Ms. Rhonda Kavan, Writing Center coordinator; Dr. Shiloh Carroll, Writing Consultant; Ms. Lori Danley, Writing Consultant; and Mr. Mike Turner, Writing Consultant
You can also set up a scholarship coaching session (either online or in person) with Mr. Mike Turner, mjturner@tnstate.edu, where we look for scholarships and other money tailored to your major and your situation.
Question: “OMG… finding and applying for scholarships is serious business, but it’s time to lighten things up a little. We don’t want to know why you deserve $1,500 or how great your grades are, we simply want to LOL.
Describe an incident in your life, funny or embarrassing (fact or fiction), and make us laugh! (250 words or less)”
Here are some general guidelines for all of Unigo scholarships: “This award is for U.S. students. Must be a legal U.S. resident. Must be a resident of one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. Must be 14 years of age or older at time of application.”
$5,000 Bick First Generation Scholarship, D: Sept 9, 2026, six awarded
Winners announced Oct 10, 2026
First-generation college students who are in high school or enrolled in college or trade school.
To get a good overview of the scholarship and Marcia Bick Herman who inspired the scholarship, click on the link above.
Essay Topic: “To apply, tell us in 500 words or less what being a first-generation student means to you, how you’ve faced and overcome challenges, and how this scholarship would help you move closer to your goals.
Tell us about your dreams, what drives you, and how this scholarship would help you continue your journey. We’re not looking for perfection – we’re looking for honesty, heart, and a clear sense of purpose and determination. (300–500 words)”
$1,000 Building Bridges Scholarship, D: Sept 30, 2026
Selected criteria from web page:
“Each year NPVA (National Parent Volunteer Association) offers merit-based scholarships for students who are committed to volunteering and making a difference in their communities. Our scholarships are open to students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
Be currently enrolled or plan to be enrolled part-time or full-time in an accredited U.S. college or university. Vocational/technical, two-year, four-year, or graduate institutions are eligible.
Be a high school junior or senior, undergraduate student, or graduate student
Have a grade point average of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 system
Recipients must provide an official transcript confirming their reported GPA and proof of enrollment. No transcript or proof of enrollment is required until after students are selected as winners.
Please write an essay of 150 words or fewer describing how you are involved in your community. You may describe any community of which you are a part including school, neighborhood, ethnic, or other.”
$1,000 Courage to Grow Scholarship, D: Sept 30, 2026
Applicants must be current high school juniors, seniors, or college students with a minimum GPA of 2.5. U.S. citizenship is required. Answer the scholarship question of why you deserve this scholarship in 250 words or less.
More than $5,000 in Scholarships that Require More Writing But Help You Grow as a Writer
The following two scholarships are more involved, which means fewer people will apply. Consider taking the time to see what is required and trying them out.
You could make appointments in the TSU Writing Center to help you plan out and go over various parts of the essay as you write them.
Also, you can see previous winners of these competitions and see what they wrote.
$1,000 to Help You Discover More About a Career You Love
$1,000 JonesTshirts.com “Love Your Career” Scholarship, D: Sept 10, 2026
Students attending college or university in the 50 U.S. states.
Write an essay between 1,000-3,000 words where you “outline at least 3 steps that you plan to take in the next year to start a path towards having a career that you love” and “interview a professional in the field that you are looking into” with at least three years or more experience and ask him or her at least three questions from a designated list of questions.
A.I. generated essays are disqualified.
This essay has strict essay and submission requirements, so follow them to the letter.
Note: This scholarship essay has the potential to lead to greater knowledge about yourself and the field you wish to major in. Consider that you win even if you don’t receive the scholarship.
$6,000 in Foreclosure.com and Housing Market Scholarships
$4,000 and $1,000 Foreclosure.com Scholarship, D: Dec 15, 2026
From webpage:
“2026 essay topic: “The Great Housing Reset (2026)” – How is the real estate market shifting?
Low housing inventory and mortgage rates have buyers getting creative shopping for a home, but many are waiting for the real estate market to transition to a more balanced environment. Describe how you expect to see the market shift in the coming year.
Requirements: Here are the text requirements
Minimum 800 words–Maximum 2,000 words
Must have a title for the essay
Essay must be in English
No AI generated essay submission partial or entirely will be accepted
Essay submissions must be sent in as a word documentor PDF documen
Awards: Three winners will be selected
Top prize $4,000
Second and third place will receive $1000 each”
Sign Up for Blog Posts
To receive these posts with active links (including any PDF handouts), go to the Scholarship Tigers blog, scroll down on the right side of the page until you find Email subscription.
