Alumni scholarships are available to on campus, undergraduate students. Students who meet the eligibility criteria may submit a completed UWA Alumni Scholarship application to apply for the scholarships below. Scholarship amounts vary depending on available funds. Applications are due every year on March 15th. The current scholarship application awards will be awarded for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 academic year.
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To Apply
To apply for alumni scholarships, UWA applicants should fill out the UWA Alumni Scholarship application. Applicants will need their UWA username and password which is provided upon application to the University. Students must reapply each year, but are not required to resubmit an essay or recommendation letters.
Steps: Log in, answer the questionnaire, and explore award opportunities by clicking the Scholarships tab and completing any outstanding requirements such as essays or letters of recommendations.
Eligibility Criteria and Requirements
High school seniors must meet four criteria to be considered for UWA Alumni scholarships:
- Cumulative high school grade point average of 2.00.
- Minimum composite ACT score of 17.
- Tentative admission to the University of West Alabama.
- Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA may be completed online at fafsa.gov.
A complete UWA Alumni Scholarship Application Packet consists of:
- The Scholarship Application
- The Personal Essay: Follow the instructions on the application.
- Two Recommendation Letters: Follow the instructions on the application.
Personal Essay
The application requires you to develop a personal essay. The personal essay is one of the most essential parts of your application. It will help the Scholarship Committee gain a complete picture of you. This is your chance to let the Scholarship Committee know why you should receive an alumni scholarship. Be sure to include your name and student ID# in the heading. Your essay should be one-page, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins and double-spaced.
Some items you may want to include in your essay are as follows:
- Your educational and career goals
- Why you have selected your stated major and career goal
- Any life experiences which have influenced this decision
- Your anticipated role in society after your education career goals have been achieved
- How the scholarship will help you or any unusual circumstances which may affect your current financial situation
- Any extra-curricular activities and accomplishments (e.g. honors, accolades, awards, community involvement, service and volunteer actions, student activities, school and club involvement, sports participation, hobbies, etc.)
- Anything else you feel the Scholarship Committee needs to know about you in order to present yourself as the best candidate for an alumni scholarship?
Recommendation Letters
You are required to ask two individuals to write letters of recommendation for you. These letters need to be completed by individuals who can attest to your current academic strengths and potential for success.
Recommended sources include: UWA alumni, instructors, academic advisors, counselors, employers, clergy or other known members of your community. Be sure to ask for recommendation letters from sources that you know will write favorable things about you. A parent, relative or other students are poor sources for scholarship recommendation letters and will not be considered as valid references.
Your recommendation letters are to be submitted at the same time as you submit your scholarship application packet. Failure to comply will result in a rejected application. Please allow your references plenty of time for the letters to be completed and returned to you in time to submit with your scholarship application.
The UWA Alumni Affairs office accepts complete scholarship packets up to the scheduled deadline of March 15th annually. This application is for the combined fall and spring semesters that follow the March 15th deadline. As applications arrive in our office it is imperative that they are complete. Students must be enrolled full-time (12 semester hours; the only exception is nursing students in clinical classes where 9 semester hours is considered full-time) and be on-campus students. We currently do not have scholarships for online students. Student GPAs will be checked after each fall semester to determine if the scholarship will be renewed for the spring semester.
We do not make checks payable to students; all financial aid is directed through our Financial Aid office and checks are made payable to the UWA Business Office. There are no scholarships for summer semesters; any exception is made only by direction from the President or the Vice President of Institutional Advancement.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Mrs. Banks Gordy, Director of Alumni Affairs
Office: (205) 652-3867 or bgordy@uwa.edu
Alumni Chapter Scholarships
Choctaw County
Ernestine L. Lenoir Charitable Trust Scholarships — These scholarships are available to students from Choctaw County, Ala. or students who attended high school in Choctaw County, Alabama.
Choctaw County Alumni Chapter Scholarship — Available to students from Choctaw County, Alabama. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Marengo County
Marengo County Alumni Chapter Scholarship — Available to Marengo County, Ala. incoming freshmen. Must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA each semester.
India L. Shields Memorial Scholarship — Available to Marengo County, Ala. incoming freshmen. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA each semester.
Mobile County
Mobile County Alumni Chapter Scholarship — Available to students from Mobile County, Ala. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Malone Educational Fund Scholarship — Available to students from Mobile and Baldwin Counties, Ala. majoring in elementary education. Must maintain a 2.75 GPA.
Sumter County
Sumter County Alumni Chapter Scholarship — Available to students from Sumter County, Ala. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Gatewood Hatcher Memorial Scholarship — Available to current UWA upperclassmen from Sumter County, Ala. Priority is given to students who graduated from an accredited high school in Sumter County, Alabama. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
McConnell Scholarship — Available to incoming freshmen from Sumter County, Ala. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
McLean/ Luke Scholarship — Available to students from Sumter County, Ala. who are currently a UWA Sophomore. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Sarah B. Cunningham Memorial Scholarship — Available to incoming freshman or transfer students from Sumter County, Ala. Must maintain a minimum of a 3.0 GPA.
Washington County
Cathy G. Odom Scholarship — Available to UWA first-generation college students enrolled in the College of Education from Washington, Clarke, Mobile, or Monroe Counties in Alabama. The student must be of junior or senior status and have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Applicants must submit a 1-page essay explaining why they should receive the scholarship.
