Scholarships
The English Department offers a number of awards annually to its graduate students. Students interested in applying for awards should begin the application process by carefully reading the award descriptions as these may contain specific information about the application process not listed below.
Students may apply for more than one award and specify all the awards applied for in the letter of intent, but need only submit one application; the Scholarship Committee will consider your application for all possible awards.
In addition to other application materials specified by an individual award, all applicants must submit the following materials as a single .PDF document by April 1:
- Letter of Intent
- Writing Sample
- Unofficial Transcript
- Curriculum Vitae
Additionally, a letter of recommendation must be sent from a recommender who is familiar with the student and his or her abilities as a writer and scholar. Whenever possible, this letter should come from a faculty member of the English Department at the University of New Mexico. Letters of recommendation should be saved as a .PDF file and submitted here. Questions may be directed to Keelan O'Riley at englishgrad@unm.edu.
Note: Recipients of scholarship awards will be informed by May 1st, recognized at the English Department Graduation Ceremony, and featured on the English Department Blog. No financial award will be given until the recipient provides proof, in the form of a thank you letter, of having sent an acknowledgement of gratitude to the donor.
Available Awards
Dr. E.A. Mares Award for Chicano Literature
Scholarship Objective: Encourage the study of Chicano literature, including poetry, and history
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Up to $900
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Must be enrolled in an English graduate program
Application Process:
Self-nomination
Rudolfo Anaya Fellowship
Scholarship Objective: Seeks to recognize English Department MFA students whose writing shows exceptional promise. In honor of the endowment’s founder, Professor Emeritus and National Humanities Medal Winner Rudolfo Anaya—longtime resident of New Mexico
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Up to $2000
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Preference given to Hispanic students
Application Process:
Self-nomination
Rudolfo Anaya Folklore Scholar Award
Scholarship Objective: Awarded annually to an undergraduate or graduate student with an exceptional record who is involved in some investigative research and writing in the area of New Mexico Folklore
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Up to $300
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Must study folklore from New Mexico, regional literature, or southwestern literature
Application Process:
Self-nomination
Buchanan Arms Award in English
Scholarship Objective: Recognition of academic excellence in the graduate study of literature
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Up to $500
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Graduate student specializing and excelling in the study of literature
Student must be a registered student in the current and previous academic years
Application Process:
Self-nomination
Phyllis Flanders Dorset Scholarship in English Literature
Scholarship Objective: Encourage the study of literature
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Up to $800
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Must be enrolled in an English graduate program focusing on literature
Application Process:
Self-nomination
Howard Dean Everett Scholarship
Scholarship Objective: Encourage academic work among Native American Students majoring in English
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Up to $2,000
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Major GPA of 3.0 or better
Financial need if more than one student is qualified
Application Process:
Self-nomination
Joseph C. Gallagher Scholarship for Study in Ireland and Europe
Scholarship Objective: Encourage academic study of any subject at an institution in Ireland, or the study of an Irish subject at any European university
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Full funding for tuition, travel and living expenses for a year of study abroad
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Must be a full-time UNM student. Must have completed, or be in the process of completing, at least two courses featuring an emphasis on Irish Studies, Irish Literature, Irish History, Irish Politics or Irish Culture, with an overall GPA of 3.25 or better.
Must demonstrate financial need.
Application Process:
Self-nomination. Applications available in the fall semester and due November 15. Contact Dr. Caleb Richardson (cwr@unm.edu) or Dr. Sarah Townsend (sltownse@unm.edu) for an application packet.
Graduate Student Award in Rhetoric and Writing
Scholarship Objective: The first preference is recognition of an MA in Rhetoric and Writing student who presents an outstanding MA Portfolio and defense; second preference is recognition of either an MA or a PhD graduate student in Rhetoric and Writing who has made especially significant contributions to the Rhetoric and Writing Program
Type of Award: Payment to student
Value: Up to $500
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Application Process:
Students are nominated for the award by Rhetoric and Writing professors. For more information, students should speak with their professors about the nomination process.
Hillerman/McGarrity Scholarship in Creative Writing
Scholarship Objective: Seeks to recognize students whose writing shows exceptional promise. In honor of the endowment’s founders, the late Tony Hillerman and mystery writer Michael McGarrity—both longtime residents of New Mexico
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Up to $2,500
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Open to MFA graduate students
Preference given to those students who demonstrate a link to New Mexico, its people and cultural traditions
Application Process:
Self-nomination
Irene B. Kimball Endowed Scholarship
Scholarship Objective: Encourage the study of literature
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Up to $500
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Full or part-time student in the college of Arts and Sciences
Demonstrated financial need
Preference given to Native American students
Additional Criteria:
Unofficial proof of either own or parental financial need
Application Process:
Self-nomination
Mary M. McDonald Scholarship Fund in English
Scholarship Objective: To support students getting a degree in English
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value: Up to $500
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
Application Process:
Self-nomination
Vicente Ximenes Scholarship in Public Rhetoric & Civic Literacy
Scholarship Objective: To encourage and support graduate scholarship and service in the areas of public rhetoric and civic literacy. The scholarship committee may preferentially consider nominees from underserved or underrepresented populations.
Type of Award: Payment to Student
Value of Award: Up to $750
Number of Awards Available: 1 per year
Minimum Requirements:
2nd year or above graduate student in rhetoric and writing (MA or PhD)
Demonstrated satisfactory academic progress toward achieving a degree
Demonstrated scholarship and/or service in public rhetoric and or civic literacy
Application Process:
Self-nomination
