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English Department
Support Our English Students Today!



Why We Love the English Department

The English Department is proud of its world-class faculty and staff, its dynamic course offerings, its rigorous yet adaptive curriculum, and its amazing and inspiring students. We offer our students the opportunity to study and work with texts and media that have shaped, and been shaped by, the English language. Our diverse spectrum of classes covers a wide variety of topics in literature, media, composition, cultural theory, and language studies ranging from antiquity to the twenty-first century. In our classes, students explore multiple cultural traditions and cultivate skills in critical thinking, creative expression, close reading, persuasive writing, and effective speaking.

The Department provides small, student-centered classes, innovative educational methods, and close faculty-student interaction. Our faculty members have earned numerous awards for excellence in teaching, research, and writing; they are nationally and internationally recognized in creative and critical fields. Our students have amassed an enviable record of placement in graduate programs and professional positions. We thank you for your investment in them!

You Can Make an Impact

The English Department is committed to providing direct support to our students through scholarship gifts. This year we are encouraging gifts to support student scholarships to help ensure that students continue their education. Scholarships have always allowed the Department to recognize and encourage our students, by providing critical support to harness their inspiration.  

                Fun at Work Meetings Medium shot of a mixed ethnic group of business professionals at a networking conference/meeting room in the North East of England. They are standing holding books/digital tablets smiling while discussing business together. english convention stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images

Contributions to the English Department fund will support activities such as: 

  • Student opportunities to travel and present at national conventions
  • Student participation in competitive creative writing workshops
  • Academic enrichment and curricular support through scholarships
  • Student-led literary journals and publications
  • And other activities that protect our department's mission of high-quality instruction!


Here's How Your Contributions have Impacted Students this Year:

"Because of your generous contribution I was able to attend AWP [Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference] for the first time. As an Appalachian, I don’t take these opportunities lightly—without your donation, I wouldn’t have been able to attend, represent Western Washington, and attend an event that furthers me intellectually and professionally. Thank you so much!" (B. Woods, English MFA and Bellingham Review Managing Editor, Grad 2022)

"The classes and revisions and workshops that I have the privilege of attending have pushed my storytelling to increased heights... This [scholarship] will grant me more time to focus on publication and the pursuit of a future career." (I. Simons, Creative Writing Major, Grad 2023)

"As I head into summer and plan the coming academic year (my thesis, my comprehensive exams, my teaching, my classes), this scholarship will help me study in safety and comfort. As I’ve become more a part of Western’s community — meeting other grad students, getting active, connecting with different departments — I’ve come to feel that this upcoming year at Western is a precious chance. " (English Scholarship Awardee)

"As a first-generation college student, your generosity has made my family and I humbled to no end." (J. Sanchez, Creative Writing Major with Teaching Endorsement, Grad 2022) 

"It means so much to have people in our corner who believe in the value of an English degree to the point that you are actively funding my work and the work of other students like me" (G. Fiser, Literature Major, Grad 2023)

"The financial assistance you provided will be of significant help to me in paying my educational expenses, and it will allow me to concentrate more of my time on exploring the genres within poetry and creative nonfiction, both of which strike me as somehow vital to the process of excavating our shared humanity." (E. Freckleton, Creative Writing Major,  Grad 2023)

"I have always had a great love of learning, a fascination with stories, and a deep capacity for critical thinking. Since coming to Western, I have had the opportunity to develop my love of the written word into in-depth and thoughtful scholarship within Western's wonderfully nurturing English department" (R. Ferguson, Literature Major, Grad 2023)

"I'm an English major, looking to be a high school English teacher, but I'm gently collecting experiences to get there... Your gift will help me take the long way round, finding my way to the words I'm searching for with my family, my education, and my future." (R. Huentelman, Creative Writing Major with Teaching Endorsement, Expected Grad 2024)

"Receiving this scholarship supports me greatly in my journey of becoming a teacher. Next step, I plan on going to graduate school, which additionally expends resources, so this is such a gift in giving me a boost of support in my education." (S. Check, Literature Major with Teaching Endorsement,  Grad 2023)

Thank you for caring about our students!