Wilcox County
Gladys Mason Scholarship — Available to current UWA students from Wilcox County, Ala. Must maintain a 2.75 GPA.
Gordon and Glen Bridges Scholarship — Available to incoming freshmen from Wilcox County, Ala. Must maintain a 2.75 GPA.
West Alabama Area
Liza Howard Alumni Chapter Scholarship — Available to incoming freshmen from the West Alabama area. Must demonstrate community service, volunteer and leadership experience. Must maintain a 2.5 GPA.
Additional Alumni Scholarships
James P. Homer Memorial Scholarship — Available to all graduating high school seniors. Must show leadership and academic abilities. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA each semester.
Louise Sisk McDaris Scholarship — Available to in-state early childhood education majors only. Must maintain a 2.75 GPA
Tagged for Success Scholarship — Available to UWA junior and senior Alabama residents. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA each semester.
NAA Tiger Legacy Scholarship — Available to incoming freshmen who demonstrate outstanding leadership skills and whose parent(s) or grandparent(s) is a UWA graduate. Must have a minimum 20 ACT and maintain a 3.0 GPA
Skipper “Fireman” Scholarship – Available to students from Clarke and Washington Counties who are currently enrolled at UWA and work with the Livingston Fire Department. Must maintain a 2.75 grade point average.
Roland and Donna Pugh Scholarship — Available to students who are pursuing a degree within the College of Business and are “Junior” status. Priority will be given to students who wish to pursue an internship (or other form of experiential learning — e.g. job shadowing) from the College of Business. Must have at least a 3.0 GPA. Academic achievement and financial need are the main criteria used in selecting recipients. Leadership activities will also be taken into consideration.
Dr. Patricia V. Beatty Scholarship — Available to English majors and minors in the MAT, English Education, or Language Arts Comprehensive programs. Students must have at least 30 semester hours credit, attended UWA for at least two semesters prior to application, and have a 2.75 GPA overall and a 3.0 or above GPA in English. Applicants must also submit a one-page essay explaining why they should be considered for the scholarship.
Gregory O. Snow Scholarship — Available to students majoring in Engineering, Mathematics, Nursing or Business, and demonstrating a financial need. Must maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA. Applicants must also submit a one-page essay explaining why they should be considered for the scholarship.
Lauderdale County Veterans Scholarship — Available to graduates from Waterloo High School in Waterloo, Alabama or a high school in Lauderdale County, Alabama. Preference will be given to incoming freshmen but is available to all students from Lauderdale County, Alabama. Applicants are required to submit an essay and must maintain a 2.0 GPA.
June Crawford Scholarship — Available to incoming freshmen, graduating from a public high school, with a recommendation by his/her principal or counselor and demonstrating a financial need. Must maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA. Applicants must also submit a one-page essay explaining why they should be considered for the scholarship.
Claude G. and Ethel R. Livingston Scholarship — Available to incoming freshmen, majoring in Engineering Technology or Business Administration and demonstrating need for financial assistance. Must maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA. Applicants must submit an essay explaining why they should be considered for the scholarship.
Judy Livingston Scholarship — Available to incoming freshmen, majoring in Business Administration, Finance or Marketing and demonstrating a need for financial assistance. Must maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA. Applicants must submit an essay explaining why they should be considered for the scholarship.
A. Gaylen Livingston Scholarship — Available to incoming freshmen, majoring in Music and demonstrating a need for financial assistance. Must maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA. Applicants must submit an essay explaining why they should be considered for the scholarship.
Terry Bunn Endowed Scholarship — The Terry Bunn Endowed Scholarship will create opportunities for students who strive to be leaders, possess a strong work ethic and demonstrate a desire to serve to follow a solid path to success. This scholarship is available to undergraduates and graduates exhibiting satisfactory academic progress. Family members of employees of any member business or associate members of either the Alabama Road Builders Association or Alabama Asphalt Association are encouraged to apply.
Susan T. Sparkman Endowed Scholarship — Available to incoming freshmen with a grade point average of 2.75 or higher and who demonstrate a need for financial assistance.
Dorothy Schug Peterson Scholarship — Available to students entering their sophomore year with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrating the need for financial assistance.
Elizabeth C. Liver Scholarship — Available to current, on campus students with a 2.75 GPA or higher.
Patrick and Sara McGahey Scholarship — Available to UWA athletes with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Willie Mae Dillon Rushing Chemistry Scholarship — Available to Juniors and Seniors majoring in Chemistry with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Snipes Family Scholarship — Available to full-time students pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in math, business or environmental science with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Justin Smith Scholarship — Available to Business or Conservation Biology Majors with a grade point average of 3.25 or higher.
Student Initiative Scholarship — Available to new UWA students (freshman or transfer) with a grade point average of 2.2 or higher and demonstrating financial need.
T. Raiford Noland Scholarship — Available to students who are enrolled in the College of Business and majoring in Accounting. The recipient must show financial need, be of junior or rising senior status and possess a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher to be eligible for consideration.
Ronald Dra Graham Leadership Award — The funds will be administered each year to Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity members based on the criteria of students with the greatest financial need. The scholarship funds will be distributed in March each year, beginning in March 2023.
The John Melton Smith Scholarship Fund — Available to students who meet the following requirements: (a) are residents of Sumter County, Alabama (b) have a grade point average of 2.75 GPA or higher