College Scholarships & Awards

To be eligible for this scholarship, students must:
1. Have applied for admission into a CHSS Graduate Degree or Certificate program for the Fall 2021 semester
2. Submit a FAFSA (or TAFSA) application. (This information will be used to determine financial need. Students must have demonstrated financial need in order to receive this scholarship).
3. Submit the CHSS Entering Graduate Student Scholarship application form by August 30, 2021.

This is a need-based scholarship. Eligible students will be selected for this scholarship in the order their CHSS Entering Graduate Student Scholarship application form was received until funds are exhausted.

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To eligible for this scholarship, you must be a CHSS major, have a 3.0 or higher UHD GPA, and be enrolled in a minimum of 9 hours. In 350-500 words, describe the importance of finishing your degree in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Houston-Downtown.

Nicole M LaRose, Assistant Professor of English at the University of Houston-Downtown passed away in 2011. This young scholar's published work examines how questions of community, identity, and technology are explored in texts centered in and around the sprawling metropolis of London, a city that exerted a particular fascination to her. Dr. LaRose invited her readers to see cities as places of contradiction and confusion, but also as sources of discovery and community.

LaRose Funds are intended to support the research and creative activity of students in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at UHD. Applications are reviewed by a committee of faculty from CHSS. All funds must be used to support student research or creative activity. Applicants may request funding to support any research or creative activity needs, including but not limited to the following: purchase of books or materials to conduct research, travel to attend a conference, travel/admissions costs to gather data or view materials (books, art, etc.), etc.

The committee will review all materials and make awards based on the strength of the overall set of materials, with special attention to applicants who demonstrate strong writing skills and a research interest that suggests potential for creative/independent thinking. While a proposal may be based on work done for a course, these scholarships are not intended to fund the purchase of materials required for a course or course project that is assigned as part of the regular coursework.

To be considered for this award, applicants must:

• be a certified full-time undergraduate (at least 12 semester credit hours) or graduate (at least 9 semester credit hours) certificate or degree seeking student in good financial and academic standing at the University of Houston-Downtown.
• have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of application.
• be in good financial standing with the university at the time of application.
• plan to be enrolled at UHD during the period in which the award will be used.

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Download the Recommendation Form (PDF)

Dr. Susan K Ahern came to UHD in 1983 to teach English. As an associate professor, she received the Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. Later, she served as Department Chair before becoming Dean in 2003. Through her tenure as faculty member and dean, Dr. Ahern had a passion for exposing students to visual, literary, and cultural arts and she worked diligently to develop opportunities to expose UHD students to these creative endeavors.

This award is restricted to expenses associated with credit bearing coursework at UHD, including tuition, books, fees, and/or supplies for the coming academic semester. To be considered for this award, applicants must have a cumulative grade point average that is above 3.0. Please note that awardees must enroll full-time (12 semester credit hours for undergraduates, 9 semester credit hours for graduates) during the semester s/he receives an Ahern scholarship.

To be eligible for the Susan Kiernan Ahern Endowed Scholarship, students must be a declared major in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and must be in good academic and financial standing at the university.

This scholarship is named for Alicia Spencer Castillo, the late mother of Max S. Castillo, former president of UHD, and Martha Spencer-Castillo Nitschke.

This award is restricted to expenses associated with credit bearing coursework at UHD, including tuition, books, fees, and/or supplies for the coming academic semester. Please note that awardees must enroll in at least 12 semester credit hours during the semester s/he receives a Castillo scholarship.

To be considered for this award, applicants must:

• be a declared undergraduate major in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
• have a cumulative grade point average that is above 3.0

Please note that awardees must enroll in at least 12 semester credit hours during the semester s/he receives a Castillo scholarship.

To be eligible for the Alicia Spencer Castillo Memorial Scholarship, students must be a declared major in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and must be in good academic and financial standing at the university.

Established by The Association for Women Journalists, the Christy Drennan Memorial scholarship is given to no more than two students, annually.; This award is restricted to expenses associated with credit bearing coursework at UHD, including tuition, books, fees, and/or supplies for the coming academic semester. To be considered for this award, applicants must

• be enrolled in a degree or certificate undergraduate or graduate program at UHD.
• demonstrate an interest in pursuing a career in print, electronic, or online journalism.

To be eligible for the Christy Drennan Memorial Scholarship, students must be a degree-seeking student in good standing at UHD. Explain why you want a career in journalism (350-500 words)

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This scholarship was established in 1994 thanks to the generosity of Bruce M. Engstrom and Betty J. Engstrom. This scholarship is intended for undergraduate English majors who have proven to be leaders in the University and/or the greater Houston Community.

This award is restricted to expenses associated with credit bearing coursework at UHD, including tuition, books, fees, and/or supplies for the coming academic semester.

To be considered for this award, applicants must:

• be a declared English major
• have a cumulative grade point average that is above 2.0

To be eligible for the following award, students must be a declared English major; registered full-time in the semester of their application and award; and be in good academic and financial standing at the university. This is an essay and not a paragraph that should be 350-500 words.

The Brigman Endowed Scholarship is intended to support student activities in the Political Science program in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at UHD. Applications will be reviewed by a committee of Political Science faculty.

Applicants may request funding to support any activity to enrich and enhance the study of Political Science including but not limited to the following: tuition assistance, purchase of books, travel to attend a conference, conference registration, student organized political science activities and events at University of Houston-Downtown, etc.

To be considered for this award, applicants must:

• Full-time status in semester of application: undergraduate (at least 12 semester credit hours).
• Declared political science major.
• Must have a minimum of 30 semester credit hours at UHD.
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the time of application.
• In good standing with the university at the time of application.
• Must enroll in 12 or more semester credit hours at UHD during the period in which the award will be used.
• Candidates involved in political, community or student activities will be given special consideration.

* Awardees can receive only one Brigman scholarship per academic year.