The Warren V. Musser Fellowship in Entrepreneurial Studies was created to help support full-time and half-time graduate students who enroll in a Penn State Great Valley on-campus program.

The fellowship is designed for entrepreneurs who wish to increase their business knowledge and skills, and individuals who are passionate about starting their own business, leading a start-up company, or taking a leadership position in a rapidly growing new or emerging firm.

New Students

A Musser Fellowship of $25,000 is available for full-time students beginning a Great Valley master’s degree. Please note: You must be an admitted student to a Penn State Great Valley resident instruction master's program to apply for a Musser Fellowship. The fellow is expected to:

  • Enroll in 12 credits each semester (fall and spring) for the duration of the award
  • Maintain at least a 3.5 GPA
  • Work alongside faculty and pursue their research interests
  • Participate in in co-curricular learning projects, presentations, and various competitions sponsored by the REV-UP Center for Entrepreneurship, part of the Invent Penn State initiative

The award will be applied to tuition and fees for the fall and spring semesters; any unused portion will be provided to the recipient as a refund. Students who receive the award can re-apply in future academic years. There is no guarantee of continued funding in the future.

Accepted students will need to submit the following to apply: 

  • Your resume
  • An essay describing educational plans, career objectives, and entrepreneurial experience
  • Contact information for two references

Application deadline: June 1

Continuing Students

Each academic year, up to 10 full- and half-time students who have completed at least 12 credits by the end of the spring semester may be awarded a Musser Fellowship in the form of a merit-based scholarship of $5,000 each. A maximum of 10 awards are available. Fellows are expected to:

  • Enroll in at least six credits each semester (fall and spring) for the duration of the award. Note: If fewer than six credits are required to complete the degree in the spring semester, the remainder of the funding will not be disbursed.
  • Maintain at least a 3.25 GPA
  • Have a record of scholastic achievement in entrepreneurial or creative problem-solving courses or other evidence of entrepreneurial activity

The award will be applied toward tuition and fees for the fall and spring semesters as long as the student is enrolled in at least six credits in the spring semester. If fewer than six credits are required for spring, the funding will end in the fall. Students who receive the award can re-apply in future academic years. There is no guarantee of continued funding in the future.

To be considered, current students must submit a statement of entrepreneurial purpose. Applicants may be full- or half-time and must have completed at least 12 credits toward an on-campus degree.

Application Deadline: May 15

To apply, contact JoAnn Kelly, Director of Enrollment Management and Student Services, at [email protected] for a link to the application.