The School of Social Work at the University of Nevada, Reno, offers four different scholarships to juniors, seniors, and graduate students admitted to the social work program. Scholarship awards and criteria are listed below:
Note: To apply for these scholarships, you must submit a one-page letter indicating which scholarship(s) is/are of interest to you. Include a brief description of relevant activities, employment, and career plans. Each scholarship has slightly different requirements, so be sure to read the description carefully. All applications and letters of interest should be turned in to the School of Social Work Office, AB 523 no later than February 1st.
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The John and Louise Semenza Family Scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate (junior or senior) or graduate student who plans a career in practice within public agencies that serve special needs populations. Eligible candidates must be social work majors and earn a minimum of 24 UNR credits per academic year (fall and spring semesters) and maintain full-time enrollment each semester. Recipients must also maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative University GPA for the duration of the award. A change in major will result in the loss of this scholarship. A THANK YOU NOTE IS REQUIRED.
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The Heather Morsberger Memorial Scholarship is available to undergraduate (junior or senior) and graduate students majoring in social work with an emphasis in child abuse prevention or child abuse protection and must demonstrate a financial need. Eligible candidates must be social work majors and earn a minimum of 24 University of Nevada, Reno, undergraduate or 18 graduate credits per academic year (fall and spring semesters) and maintain full-time enrollment each semester. Recipients must also maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative University GPA for the duration of the award. A change in major will result in the loss of this scholarship.
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The National Association of Social Workers Scholarship is a $500.00 scholarship for either an undergraduate (junior or senior) or a graduate student. A 3.25 GPA is required as is membership in NASW. The essay for this scholarship should focus on commitment to social work and to service and advocacy, as well as plans for continued involvement in the profession and its professional organizations. One scholarship is awarded each year.
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Applicants for the School of Social Work Diversity Scholarships are selected by the School of Social Work and is available to eligible candidates admitted to the program as an undergraduate or graduate student. Recipients must earn a minimum of 24 undergraduate or 18 graduate credits per academic year (fall and spring semesters) and maintain full-time enrollment each semester. Recipients must also maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative University GPA for the duration of the award. A change of major will result in the loss of this scholarship. The Diversity Scholarships honor the profession's commitment to justice and diversity and provide support for students of color and others committed to work with diverse populations. Applicants must submit:
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A letter of introduction which describes why you are applying for the scholarship
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A transcript
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A 1-2 page response to the following question: Examine your feelings and attitudes about human diversity issues, and explore the role and influence of your own racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and/or cultural background in choosing social work as a profession.
Other Scholarships and Awards
Below are a few of the many other scholarships and awards available to social work students.
American Board of Examiners Excellence in Clinical Scholarship
This scholarship is offering $2500 awards to second-year social work master's students in a national competition based on the excellence of papers on clinical practice. A copy of the requirements for this scholarship can be obtained from the School of Social Work office AB 523. For more information or follow-up, please visit their website http://www.abecsw.org or leave a message at (800) 694-5310.
Gosnell Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship is for students whose area of concentration is serving Native-American and Hispanic populations. For more information, contact the NASW Office of Affirmative Action, 750 First Street, NE, Suite 700 Washington DC 20002.
John Fredrick Steinman Fellowship
This scholarship is available to individuals seeking advanced study in social work. For information write to: John F. Steinman Foundation, 8 West King St., Lancaster, PA 17603.
Verne LaMarr Lyons Scholarship
NASW has established a scholarship to honor the memory of Verne LaMarr Lyons. The scholarship will continue his interests in improving health care in African American communities through training social workers. Priority will be given to a candidate who has demonstrated a commitment to working with or has an affinity with the black community. For an application write to: NASW Research and Education Fund; Verne Lyons Scholarship Committee; 750 First Street, NE, Suite 700; Washington, DC, 20002.
The Graham and Jean Sanford Center for Aging
This scholarship is offered to foster greater awareness of aging issues and encourage more students to pursue careers in gerontology and geriatrics. The new Sanford Scholarships provide $2,500 for undergraduates and $5,000 for graduate students. All interested applicants must be full-time students with demonstrated financial need. Undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible to apply if they have a 3.25 GPA while graduate students must have a 3.5 GPA. For more details, please see their website at: www.unr.edu/sanford/funding/scholarships.htm or contact the Sanford Center for Aging at (775) 784-1801.
