Competitive Scholarships

Willamette is the only university in the U.S. that is listed among both the nation's best liberal arts colleges and top business schools. Our undergraduate business majors learn directly from our MBA professors and benefit from unique pathways to an accelerated management degree.

Application Requirements:

• A response to one of the prompts from the list below. Response is limited to no more than 500 words.
  • At its core, business is about identifying problems and creating sustainable solutions. Identify a specific problem in your community or the broader world that you are passionate about. How would you use the tools of business, entrepreneurship, or management to help solve it?
  • The global business landscape is rapidly evolving due to artificial intelligence, shifting work cultures, and changing global economies. What do you think the business world will look like in the next 20 years, and how do you hope to lead or innovate within that new environment during your time at Willamette and beyond?

Award Amount: $8,500 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: While this award encourages exploration of the Business major and accelerated MBA program, students may ultimately maintain the scholarship regardless of declared major(s) and minor(s).

Willamette University is located closer to a state capitol than any campus in the nation, providing unique opportunities for civic engagement, public service, and exposure to policy and law-making. The Capital Scholars Award honors students with an interest in policy and politics and a desire to incorporate these areas in their academic and/or extracurricular life at Willamette.

Application Requirements:

• A response to two of the three prompts from the list below. Responses are limited to no more than 500 words.
  • When and how did you first become aware of the importance of politics?
  • Please tell us about a policy area that most interests you and why. What questions do you have about that policy area?
  • What are your goals related to politics that you hope to accomplish at Willamette?

Award Amount: $8,500 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: While award recipients are strongly encouraged to explore the Politics, Policy, Law, and Ethics major and/or the Law School Bound program, students may ultimately maintain the scholarship regardless of declared major(s) and minor(s).

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.

Application Requirements:

• 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.

Award Amount: $4,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: 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.

Willamette’s location in the beautifully diverse landscape of the Pacific Northwest in combination with our seat at the heart of state policy-making makes us an ideal place for students with an interest in and aptitude for environmental studies. We offer two scholarship opportunities for students with an interest in and commitment to environmental science: the Cascades Scholars program and the Dempsey Scholars program.

Application Requirements:

• 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?

Award Amount:

• The Cascades Scholarships are awarded up to $6,000 annually and will renew for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress. While this award strongly encourages exploration of Willamette’s outstanding environmental science department, students may ultimately maintain the scholarship regardless of declared major(s) and minor(s).

• The Dempsey Scholars program is the department’s most prestigious award and 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 Dempsey Scholarship is offered to just one or two select incoming students, is valued at $4,000, and will stack on top of the Cascades Scholarship for a total of up to $10,000.

Renewal Requirements: Renewal of the Dempsey Scholarship 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.

Study abroad and cultural exchange has long been a key component of life at Willamette for a large number of our undergraduate students. Global Compass Scholars are those who have already demonstrated an interest in and commitment to global citizenship and who wish to enrich our campus with continued engagement in this area.

Application Requirements:

• A response to two of the following prompts in no more than 500 words each:
  • Describe the importance of global engagement, cross cultural learning, and international education for 21st century citizenship.
  • Describe your own formal and informal experience so far in learning about other cultures, societies, nation-states, and languages, and what you seek to accomplish in these areas during your studies at Willamette.
  • How do you see global engagement, cross cultural learning, and international education fitting into your career path and/or role as a global citizen?

Award Amount: $8,500 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: Global Compass Scholars may choose any major area of study and are expected to engage with the Office of International Education to pursue a study abroad experience so long as major/minor requirements allow.

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).

Application Requirements:

• 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.

Award Amount: $11,500 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: 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.

Leadership development is a hallmark of a Willamette education. We are known as an institution that attracts and fosters developing leaders in all facets of school, work, and community life. Knowledge into Action Scholars will be selected for the leadership they have demonstrated already and their potential for future leadership as a member of the Willamette community.

Application Requirements:

• A response to two of the following prompts in no more than 500 words each:
  • Describe someone in your life who has demonstrated leadership in a way you admire and seek to emulate. What are the characteristics you’ve seen in this person - a teacher, coach, parent, classmate, etc. - that caused this person to stand out?
  • What leadership experiences did you pursue in high school and which has been the most meaningful to you? Why?
  • Understanding that Willamette seeks to provide leadership opportunities for all students, where do you see yourself finding an opportunity to be a leader during your undergraduate experience? How do you hope to make an impact?

Award Amount: $8,500 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: Knowledge into Action Scholars may choose any undergraduate major and are expected to engage with the Student Engagement and Leadership Office to explore campus leadership opportunities.

Willamette University’s beloved motto - “Not unto ourselves alone are we born” - speaks to the connections we form while learning to serve and lead others in a meaningful way. We hope that all Willamette graduates leave here having developed an intentional sense of purpose that inspires them to positively impact the lives of others in their families, workplaces, and communities. Living the Motto Scholars will have already demonstrated an emerging sense of civic responsibility, service, and community engagement.

