SCHOLARSHIPS

The Social Work Department at Wright State University awards several scholarships annually. These awards are made available through the generous donations of social work graduates and university faculty and staff. A brief description of selection criteria is listed below. Applications must be received in the department by March 1st and are reviewed during Spring Quarter to be awarded for the following academic year. Recipients are expected to submit the University Scholarship application to the Financial Aid office by March 1st as well.

Please note:

Applications must contain additional information required of specific scholarships.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Eligibility for scholarship awards is limited to persons who have been officially admitted to the social work major.
The Blazer Scholarships require a practicum experience and paper related to the prevention of family violence.

The scholarships in the Department are:

The Ellen Wiedemann-Berger Memorial Award

This is the longest standing scholarship awarded in the Social Work Department. It was first established in 1980 by the parents of Ellen Wiedemann-Berger, an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Wright State University who was killed in an auto accident. The faculty of the social work department selects one student each year who highly exemplifies the integrity and values of social work. Students may submit a letter acknowledging their qualifications for this award. Faculty may also submit a written letter of reccomendation for a student to be considered for this award.

Blazer Scholarships

This award was established in 1993 in honor of the late Richard Blazer, a Dayton area social worker. The award is given to students who pursue the area of violence prevention by completing at least one quarter of a practicum in a violence prevention setting and completing a research paper on the topic. Students must submit a letter stating how they will meet the requirements for this award. Upon receiving the award students must select a faculty mentor to discuss the practicum and research paper.

Social Work Scholarships

Funds for the Social Work award come from the annual Wright State University Campus Scholarship Campaign. The awards are given to students under-represented in the major, such as minorites, non-traditional aged students, or students with disabilities. Applicants must clearly demonstrate a financial need that impacts their ability to complete the social work requirements. The student should submit a letter specifying the need and how the scholarship will be utilized, such as toward the purchase of books or transportation.

Gladys Turner Finney Scholarship

The Gladys Turner Finney Social Work Scholarship was established in 1998 to promote and support academic excellence in social work through supplementary aid to African American students with a minimum GPA of 2.75 majoring in social work at WSU. Students may submit a letter acknowledging their qualifications for this award. Faculty may also submit a written letter of recommendation for a student to be considered for this award.

Student Professional Development

The purpose of this award is to provide students a broader exposure to the social work profession through attendance at national, state, and local conferences. Awards cover partial costs of transportation, lodging and food. Students are expected to volunteer at the conference in order to cover registration costs and are encouraged to submit a proposal to present at the conference. Students must submit a request for this award at least two months before the conference. Students must include conference brochures that describe the program and its costs. Students must submit a letter that discusses how attendance at the conference will promote their interest in social work. Students must submit a written report of how they utilized this professional development experience.

Updated March 30, 2007