Musser Fellowship in Entrepreneurial Studies

The Warren V. Musser Fellowship in Entrepreneurial Studies is designed to help support full-time graduate students who enroll in a Penn State Great Valley campus-based program in business, finance, leadership, technology, engineering, or management.

Fellowship

The Fellowship is designed for:

• Individuals who are passionate about starting their own company, leading a start-up company, or taking a leadership position in a rapidly growing new or emerging firm
• Entrepreneurs looking to increase their business knowledge and skills

The Fellowship includes:

• Employment with Penn State Great Valley – Working 20 hours per week with the REV-UP Center director, faculty, and other students in leveraging resources from the campus and its partner, the Chester County Economic Development Council, to further the mission of the REV-UP Center for Entrepreneurship, a part of the Invent Penn State initiative
• Rigorous graduate courses in business, finance, leadership, technology, engineering, or management offered in the evening or online
• Opportunities to study with and work alongside local entrepreneurs, world-renowned faculty, entrepreneur-in-residence, and other high-achieving graduate students
• Co-curricular learning projects and participation in research, presentations, and various competitions sponsored by the REV-UP Center for Entrepreneurship

Scholarship Criteria

This award is competitive, and selected students should have:

• Demonstrated academic excellence
• At least 3 years of work experience
• Innovative thinking skills
• Entrepreneurial experience

Terms of the Award

• Up to two highly qualified students will receive an award up to $25,000 along with an intensive curricular and co-curricular program to prepare them to be entrepreneurial leaders.
• The award will be applied toward tuition and fees for the fall and spring semesters; any unused portion will be provided to the recipient in the form of a stipend.
• Students who receive the award can re-apply in future academic years. There is no guarantee, however, of continued funding for future academic years.
• Employment with Penn State Great Valley – 20 hours per week. Recipients are not permitted to be employed outside of the University during the fellowship period.

To Receive Consideration

Interested students should complete the graduate application and the online application for the Warren V. Musser Fellowship in Entrepreneurial Studies. Applicants will be required to provide:

• A copy of their resume
• A short essay resume and a short essay on describing educational plans, career objectives, entrepreneurial experience, and how they will benefit from the award
• Contact information for two references

Application Deadline: June 1

Application Process

Qualified applicants will participate in an interview with the Selection Committee. Fellowship awards will be announced in late June.

Students selected to receive this award must:

• Be formally admitted to a campus-based graduate program at Penn State Great Valley.
• Accept the award within two weeks of notification.
• Acknowledge the fellowship’s donor through a thank you note.
• Enroll in and complete at least four graduate courses (12 credits) in each semester of the award, fall and spring.
• Maintain at least a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 during the award period.
• Participate in the campus’ annual event for scholarship recipients and donors.

Outcomes

Recipients will have an opportunity to incorporate their business acumen, technical knowledge, and academic research into the fellowship experience as they prepare to start their own company, lead a start-up company or take a leadership position in a rapidly growing new or emerging firm.