The Coe College Writing Scholarship
The Writing Scholarship, awarded in amounts ranging from $1,000 and up, is the perfect opportunity to both demonstrate your writing skills and get a hold of some extra money.
To apply for the Coe Writing Scholarship, all you need to do is submit a portfolio of your work. This portfolio should demonstrate your ability, and so we encourage you to submit a variety of your best works--essays, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and other prose are just a few suggestions. Tell us why you chose these works, and what they each demonstrate about you as a writer. Tell us what or who influences your writing, your experience in writing, or why you like to write.
To help you get started, here are some excerpts from past submissions:
- Tell us about your writing
"If I said I enjoyed writing, then I would be telling a half-truth. I enjoy writing silly little stories to make others laugh. I enjoy having ideas and thinking 'Yeah, that would make a great story.' ...I enjoy the thought of being able to sit down at a computer, or at my desk with a pen and a notebook, and write whatever comes naturally." -Elizabeth Mathews, class of 2005
"I would describe myself as a very descriptive and elaborate writer. My papers are always longer than the requirements, and I explain things thoroughly using quotations and specific examples. I also see myself as a well-rounded writer, because I have had the opportunity to write in many different styles." -Kimberly Walsh, class of 2005
- Tell us about who or what influences your writing
"My sister, Katie Sue, who is currently a junior in college, has been an influence on my writing. We would write poems together on the metal heat duct in her bedroom with her magnetic poetry. We often shared some of our personal writings, and I always marveled at the way her words spoke to me." -Elizabeth Nicklos, class of 2005
- Tell us about the works in your portfolio
"The pieces that I have included in the portfolio range in purpose. Several, including 'A Rose Such As Daisy,' 'Egocentricity at Tier Zero,' and 'One More For My Baby,' were written in order to fulfill a requirement for class. 'A Bias "Gloria!"' was originally intended to be used as an entrance application essay for colleges; instead I am considering forming it into a speech piece for the season." -Laura Rousslang, class of 2004
"The next piece is a myth I did for Creative Writing class last year. We had to incorporate some of the gods and goddesses we had just studied into a story that explained a natural disaster. The first thing I always have to do when I start a story is get the characters all named. That's the hardest part." -Heather Petsche, class of 2005
There are no specific requirements for how to format your portfolio, or what to include. Simply make it a reflection of yourself and have fun with it! If you have further questions on the portfolio, please contact the Coe Admissions Office.