$500
500th Donor Challenge!
Congratulations to IfeOluwa Akinrinade, our 500th donor who unlocked an additional $500 to the Eunice Segilola Akinrinade Scholarship!!
Completed
$500
1500th Donor Challenge!
Congratulations to Felix Gonzalez, our 1500th donor who unlocked an additional $500 to WWU Racing (Formula SAE)!!
Completed
$1,000
10th WWU Give Day. 10 donors. 10:10 pm.
Our first 10 donors starting at 10:10 pm on our 10th Give Day unlocked $100 each towards the area they chose to support. OUR WINNERS ARE: 1. Rene Vasa -- unlocked $100 for The Rage Magazine 2. Kathryn Hemmen -- unlocked $100 for Alpha Kappa Psi 3. Mackenzie Gerlach -- unlocked $100 for Women's Varsity Crew 4. Elena Korch -- unlocked $100 for Women's Ultimate 5. Joel Reitz -- unlocked $100 for Men's Rowing 6. Anonymous -- unlocked $100 for Alpha Kappa Psi 7. Perry Olix -- unlocked $100 for Men's Rowing 8. Sarina Freudmann -- unlocked $100 for Alpha Kappa Psi 9. Alexis Clark -- unlocked $100 for Women's Varsity Crew 10. Anonymous - unlocked $100 for Men's Rowing
Completed
Leaderboard
CHSS Humanities Heroes Challenge!
Final results are in and Psychology pushed their way into 2nd place! The winners are Sociology, then Psychology, then Journalism! Congrats!
Rank Prize CHSS Humanities Heroes Challenge! Donors
1 $500 Sociology 63
2 $250 Journalism 39
3 $100 Psychology 26
4 History Department 25
5 Linguistics 15
Ended
Leaderboard
Lunchtime Crunchtime!
Thank you for participating! Final results are in! Congratulations to: Western Symphony Orchestra, Ice Hockey, and Men's Rowing!
Rank Prize Lunchtime Crunchtime Challenge! Donors
1 $1,000 Western Symphony Orchestra 51
2 $500 Ice Hockey 28
3 $250 Men's Rowing 26
4 AS Alpha Kappa Psi 9
5 Sailing Team 7
Ended
$500
1000th Donor Challenge!
Congratulations to Tami Bloom, our 1000th donor who unlocked an additional $500 to Men's Rowing!!
Completed
$1,000
10th WWU Give Day. 10 donors. 10:10 am.
Our first 10 donors starting at 10:10 am on our 10th Give Day unlocked $100 each towards the area they chose to support. OUR WINNERS ARE: 1. Ryan Mueller -- unlocked $100 for Men's Rowing 2. Shelley Jepson -- unlocked $100 for Men's Soccer 3. Anonymous - unlocked $100 for Marketing 4. Victoria Steed - unlocked $100 for Marketing 5. Faye Witulski - unlocked $100 for Water Skiing 6. Anonymous - unlocked $100 for Hockey 7. Jennifer Trainum - unlocked $100 for the Donnellan Scholarships 8. Stephanie Grimm - unlocked $100 for the Behavioral Neuroscience Program 9. Reagan Billingsley - unlocked $100 for Men’s Rowing 10. Anonymous - unlocked $100 for the Sailing Team!
10 / 10 Donors
Completed
Success!
It's Give O'Clock Somewhere
Our random winners have been drawn. OUR WINNERS ARE: 1. Zach King -- $1k prize to Men's Soccer Scholarships, 2. Uche Ugwoaba -- $1k prize to the Uche Ugwoaba Men's Soccer Scholarship, 3. Teena Gabrielson -- $1k prize to College of the Environment Annual Scholarships, 4. Dean Potter -- $1k prize to Women's Volleyball Scholarship, and 5. Denise Eyler -- $1k prize to the Art and Art History Department Scholarship. Thank you for supporting student scholarships!
Completed
Leaderboard
Breakfast of Champions!
Thank you for participating! Final results are in! Congratulations to: Marketing Concentration, Western Welcome Scholarship and Western Hub of Living Essentials (WHOLE) Food Pantry!
Rank Prize Breakfast of Champions! Donors
1 $1,000 Marketing Concentration 17
2 $500 Western Welcome Scholarship 12
3 $250 Western Hub of Living Essentials (WHOLE) Food Pantry 11
4 Student Emergency Fund 7
5 AS Alpha Kappa Psi 6
Ended
Leaderboard
Twilight Giving
Thank you for participating! Final results are in! Congratulations to: Ice Hockey, WWU Racing (Formula SAE) and Sociology!!
Rank Prize Twilight Giving Donors
1 $1,000 Ice Hockey 30
2 $500 WWU Racing (Formula SAE) 23
3 $250 Sociology Department 21
4 Men's Rowing 20
5 Western Hub of Living Essentials (WHOLE) Food Pantry 9
Ended
Use #WWUGiveDay to join in the fun!
Don't forget to share!

Questions? See our FAQ.

Or you can contact us at forwestern@wwu.edu.