Languages and Cultures

West Chester University

Dr. Jerome Williams
109 Main Hall
West Chester, PA 19383
Phone: 610-436-2700
Fax: 610-436-3048
Jerome Williams


Scholarship Awards

Modern Languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish

 Classics: Greek, Hebrew, Latin

 

PICTURED: PREVIOUS AWARD RECIPIENTS

[See some pictures from the 2013 Awards Ceremony]

LANGUAGE SCHOLARSHIPS

A number of Language Department Scholarships are awarded each year. Qualified students are invited to apply for the following scholarships through the Department of Languages and Cultures.

We offer six scholarships and two awards each year to meritorious students in recognition of their achievements in the study of languages. The application form for the six scholarships is available below to download, fill in and submit to the Department of Languages and Cultures, Main Hall 109. (610) 436-2700.

THE MARY-ANN REISS FOREIGN STUDIES AWARD

2012-2013 Recipients: William Zang & Victoria Quig

Mary-Ann Reiss was an Assistant Professor in the WCU Department of Languages and Cultures, 1975-1992, teaching German and Spanish, and supervising student teachers. The author of many articles, reviews, and papers on language learning and literature, she added this generous gift to her years of service as a kind colleague and dynamic teacher. The Mary-Ann Reiss Foreign Studies Award is issued from a trust fund established by Mary-Ann Reiss, and awarded yearly to one or two students. Financial need may be considered, but focus is on the requirements below.

Recipient requirements:

  • Candidate must be Language major planning to participate in a Study Abroad language program, with preference given to those planning a career in teaching.
  • Personal Qualities: responsibility, motivation, maturity, seriousness of purpose.
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA, at least 3.25 in the major or minor.

THE ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT SCHOLARSHIP

2012-2013 Recipient: Victoria Richwine

This scholarship was established in honor of German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), the founder of Plant Geography and the preeminent scholar of his time. He explored much of Latin America, collecting and cataloging the flora of the New World.

Recipient requirements:

The recipient must be an outstanding undergraduate Language major planning to participate in a Study Abroad language program.

THE ALFRED D. ROBERTS LANGUAGE SCHOLARSHIP

2012-2013 Recipient: Regina Deppen

Dr. Alfred D. Roberts, whom this award honors, received his undergraduate degree in Modern Languages from Ursinus College in 1949 as Valedictorian of his class. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in French from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Roberts served as professor of languages at WCU (1959-1988), founding the Language Department at WCU, and serving as chairperson (1962-1974). In addition, Dr. Roberts founded the Junior Year Abroad program in 1963, and was president of the Faculty Senate (1969-1970).

Recipient requirements:

1) The recipient must be an outstanding Language student, who may or may not be a Language major or minor.
2) Candidates must have at least a 3.00 GPA.

THE CELIA ESPLUGAS FOREIGN STUDY AWARD

2012-2013 Recipient: Sabine DaSilva

Dr. Celia Esplugas, who has established this award, completed her B.A. in ESL in her native Argentina. She received an M.ED and an M.A. from Bowling Green State University, Ohio, and her Ph.D. from The University of Toledo, Ohio. She served as professor in the Department of Languages and Cultures from 1990 to 2009. She taught Spanish and culture courses cross listed with Women's Studies and Comparative Literature. She served as Spanish Coordinator and chaired various departmental and university-wide committees, as well as advising students who participated in study-abroad programs. She has published nationally and internationally.

The recipient must be a Hispanic student majoring in any language. In the absence of a qualified Hispanic major, the scholarship will be awarded to a deserving minority student of any ethnic group majoring in a foreign language. If no major meets the stipulated GPA requirements, the scholarship will be awarded to a student pursuing a minor who meets these requirements. The recipient must use the scholarship money (a) to participate in a study-abroad language program, with preference to programs in Argentina and in International University Studies (Seville, Spain), or (b) to defray expenses of his/her language courses, e.g., purchasing books, attending a conference, etc. Candidates will have a minimum 3.0 GPA and at least 3.25 in the major or minor. Applicants will be in the third or fourth year of their undergraduate studies. Candidates should demonstrate outstanding academic ability and leadership potential. Applicants should demonstrate active involvement in the Hispanic/minority community, including community service and plan to continue their contribution to the Hispanic/minority community in the future.

THE MATILDA LIPSCOMB FRENCH STUDY AWARD

2012-2013 Recipient: Dawn McElligott

Matilda C. Lipscomb (1921-2010) was an Associate Professor of French and the Resident Director of the WCU Junior Year Abroad Program in Montpellier, France, from 1969 until her retirement in 1986.

Professor Lipscomb received her undergraduate degree from New York University, and her M.A. from Washington University. In addition to supervising students in the JYA Program, Professor Lipscomb established an exchange program between West Chester University and the Université Paul Valéry in Montpellier. She also taught classes in phonetics, literature and opera, and was very active in the Bibliothèque Américaine in Montpellier, establishing a tutoring service in English for French students.

Recipient requirements:
1. Candidate must be a French language major or minor planning to participate in a language immersion program.
2. Personal Qualities: responsibility, motivation, maturity, seriousness of purpose.
3. Minimum 3.0 GPA in the major or minor.

THE DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND CULTURES

HONORARY AWARDS

The following Department of Languages and Cultures awards are issued each year to outstanding students in the languages noted below. The decisions on these two awards are made independently by the appropriate faculty. STUDENTS SHOULD NOT APPLY FOR THE TWO AWARDS DESCRIBED BELOW.

THE LOMBARDI-PETERS AWARD

2012-2013 Recipient: Barbara Woodin

The award honors the memory of Ronald Lombardi, professor of Italian and Spanish, and Amalia Peters, professor of Spanish. In their collaboration on scholarly and pedagogical endeavors they exemplified the qualities of excellence and professionalism for which WCU and the Department of Languages and Cultures are known.

The Lombardi-Peters Award is conferred on students of Italian and/or Spanish who have demonstrated outstanding ability through course work and/or service. Recipients are nominated and selected by the Spanish and Italian language faculty, based on their GPA, grades in the major or minor, and an assessment of how they exemplify the best student of the year in Spanish and/or Italian.

THE ETHEL M. STALEY AWARD

2012-2013 Recipient: Eileen Rehwald

Dr. Ethel M. Staley taught French at WCU from 1930 to 1952. Each year the French Language section selects an outstanding student to receive an Ethel M. Staley certificate of excellence and cash award.

Scholarship Application