Scholarships and Awards

The English Department offers awards and scholarships for outstanding majors, for general need, and for writing (scholarly and creative).

Outstanding Majors

• Cole-Taylor-Townsend Scholarship
  • Endowed in memory of Lizzie Taylor Cole, Effie Taylor, and Dr. and Mrs. E.G. Townsend, this scholarship is designated for an outstanding English major.
  • The English Faculty will award this scholarship via a nominating system. Students nominated may be required to provide a writing sample for final decision making.
• Stella P. Ross Memorial Medal
  • This award is designated to the student who makes the most progress in English during the school year.
  • The recipient shall be selected by members of the English faculty of the University, with preference given to new majors (freshmen and sophomores).
  • Students may be required to submit a writing sample for final decision making.

Need-based Scholarship

• Vann English Scholarship
  • Awarded to an upper-level (Junior/Senior) student majoring in English, based on need and merit. The funds are given by members and friends of the William H. Vann and Osee Maedgen Vann family, long-time teachers at UMHB.
  • The English Faculty will award this scholarship via a nominating system. Students nominated will be required to submit a statement of need (150 – 350 words) and may be required to provide a writing sample for final decision making.

Writing Awards (scholarly and creative)

• The W. F. Hutmacher Scholarly Writing Award
  • This endowed award will be given to a student who has presented scholarly work through the English Department’s Undergraduate Research Program and/or University Scholars’ Day.
  • The overseers of the Undergraduate Research Program will choose the recipient of this award, with input from the rest of the English Faculty.
• Bryan B. and Pauline Larimer Binford Endowed Scholarship
  • Established through the estate of Mr. & Mrs. B. B. Binford of Waco, TX. Mrs. Binford, Class of 1926, was Poet Laureate of Texas until her death. This scholarship will be awarded to the full-time English major who submits the best poem for the current year’s issue of the Baylorian.
  • The Creative Writing Professor and the Baylorian sponsor will select this award, with possible inclusion of another English Department faculty member to serve as a tie-breaker.
• The Evelyn McFatridge Brashears Awards (Vignette, Poetry, All Literature)
  • These awards are given to English majors on behalf of Mr. Charles E. McFatridge in honor of his sister, Mrs. Evelyn M. Brashears, former English professors at UMHB.
  • Submission of creative writing for possible publication in the Baylorian will be considered application for these awards.
  • The Creative Writing Professor and the Baylorian sponsor will select these awards, with possible inclusion of another English Department faculty member to serve as a tie-breaker.
• Sigma Tau Delta Short Story Award
  • Presented annually by Sigma Tau Delta, National Honorary English Fraternity, for the best short story of the year.
  • Submission of creative writing for possible publication in the Baylorian will be considered application for this award.
  • The Creative Writing Professor and the Baylorian sponsor will select this award, with possible inclusion of another English Department faculty member to serve as a tie-breaker.