Competitive Scholarships

The Willamette University Debate Union is the oldest debate program in the Western United States and serves as an extracurricular activity for students across the academic spectrum.

The application requires:

• A resume highlighting past experiences;
• A response to one of the prompts from the list below. Responses are limited to no more than 500 words.
  • A) Why are you interested in joining our speech and debate team, and what experiences have prepared you to be a successful contributor to it?
  • B) If you joined our speech and debate team, how would the experience contribute to the success of your post-graduation plans? In other words, what would you gain from this experience, and how do you plan to apply it in the future?
• A reference letter from, or contact information for your speech/debate coach, high school principal, or another representative who can speak to your debate abilities.

Scholarships are awarded up to $4,000 annually.

Recipients are required to enroll in the Collegiate Debate course each semester. Recipients must also participate in the Willamette University Debate Union and at a competition at least twice each semester – once as a competitor, and once as a judge.

The Dempsey Scholars program values academically accomplished students looking to get a jump start on their career in environmental studies. Excellent applicants have a clear passion for environmental science and a commitment to civic engagement.

The application requires:

• Responses to each of the essay questions below. Each response is limited to no more than 500 words.
  • Discuss your interest in environmental science. Indicate your primary areas of interest and your academic and professional goals. Please include any leadership, service, or research experiences (current or future) that will help you reach these goals.
  • Please reflect upon your experience in environmental science so far. How has it shaped your personal development and academic goals? What skills have you developed so far? In what areas do you think you need the most work?

Scholarships are awarded up to $4,000 annually.

Renewal requires an annual application. To be prioritized for renewal, recipients must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.3 and declare a major in environmental science. Participation in department activities, such as assisting faculty and facilitating co-curricular programs, is expected, but not required.

This scholarship, made possible due to a $6 million endowed gift from FamilyCare Health and the Heatherington Foundation, is for students who have an interest in learning how to improve lives and build healthy communities through Public Health. Participants will collaborate with one another, with faculty, and with the FamilyCare Pre-Health Director to dive deep into important issues such as disease prevention, access to care and environmental health.

Recipients of the Heatherington Scholarship have a record of commitment to public health equity through a combination of involvement in extracurricular school-based activities, community service and employment and will demonstrate financial need through submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The application requires:

• Responses to each of the essay questions below. Each response must be at least 250 words.
  • How have your identities, communities, or lived experience influenced your initial and ongoing interest in public health?
  • Please tell us about one or more ways in which you have been engaged in public or community health.
  • Please tell us a bit about your goals for the future. How do you hope to develop and apply your interest in public or community health during your time at Willamette and beyond?
• Submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate financial need.

Scholarships are awarded up to $11,500 annually.

The declaration of a major in public health is encouraged, but is not required. Renewal requires annual submission of the FAFSA and continued demonstration of financial need.

Willamette's music ensembles and programs seek talented students to participate at all levels. Scholarships are awarded to both music majors and non-majors who demonstrate ability and achievement in composition or vocal or instrumental performance.

The application requires:

• A video audition. All video auditions should be 10-15 minutes in length and must be uploaded as “unlisted” or “public” to YouTube. Videos must be labeled with your name and include information about your audition pieces, including titles, composers, movements, and performers, as appropriate.
  • Classical Musicians: Instrumental and Vocal
    • Prepare two or three pieces that have contrasting styles and tempos, and which demonstrate your ability to perform both rapid and lyrical passages. Select literature from the solo, not ensemble repertoire.
      • Instrumentalists may include etudes and studies.
      • Vocalists must sing at least one piece in a foreign language. You may also choose a piece from the musical theater genre or a jazz standard.
  • Jazz Musicians
    • Prepare two or three pieces showing a variety of styles and tempos that you can both perform as written material and with improvisation.
    • The recorded performance should have a rhythm section be it “live” or prerecorded.
  • Composers
    • Composers must audition on an instrument (or voice) and submit a portfolio of compositions.
• Details about your training/experience in music, including any honors/awards you may have received.
• Contact information (first and last name, title, email address) for your private lesson instructor and/or music ensemble director, so that they can send us a reference letter on your behalf.

Scholarships are awarded up to $10,000 annually.

Renewal is based on an annual evaluation by the faculty. Recipients must join at least one of Willamette’s music ensembles, enroll and complete a music scholarship class during their first year, and take private lessons through the music department.

With robust experiential, research and internship opportunities, the STEM fields are among the most popular at Willamette. For students with academic promise and a strong passion for these subjects, the STEM Fellows Program provides financial support, additional peer and faculty mentorship, academic support, and more.

The application requires:

• A short essay response to the questions below, in no more than 250 words each:
  • What are your interests within STEM? What are some experiences you’ve had that have influenced these interests?
  • How do you see your future career incorporating STEM?
  • How do you see collaborative work and the importance of community in your STEM training at Willamette?
• Contact information for a science or math teacher, so that we can connect with them about your application, if needed. They will not be asked to provide a letter of recommendation.

Scholarships are awarded up to $5,000 annually. Other benefits of this program include:

• Your required summer advising and course registration appointment will be led by a STEM faculty advisor to ensure you have support from STEM faculty from the start.
• In addition to your major advisor, you’ll have a dedicated STEM advisor to assist with career preparation and other advising needs.
• Enrollment in the STEM-themed College Colloquium class.

Recipients must pursue a major in one of the following: biology, chemistry, computer science, data science, environmental science, exercise and health science, mathematics, physics, or pre-engineering.

Renewal requires the fulfillment of all program requirements.

Willamette’s Studio Art Department offers students with a serious commitment to studio art and the artistic community courses across traditional mediums and experimental practices.

The application requires:

• A digital portfolio of 5-10 work samples, which can include works-in-progress and up to 1-2 video excerpts, of no more than one minute each. All types of artwork are acceptable. All files should be in Google Drive in a shared format.
• A response to the following prompt, in no more than 500 words:
  • How does art influence contemporary society, and how do you want to use art to affect change?

Scholarships are awarded up to $4,000 annually.

Recipients are required to declare a major or minor in studio art, participate in Studio Art Department events for either six hours each semester, or 12 hours each academic year. This includes installation projects before major art shows, gallery and studio maintenance, and assisting faculty. Recipients must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in studio art courses.

Willamette’s Theatre Department performs a variety of plays and musicals every year, and seeks passionate, dedicated students, who will pursue a major in theatre, to participate in every element of theatrical production.

The application requires:

• A showcase of your prior experience.
  • For performers, a digital audition consisting of a Shakespearean monologue 20-30 lines in length, a one-minute contemporary monologue, and an optional two-minute song.
  • For design/technical students, a portfolio of your work which you will have fifteen minutes to present to the faculty during an interview.
• A response to the following prompt, in no more than 500 words:
  • What do you think 21st Century theatre will look like in the next 20 years and what do you hope your role will be in creating that new theatre?
• Contact information for your most recent drama teacher or director.
• A headshot; and,
• Your current theatre resume.

Finalists will be invited to interview with department faculty.

Scholarships are awarded up to $12,000 annually.

Renewal is based on an annual evaluation by the faculty. Scholarship recipients are required to declare a major in theatre or musical theatre, enroll in at least one theatre class per semester, and fully participate in every production in a given year, including, but not limited to the production itself, as well as department meetings and strikes, rehearsal and crew commitments. Recipients will work three hours a week and enroll in Acting I and Voice for the Stage in their first year, and must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.