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 and whose focus is on starting a new business or taking an emerging business to the next level. 

Recipients will participate in an integrated, rigorous program and have an opportunity to incorporate their business acumen, technical knowledge, and academic research in a fellowship designed to assist motivated students to develop and lead a start-up company or take a leadership position in a rapidly growing new or emerging firm.

The Fellowship is designed for:

• Individuals who are passionate about starting their own company
• Entrepreneurs looking to increase their business knowledge and skills
• Upper level managers within an innovative or entrepreneurial organization
• Consultants or financial specialists working with emerging or small firms
• Principals in a family-owned businesses or privately held company

Scholarship Criteria

This award is competitive, and selected students must have:

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

Recipients are not permitted to be employed during the fellowship program.

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 2018 and spring 2019 semesters; any unused portion will be provided to the recipient in the form of a stipend. Students who receive the award may re-apply in future academic years. There is no guarantee, however, of continued funding for future academic years.

The fellowship includes:

• Rigorous graduate courses in business, finance, leadership, technology, engineering, or management
• 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
• An opportunity to work 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

To Receive Consideration

Interested students should submit the Warren V. Musser Fellowship in Entrepreneurial Studies application and supporting materials by June 1, 2018.

Download: Musser Fellowship Application

Download: Musser Fellowship Recommendation Form

Submit completed materials to the Office of Enrollment Management and Student Services, Attention JoAnn Kelly, Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, 30 E. Swedesford Road, Malvern, PA 19355. 

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 2018 and in spring 2019.
• 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.