Department of English
Scholarships
The Fresno State Foundation — with additional support from the Alumni Association and the Division of Research and Graduate studies — awarded 42 scholarships worth more than $52,500 to students majoring in English and creative writing for 2023-24. These scholarship awards, through nominations by English Department faculty, come from endowment funds and gifts to the university. Awards range from $500 to $10,000.
The English scholarship committee is chaired by Dr. William Arce. The creative writing scholarship committee is chaired by Prof. Brynn Saito. The department's representative on the College of Arts and Humanities development committee is Dr. René Rodríguez-Astacio.
Two scholarships of $500 -- one at the undergraduate and one at the graduate level -- are awarded each fall to students who demonstrate significant interest in Chicano/a culture and/or history and who are pursuing a career in the field of creative writing.
Students apply through the Department's call for submissions, and selection is made by an outside judge chosen by the creative writing faculty.
One scholarship (amount varies) is awarded every other fall, in odd-numbered years, to a graduate student studying poetry in the Creative Writing MFA program.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection is made by the creative writing faculty.
This is an apply-to award; students must select the opportunity to qualify.
One fellowship of $1,000 is awarded each fall to a third-year poetry student in the Creative Writing MFA program, as nominated by the poetry faculty.
Scholarships (amounts vary) are awarded each fall to students in the liberal arts who are studying literature and writing, with preference given to incoming graduate students in the Creative Writing MFA program.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection is made by the creative writing faculty.
This is an auto-match award; English Department students automatically qualify.
Scholarships (amounts vary) are awarded each fall to students with a declared major in the English Department, all programs.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection is made by the faculty.
This is an auto-match award; English Department students automatically qualify.
Scholarships (amounts vary) are awarded each fall to students with a declared major in the English Department, all programs.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection is made by the English faculty.
This is an auto-match award; English Department students automatically qualify.
One scholarship (amount varies) is awarded each fall to a student who demonstrates significant interest in pursuing a career in creative writing, with preference given to a second- or third-year student in the Creative Writing MFA program.
Students will apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection will be made by the creative writing faculty.
This is an apply-to award; students must select the opportunity to qualify.
One scholarship of $1,000 is awarded each fall to a student studying creative writing, with preference given to undergraduate English - Creative Writing majors.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection is made by the English faculty.
This is an auto-match award; English Department students automatically qualify.
One scholarship (amount varies) is awarded each fall to a deserving student based on compelling writing and artistic potential in English or Creative Writing, with preference given to a second- or third-year student in the Creative Writing MFA program.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection is made by the creative writing faculty.
This is an auto-match award; English Department students automatically qualify.
One scholarship (amount varies) is awarded each fall to a student who is pursuing a degree in English who demonstrates significant interest in multiethnic literatures.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection will be made by the English faculty.
This is an apply-to award; students must select the opportunity to qualify.
Scholarships (amounts vary) are awarded each fall to students who are pursuing a degree in English.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection is made by the English faculty.
This is an auto-match award; English Department students automatically qualify.
Two scholarships (amount varies) are awarded each fall to students who demonstrate significant interest in the Hmong or Asian American cultural experience.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection is made by the creative writing faculty.
This is an auto-match award; English Department students automatically qualify.
One scholarship (amount varies) is awarded each fall to a second- or third-year student in the Creative Writing MFA program.
Students apply through the University's general scholarship application, and selection is made by the creative writing faculty.
This is an apply-to award; students must select the opportunity to qualify.
Fresno State's current scholarship application period begins October 1, 2021 and ends March 2, 2022. This application period is for current-year scholarship opportunities that may become available during the 2021-22 academic year, as well as for future-year scholarship opportunities for the 2022-23 academic year.
Please note there are different deadline dates for the various scholarship opportunities offered at Fresno State. Because these deadline dates can change without notice, please do not procrastinate on finishing the application process. If you are enrolled at Fresno State, submit your scholarship application as soon as possible. This will allow you to be considered for current-year opportunities that may become available, as well as future-year opportunities.
To apply for English and creative writing scholarships listed on this webpage, please complete the Fresno State general scholarships application.
