La Sierra offers $10k writing scholarship to high schoolers

  Arts+Culture  

When Luis Rengifo learned last fall about La Sierra University’s $10,000 competitive writing scholarship offered to high school seniors, he decided to give the contest a whirl. 

A Loma Linda Academy student at the time, Rengifo heard about the scholarship from his film teacher. “I decided to enter because I wanted to see if my writing was worth any form of validation,” said the future screenwriter and English teacher.

The faculty of La Sierra’s English department laid to rest Rengifo’s doubts about his abilities when they awarded him a first place $10,000 writing scholarship for his 2,500-word short story titled “In the Gray and Black,” and helped launch his college career at La Sierra. Taylor Stanic, a student from Fresno Adventist Academy took second place and a $5,000 scholarship. 

Rengifo learned of his scholarship win by email, while he was in his high school woodshop class. “I jumped out of my seat and almost sliced my finger clean off,” said the university freshman. “Yep. Just using a bandsaw and checking my email,” he quipped.

The English department is once again offering the competitive $10,000 and $5,000 scholarships to high school seniors who graduate with a 3.0 grade point average, who enroll at La Sierra University by fall 2015 and declare and maintain an English major or minor. Scholarship monies are distributed over four years and recipients are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA.

Submissions of original work are accepted in the categories of short stories and academic or personal essays, each 800-2,500 words, and poetry. Deadline for entry is Wed., Dec. 31, 2014.

Submissions are being accepted online at English@lasierra.edu, or they can be mailed to ‘$10,000 Writing Scholarship Competition,’
Department of English-Humanities Hall,
La Sierra University,
4500 Riverwalk Parkway,
Riverside, Calif., 92515. Mailed entries must be postmarked on or before Dec. 31. Emailed documents must be sent on or before Dec. 31. 

The department has offered the writing scholarship for approximately eight years. “We have such a vibrant English department at La Sierra University and this scholarship is fantastic,” said Assistant English Professor Sari Fordham. “I'm really excited about the opportunity it presents.”

For further information about the writing scholarship call 951-785-2241 or email sfordham@lasierra.edu.

 

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