The scholarship recognizes both promise and achievement.

Funded by a generous endowment from William H. and Ruth E. Crouse, the scholarship is designed to support students of exceptional ability and promise as they complete their coursework in areas related to Professional Writing, including publishing and technical writing, and begin work on their dissertation.

Applications for the award are judged by a committee composed of faculty in Professional Writing at Purdue. Applicants are evaluated on the basis of academic achievement, an application letter, a resume, and portfolio of work. Recipients of this scholarship will be encouraged to develop a project during the award period for presentation at a local or national conference or submission to a journal.

To apply for this scholarship, submit one copy of the following materials:

  • an application letter that specifies which scholarship you have applied for and that discusses your interests in a PhD secondary area related to Professional Writing
  • an unofficial transcript
  • a resume or vita
  • a portfolio containing one or two samples of your work.

Past Scholarship Winners

  • In 2023, the awardee was Paul Hunter (Emergent Scholar).
  • In 2022, awardees were Jianfen Chen (Emergent Scholar), Shelton Weech (Emergent Scholar), Adrianna Deptula (Promising Scholar), and Danielle Giles (Promising Scholar).
  • In 2021, awardees were Rachel Atherton (Emergent Scholar) and Marisa Yerace (Promising Scholar).
  • In 2020, awardees were Allegra Smith (Emergent Scholar) and Jianfen Chen (Promising Scholar).
  • In 2019, awardees were Trinity Overmyer (Emergent Scholar), Lindsey MacDonald (Emergent Scholar), and Shelton Weech (Promising Scholar).
  • In 2018, awardees were Erin Brock Carlson, Michelle McMullin, and John Sherrill (Emergent Scholar) and Ryan Michael Murphy (Promising Scholar).
  • In 2017, awardees were Jeffrey Gerding (Emergent Scholar) and Allegra Smith (Promising Scholar), and Devon Cook (Internship in Academic Publishing).
  • In 2016, awardees were Mary McCall (Emergent Scholar) and Trinity Overmyer (Promising Scholar).
  • In 2015, awardees were Kyle Vealey (Emergent Scholar) and Michelle McMullin (Promising Scholar).
  • In 2014, awardees were Don Unger and Cody Reimer (Emergent Scholar), Jeffrey Gerding (Promising Scholar), Christine Jach (Internship in Academic Publishing), Carrie Grant (Internship in Academic Publishing), and Trinity Overmyer (Internship in Academic Publishing).
  • In 2013, awardees were Alex Layne (Emergent Scholar), Mary McCall (Promising Scholar), Christine Jach (Internship in Academic Publishing), Carrie Grant (Internship in Academic Publishing), and Patrick Love (Professional Writing/Writing Lab Liaison), Amelia Chesley, Charlotte Hyde, John Sherrill (Summer Study Abroad Scholarship).
  • In 2012, awardees were Adam Pope (Emergent Scholar), Emily Legg (Promising Scholar), and Charlotte Hyde (Promising Scholar)

Undergraduate Awards

The generous funding from William H. and Ruth E. Crouse also funds a number of annual awards for undergraduate professional writing students.