Application Requirements:

• A response to the following prompts in no more than 250 words each:
  • Describe a community service initiative, civic project, or advocacy effort you have been deeply involved with. What was the impact of this work on the community, and how did it shape your understanding of your responsibility to others?"
  • In the spirit of 'Not unto ourselves alone,' service is an act of mutual growth. When you look back at your community involvement, how have the people you’ve worked with—especially those facing adversity—challenged your assumptions and contributed to your own growth and understanding of the world?
  • While a student at Willamette University, how do you plan to bring your passion for community engagement with you? Is there a particular cause or community-directed goal you are especially passionate about being involved with that will benefit Willamette's neighbors? What will this look like for you as a busy student?

Award Amount: $8,500 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: Living the Motto Scholars may choose any academic major and are expected to explore opportunities for co-curricular and/or extracurricular involvement through the Office of Civic Engagement.

Named for the beautiful water feature that flows through our historic campus, the Mill Stream Humanities Award symbolizes flowing thought, deep reflection, and natural connection. Academic departments that comprise the humanities have long been a cornerstone of the liberal arts experience offered at Willamette and the skills honed through the humanities—critical analysis, persuasive writing, cultural literacy—are highly valued as we seek to prepare Willamette graduates for rewarding lives and careers. The Mill Stream Humanities Award will go to students who have already demonstrated a strong commitment and aptitude for these areas and who seek to enrich our academic community with further study in one or more of these areas.

Application Requirements:

• A response to two of the four prompts from the list below. Responses are limited to no more than 500 words.
  • Explain how the study of fields in the humanities can help us understand the human condition.
  • How have you engaged with literary culture both in and out of the classroom?
  • How can the study of the humanities help society grapple with the core issues of our time?
  • What special challenges does the use of “Artificial Intelligence” pose for working in the humanities?
  • How has your lived experience influenced the way you engage with the written word?

Award Amount: $8,500 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: While this award strongly encourages exploration of Willamette’s outstanding majors in the humanities, students may ultimately maintain the scholarship regardless of declared major(s) and minor(s).

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.

Application Requirements:

• 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.

Award Amount: $10,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: Renewal is based on an annual evaluation by the faculty. Every semester, recipients must perform in at least one of Willamette's music ensembles and take private lessons through the music department. Recipients must also enroll in and complete two music scholarship classes during their first year.

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.

Application Requirements:

• 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.

Award Amount: $5,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

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

Application Requirements:

• 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?

Award Amount: $4,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: 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.

Application Requirements:

• 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.

Award Amount: $12,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress.

Renewal Requirements: 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.

Willamette has been training students to pursue careers in healthcare since our founding in 1842. We are uniquely positioned to support candidates for graduate and professional training across the health professions through our individualized advising and robust research opportunities. The Willamette Futures in Health Award is designed to support students who feel called to healthcare as they explore their many options at Willamette.

The application requires: 

• A response to the following prompts in no more than 250 words each:
  • Please tell us about your goals for a future career in the health professions. How have your experiences, identities, or communities shaped your interest in pursuing a career in health? Beyond wanting to help others, is there a particular community, cause, or unmet need you seek to impact in your future work? (250 words)
  • Please tell us about one or more ways in which you have explored or engaged your interests in healthcare, including service, leadership, and health-related experiences. How do you hope to continue to engage these interests while you are a student at Willamette? (250 words)
  • Future health professionals need a well-rounded skill set to meet the intellectual and interpersonal demands of work in health-related fields. The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) has identified the following as core competencies for success in medical school, but they are largely applicable to any health-related field. Please choose three of the competencies listed below and discuss a) why you believe they are important competencies for future health professionals and b) how you hope to strengthen these competencies while you are a student at Willamette. (250 words)
    • Professional Competencies (Commitment to Learning and Growth, Empathy and Compassion, Ethical Responsibility to Self and Others, Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communication, Reliability and Dependability, Resilience and Adaptability, Self-Awareness, Service Orientation, Teamwork and Collaboration, Understanding Others)
    • Science Competencies (Human Behavior, Living Systems)
    • Thinking and Reasoning Competencies (Critical Thinking, Quantitative Reasoning, Scientific Inquiry, Written Communication)

Award Amount: $8,500 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study given satisfactory academic progress*.

Renewal Requirements: Recipients of the Willamette Futures in Health Award are encouraged to engage with Willamette's Health Professions Program, which is structured to support students pursuing any academic major or minor. Scholarship recipients should plan to meet regularly with a health professions advisor and participate in health-related programming on campus.

*Satisfactory academic progress is defined by Willamette’s Health Professions Program faculty as a 2.5 minimum overall GPA and cumulative 3.0 GPA by year three, as this will be needed to meet minimum requirements for entry into health-related graduate programs.