2023-24 Recipients
Andrés Montoya Memorial Scholarships
- David R. Carrasco-Gomez (B.A. English Studies)
- Hermelinda Hernandez Monjaras (MFA Creative Writing)
Benck Family Scholarship for Poetry
- sami h. tripp (MFA Creative Writing)
C.G. Hanzlicek Poetry Writing Fellowship
- Tony Vang (MFA Creative Writing)
Cheng Lok Chua Scholarship
- Hope Vang (M.A. English - Literature)
College of Arts and Humanities - general scholarships
- Cameron Baker (B.A. English - Literature)
- Hermelinda Hernandez Monjaras (MFA Creative Writing)
- Joseph LeForge (M.A. English - Literature)
- sami h. tripp (MFA Creative Writing)
- Giovany Villalobos (B.A. English Studies)
- Callie Weiler (M.A. English - Literature)
College of Arts and Humanities - Dean's Council Scholarships
- Devynn Brown (B.A. English - Literature)
- Jasmine Kaur (M.A. English - Literature)
- Brian G. Rojas (MFA Creative Writing)
Edward and Alberta Brown Scholarships
- Miguel Ángeles (MFA Creative Writing)
- H Bryan (MFA Creative Writing)
- Soreath Hok (MFA Creative Writing)
- Angelina Leaños (MFA Creative Writing)
- Phoua Lee (MFA Creative Writing)
- Stefan Leiva (MFA Creative Writing)
- Shannon Matalone (MFA Creative Writing)
- Yamille Moss (MFA Creative Writing)
- Juana Santana (MFA Creative Writing)
- Taylor Seals (MFA Creative Writing)
- Anthony Shemaria (MFA Creative Writing)
- Chou Xiong (MFA Creative Writing)
English Department Scholarship in memory of H. Ray McKnight
- Luis Granados Torres (M.A. English - Literature)
English Department Scholarship in memory of Jean Pickering
- Hannah G. Leece (B.A. English - Literature)
English Department Scholarship in memory of Peter Everwine
- Dawn Parker (B.A. English - Creative Writing)
English Department Scholarship in honor of John and Corrinne Hales
- Alberto Saldaña Uribe (MFA Creative Writing)
Larry Levis Memorial Scholarship
- Caleigh Camara (MFA Creative Writing)
Philip Levine Scholarship
- James T. Morrison (MFA Creative Writing)
Professor Emeritus Eugene Zumwalt Scholarships
- Audrey Bergen (B.A. English - Creative Writing)
- Katie Bergman (B.A. English - Literature)
- Aura Peredia (B.A. English - Creative Writing)
Soul Vang Scholarships in honor of Nouchue Vang and Ying Yang Vang
- Soreath Hok (MFA Creative Writing)
- Phoua Lee (MFA Creative Writing)
- Chou Xiong (MFA Creative Writing)
Whitey Alan Fisher Memorial Scholarship
- Yamille Moss (MFA Creative Writing)
Division of Research and Graduate Studies - Nonresident Tuition Waiver Award
- Laura Fredd (MFA Creative Writing)
- Kathryn Neves (MFA Creative Writing)
- Juana Santana (MFA Creative Writing)
.
The English Department's annual Creative Writing Prize contests are organized each spring by the Creative Writing Program, with financial support from the Academy of American Poets and community donors. The faculty coordinator for the prizes is Prof. Brynn Saito.
2024 Winners
Read the full news release on the MFA blog
Ernesto Trejo Poetry Prize (graduate)
- Winner: Phoua Lee
- Honorable Mention: Hermelinda Hernandez Monjaras
Larry Levis Poetry Prize (undergraduate)
- Winner: Emily Peacock
- Honorable Mention: Analaura Flores
Soul Vang Prize for Poetry
- Winner: Phoua Lee
Mireyda Barraza Martinez Prize for Social Justice Writing (graduate)
- Winner: Phoua Lee
- Honorable Mention: Angela Medina-Felix
Mireyda Barraza Martinez Prize for Social Justice Writing (undergraduate)
- Winner: Kaylee Ruiz
- Honorable Mention: Emily Peacock
Fresno Fiction Prize (graduate)
- Winner: Phoua Lee
- Honorable Mention: Stefan Leiva
Fresno Fiction Prize (undergraduate)
- Winner: Stella Luna Velez
- Honorable Mention: Celeste Jones
Fresno Creative Nonfiction Prize (graduate)
- Winner: Jacob Simmons
- Honorable Mentions: Angela Medina-Felix and Sharon K. McClain
Fresno Creative Nonfictin Prize (undergraduate)
- Winner: Stella Luna Velez
- Honorable Mention: Analaura Flores
English and creative writing students excel in their scholarly and creative work, and they consistently achieve significant academic honors and professional accolades. The education they receive today will help them to make a difference in our communities tomorrow.
Your generous donations to English Department scholarships and projects directly help our students achieve their goals. We greatly appreciate the support of our donors.
If you would like to contribute to an existing scholarship or establish one of your own, please contact Dr. John Beynon, department chair, at jbeynon@csufresno.edu or 559.278.2553.