Norma Ross Walter Scholarship
Offered by National Willa Cather Center
About this scholarship
The Norma Ross Walter Scholarship supports three young women graduating from Nebraska high schools who plan to study English in college. Administered by the National Willa Cather Center, the award honors Norma Ross Walter, a Nebraska native, University of Nebraska English graduate, and career educator. The annual competition awards $3,000 to first place, $2,500 to second place, and $2,000 to third place. Applicants must be female Nebraska high-school seniors who will begin their first year at an accredited college or university and intend to declare English as a major. The selection committee weighs intellectual promise, creativity, and character rather than relying on a single academic measure. The official downloadable application requests the student’s educational plans, activities, honors, employment, and written responses, along with the supporting materials identified on the form. Applications are due January 31 each year, making January 31, 2027 the next verified annual deadline. Students should download the current form directly from the National Willa Cather Center and follow its delivery instructions carefully. This is a separate scholarship from the Center’s Turner, Ántonia, Wilson, and National Willa Cather Center awards, each of which has different geographic, academic, and deadline requirements.
Eligibility
- Be female
- Be a graduating senior at a Nebraska high school
- Plan to begin the first year of study at an accredited college or university
- Intend to major in English
- Demonstrate intellectual promise, creativity, and character
- Complete the official application and all supporting materials
- Submit the complete application by January 31, 2027