Ruff Scholarship

The Ruff Scholarship, a generous annual donation from Jim and Walta Ruff, is actually multiple scholarships. It supports current and prospective teachers studying in the CSU English Education program. Multiple awards for up to six credits of tuition may be made annually. Applicants must demonstrate how they will use the funds toward professional development or their degree.

Eligible applicants include individuals in any one of the three following categories:

1.) Employed, full- or part-time, as an English language arts teacher in a public school or
2.) Current undergraduate or graduate students who are within 30 credits of completing their degree and have financial need or
3.) Undergraduate or graduate students who will be student teaching in the spring and in need of financial assistance to reduce the number of hours outside of student teaching that they would work to pay tuition.

We seek applicants with the desire to achieve any or all of the following goals:

  • deepen and broaden their knowledge in areas relevant to their teaching
  • critically engage with literacy studies, literary scholarship, academic and creative writing, and/or teacher inquiry
  • revitalize their work with students, especially those from historically marginalized or underserved populations
  • connect to a professional community with shared interests

  • begin or continue a graduate degree in English

Because we seek to increase the diversity of our program, applicants who self-identify as members of marginalized populations are strongly encouraged to apply. The application deadline is December 1, 2023.

We offer several graduate-level English courses in the late afternoons (starting at 4pm or later) once per week. Some of these course offerings include:

  • E632 – Professional Concerns in English: Critiquing, Reframing, and Enacting Mindfulness Practices in Pursuit of Educational Justice | 3 credits | 05:00 - 07:50 PM | M | Cindy O'Donnell-Allen
  • E615 — Reading Literature: Recent Theories | 3 credits | 05:00 - 07:50 PM | W | Leif Sorensen
  • E638 – Assessment of English Language Learners | 3 credit | 01:00 - 03:50 PM | F | Tony Becker

Ruff Scholarship Application

Fill in and submit this digital form to apply for the Ruff Scholarship
  • In approximately 250 words, explain how you will use this award to advance your career interests and objectives, especially as they pertain to the goals described at the start of this application.