Soroptimist International of Truckee Meadows Jack Simon Graduate Scholarship
This $3,500 scholarship is awarded annually to a female graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno. Applicants should submit: college transcripts from all colleges attended, three current letters of recommendation preferably from teachers, employers or someone who has worked very closely with you. For more information write to: SITM Education Committee, P.O. Box 20125, Reno, NV, 89515.
Soroptimist International of Truckee Meadows (SITM) Undergraduate & Graduate Scholarship
Fund: Nancy Gomes-Mary Gojack Memorial Scholarships are awarded annually to re-entry women - women who have interrupted academic studies because of family or other considerations and now wish to continue the pursuit of college degrees. Decisions for awards will be based on financial need, family situations, goals and scholarship. To be eligible for this scholarship, students must be enrolled full-time. Contact Soroptomist International of Truckee Meadows, P.O. Box 20125, Reno, NV 89515.
Cavanaugh Community Volunteer Award
All students who are active community volunteers are invited to apply for the $1000 Cavanaugh Community Volunteer Award. Application forms are available in the College of Health and Human Sciences, Sarah Fleischmann Building, room 100.
Henry Albert Senior Public Service Award
These awards go to students who have distinguished themselves in public service, on or off campus, throughout their undergraduate college career. Nominations are due in March. The award is presented each year to no more than four graduating seniors at the "Honor the Best" ceremony in May. Each recipient will receive a $500 award. Names, addresses and telephone numbers of nominees should be submitted by calling (775) 784-4177.
Outstanding Graduate Student Scholarship
The Graduate Student Association of the University of Nevada , Reno offers several scholarships for outstanding, full-time graduate students. These awards are based strictly upon academic involvement, scholarly merit, professional development and community involvement during the applicant's tenure as a University of Nevada, Reno, graduate student. For current information, please visit: http://www.unr.edu/grad.
The Trellis Foundation
The Trellis Foundation is a non-profit business whose purpose is to support growth in the lesbian community in the areas of education, business, research, public affairs and the arts. The Trellis program provides economic support to lesbians attending school, starting businesses, pursuing research, seeking office and creating art. This foundation will award educational scholarships, grants and loans to aid lesbians in furthering their education, vocational skills or attending seminars, workshops or conferences. All applicants must be lesbian and provide a statement of estimated expenses. For more information write to: The Trellis Foundation, P.O. Box 33004, Reno, NV, 89533.
Nevada Womens Fund (NWF)
NWF is a publicly supported community foundation established to raise and allocate monies to Nevada's women and children. The amounts to be awarded will range from $500 and up and may be used for academic study or vocational training. For more information write to: Nevada Women's Fund, 770 Smithridge Dr, Ste 300, Reno, NV 89502, www.nevadawomensfund.org, or call (775) 786-2335.
The American Association of University Women awards over two million dollars annually in scholarships and grants for formal academic study, individual research and community action projects to address education and equity for women and girls. Write or call the AAUW Education Foundation at P.O. Box 4030, Iowa City, IA 52243-4030, (319) 337-1716, Fax (319) 337-1204.
Women's Research & Education Institute's Fellowship Program (WREIF)
For information write to: WREIF, 1700 18th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009, phone: (202) 328-7070.
National Scholarship Research Service (NSRS)
NSRS is a service that provides a personal database search of existing scholarships. There is a $75.00 fee for this service. Contact NSRS, 2280 Airport Blvd., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 (707) 546-6777.
Additional Financial Aid Information
Several part-time, research/teaching assistantships for graduate applicants are available in the School of Social Work. To apply see information included in this admissions packet.
There are also a limited number of internships with stipends. To learn more about these, please contact the Field Education Program Coordinator in the School of Social Work.
For more information on CHHS supplemental scholarships, visit the main College page under Current Students. Finally, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships for University scholarships and schedules.