Enter your email address, and click the button that says, “Sign me up!”
You should get an email with a link to confirm your subscription. If you don’t see it in your inbox, look for the email in your junk or spam folder.
Online and In-Person Writing Center Appointments Available
The AARC Writing Center at TSU assists students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Tennessee State University.
We can help you with scholarship essays, resumes, applications, or any other writing project.
Ms. Rhonda Kavan, Writing Center coordinator; Dr. Shiloh Carroll, Writing Consultant; Ms. Lori Danley, Writing Consultant; and Mr. Mike Turner, Writing Consultant
You can also set up a scholarship coaching session (either online or in person) with Mr. Mike Turner, mjturner@tnstate.edu, where we look for scholarships and other money tailored to your major and your situation.
Since the TSU Writing Center is not closed during the summer, you can set up appointments with the TSU Writing Center consultants in person or online to help you brainstorm and/or review what you have written
Consider some of the following scholarships as writing projects that you can work on during your Scholarship Summer.
Over $12,000 in Scholarships to Create Writing Projects
Note: Notice that the $10,000 Hyundai Women in STEM Scholarship and the $1,500 Fifth Month Scholarship do not require a GPA. Thus, your writing sample will be the deciding factor
Must be 14 years of age or older at time of application. Must be a legal U.S. resident. Must be a resident of one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. This award is for U.S. students.
Submit an online written response to the question:
“May is the fifth month of the year. Write a letter to the number five explaining why five is important. Be serious or be funny. Either way, here’s a high five to you for being original.” (250 words or less)”
$10,000 Hyundai Women in STEM Scholarship, D: June 30, 2026, five awarded
From webpage:
High school seniors and college undergraduates who identify as female, reside in the United States, and wish to pursue a STEM-related field of education.
“Eligible Recipients
High school seniors and college undergraduates who identify as female, reside in the United States, and wish to pursue a STEM-related field of education.
Essay Prompt: Top Talent Makes the Best Team
At Hyundai, we know the success of a company is only equal to the talent of its team. We seek those who persevere, ask, “Why not?” and dare to make a difference.
In 500 words or less, tell us how, as a woman in STEM, you’ll redefine convention by doing things differently, more efficiently. We want you to succeed—and hopefully even consider working with us one day.”
$1,000 Building Bridges Scholarship, D: Sept 30, 2026
From webpage:
“Applicants must:
Be currently enrolled or plan to be enrolled part-time or full-time in an accredited U.S. college or university. Vocational/technical, two-year, four-year, or graduate institutions are eligible.
Be a high school junior or senior, undergraduate student, or graduate student
Have a grade point average of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 system
Recipients must provide an official transcript confirming their reported GPA and proof of enrollment. No transcript or proof of enrollment is required until after students are selected as winners.
Please write an essay of 150 words or fewer describing how you are involved in your community. You may describe any community of which you are a part including school, neighborhood, ethnic, or other.”
Plan for a Summer of Applying for Scholarship Money
The AARC Writing Center at Tennessee State University does not close for the summer.
You can plan to search for scholarships and apply for them all summer, helping you reach for a more money, less college debt future!
First, sign up for blog posts.
Sign Up for Blog Posts
To receive these posts with active links (including any PDF handouts), go to the Scholarship Tigers blog, scroll down on the right side of the page until you find Email subscription.
Enter your email address, and click the button that says, “Sign me up!”
You should get an email with a link to confirm your subscription. If you don’t see it in your inbox, look for the email in your junk or spam folder
Online and In-Person Writing Center Appointments Available
The AARC Writing Center at TSU assists students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Tennessee State University.
Appointments can be in person or online.
We can help you with scholarship essays, resumes, applications, or any other writing project.
Ms. Rhonda Kavan, Writing Center coordinator; Dr. Shiloh Carroll, Writing Consultant; Ms. Lori Danley, Writing Consultant; and Mr. Mike Turner, Writing Consultant
You can also set up a scholarship coaching session (either online or in person) with Mr. Mike Turner, mjturner@tnstate.edu, where we look for scholarships and other money tailored to your major and your situation.
