English

The William W. Jenkins Creative Writing Scholarship

Contact: Dr. Erin Hoover, 931-372-3347

The department of English at Tennessee Tech invites all students currently majoring in English to apply for the William W. Jenkins Creative Writing Scholarship. 

About The Scholarship

Dr. William W. Jenkins was a professor of English at Tennessee Tech from 1968 to 1994. Upon his death in 2001 an endowment was established through his estate to promote student interest in literary studies and writing. This fund now supports a variety of scholarships for majors in the Department of English. The recipient of this creative writing award will receive up to a $1000 scholarship.

Please note, student prize winnings and scholarship awards are paid directly into students' accounts. If the accounts are up to date and in good standing, these funds are then paid directly to the student.

Eligibility Requirements

The recipient of the William W. Jenkins Creative Writing Scholarship must be a undergraduate majoring in a field within the Department of English during the current academic year. The recipient must complete one or more creative writing courses (ENGL 2400, 4430, 4440, 4450, 4460, 4470) at Tennessee Tech by the current spring semester. The recipient must also be in good standing in accordance with current institutional polices. 

Application Process

1. Applicants must submit a portfolio of up to 20 pages (maximum) of original works of creative writing – fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and/or drama – written during their academic careers at Tennessee Tech. 
2. Work which has been submitted for grades in creative writing courses and/or has received awards and/or has been published may be included in the portfolio.
3. Only works of poetry, fiction (short stories and excerpts from novels), creative nonfiction, and drama are eligible.
4. The portfolio may include examples of creative work written in one or more genre. In other words, the portfolio can consist of a collection of poems, or one full length short story or essay, or a lengthy excerpt from a novel or play OR the portfolio may include a combination of creative work, such as a group of poems and a complete short story OR two or more short stories or creative essays OR excerpts from novels and plays, etc. Note: Excerpts should be long enough and relatively self-contained to provide an adequate basis for assessment.
5. Printed portfolios will NOT be returned. If you submit in hard copy, make copies of your work before submitting your portfolio!

Portfolio Format

1. Prose works should be typed double-spaced, with one-inch margins and with page numbers appearing in the upper right-hand corners of all pages.
2. Poems should be typed single-spaced. All poems must be titled. An untitled work should use its first line as the title.
3. Drama (dialogues) may be typed single-spaced with double-spacing used to separate characters’ speeches. Page numbers must appear in the upper right-hand corner of all pages.
4. Work may be submitted electronically to Dr. Erin Hoover or dropped off in hard copy format at Henderson Hall 320.  Regardless of submission format, include a cover page labeled William W. Jenkins CW Scholarship / applicant’s full name / current mailing address / telephone number / email address / academic major / year in school / T number.
5. If entering a printed submission: Place your submission in a sturdy folder (not a ring-binder). Label the folder Attn: Dr. Hoover. 

Deadline For Submissions

All portfolios must be received by email or in the English Department, Henderson Hall 320, no later than Friday, March 22, 2024 by 4:00 p.m.  

Judging

Portfolios will be judged in 2024 by Dr. Monic Ductan, Dr. Erin Hoover, and Dr. Ted Pelton. Should too few portfolios be submitted or the quality of submissions be considered excessively weak, no award will be given.