Department of English
- Arts and Humanities
- Department of English
- Our Students
- Scholarships


Scholarships
The Fresno State Foundation and the Fresno State Alumni Association annually award more than $43,500 in scholarships to students majoring in English and creative writing. 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 Arcé. 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.
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 spring to a second-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.
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 (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.
Four 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.
The department's 2021-22 scholarship award recipients are featured below.
Alexander Abraham
B.A. English Education
• Eugene Zumwalt Scholar
Ryan Bilbee
M.A. English
• Dean's Council Scholar
Caleigh Camara
MFA Creative Writing
• Edward and Alberta Brown Scholar
Mialise Carney
MFA Creative Writing
• Nonresident Fee Waiver Awardee
Aidan Castro
MFA Creative Writing
• Andrés Montoya Scholar
Alea Droker
B.A. English
• Eugene Zumwalt Scholar
Alexis Garcia
B.A. English - Literature
• Carrol Moon Scholar
• Eugene Zumwalt Scholar
Rachel Greenmyer
MFA Creative Writing
• C. G. Hanzlicek Fellow
Hermelinda Hernandez Monjaras
MFA Creative Writing
• Andrés Montoya Scholar
• Edward and Alberta Brown Scholar
Sam Hidde Tripp
MFA Creative Writing
• Edward and Alberta Brown Scholar
• Nonresident Fee Waiver Awardee
Sydney Allison Hinton
MFA Creative Writing
• Dean's Council Scholar
• Nonresident Fee Waiver Awardee
Juan Huerta
MFA Creative Writing
• Edward and Alberta Brown Scholar
Sheriahna Irvin
M.A. English
• Frank and Roxie Moradian Scholar
Lee Lee
MFA Creative Writing
• Philip Levine Scholar
Janette Lopez Villalobos
B.A. English Education
• Eugene Zumwalt Scholar
Maiyang Lor
S.S. English Teaching Credential
• Cheng Lok Chua Scholar
Andrea A. Marin Contreras
MFA Creative Writing
• Edward and Alberta Brown Scholar
Faith McKesson
B.A. English - Literature
• Eugene Zumwalt Scholar
Melinda Medeiros
MFA Creative Writing
• Frank and Roxie Moradian Scholar
Kathryn Neves
MFA Creative Writing
• Nonresident Fee Wavier Awardee
Delaney R. Whitebird Olmo
MFA Creative Writing
• Larry Levis Scholar
Shelby Pinkham
MFA Creative Writing
• Benck Family Scholar
Brian Rojas
MFA Creative Writing
• Edward and Alberta Brown Scholar
Alberto Saldaña Uribe
MFA Creative Writing
• Edward and Alberta Brown Scholar
Tony Vang
MFA Creative Writing
• Soul Vang Scholar
Ivan Villanueva
B.A. English Education
• Dean's Council Scholar
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. Melanie Hernandez, department chair, at melanieh@csufresno.edu or 559.278.2553.