Scholarships!

We are proud to offer multiple categories of scholarship to attend WDI:

  1. The WDI Scholars Program
  2. Julia Burke Foundation Scholarships
  3. The Guevara Scholarship- working class or hispanic specific
  4. The Gail McDougle Scholarship- Texes specific
  5. Capital Debate Scholorship- Maryland specific

To apply for a scholarship, please fill out our scholarship form (pdf), and send it and any supplementary materials to Aleava Sayre.


1. WDI Scholars Program

WDI Scholars are outstanding high school debaters who will attend the WDI as guest lecturers. They will also conduct a demonstration debate with the staff of the WDI. Each scholar will receive free tuition to the WDI and a $200.00 travel stipend to offset transportation costs associated with getting to the WDI.

Eligible applicants for the WDI Scholars program are girls who have been debating for at least one year and who will be either sophomores or juniors in high school during the school year that they apply. Each year, the WDI Board of Directors will select one LD and two policy debaters to be WDI Scholars. The Board of Directors will consider debate success, academic success, community involvement, and diversity in its selection of WDI Scholars.

If you know someone who you believe should be a WDI scholar, you can nominate them by sending their name and a description of why they should be a scholar to womensdebateinstitute@gmail.com


2. Julia Burke Foundation Scholarships

This year, the Julia Burke Foundation is generously supporting 10 full tuition scholarships. To qualify, an applicant must demonstrate financial need and a commitment to debate.  Our most sincere thanks to the Julia Burke Foundation! Please read more about their mission and activities.

Interested debaters should send our scholarship form,  a letter of recommendation from a teacher or debate coach, and a personal statement of financial need to womensdebateinstitute@gmail.com


3. The Guevara Scholarship

The WDI is proud to announce the Guevara Scholarship, sponsored by Omar and Veronica Guevara. This full-tuition scholarship is dedicated to promoting the involvements of women of hispanic heritage (broadly defined) and/or women raised by a single parent or from a working-class background. Omar is the Director of Forensics at Weber State University, and he and Veronica have been leaders in making our community more inclusive and tolerant. The WDI strives to increase the participation of women of color in debate, and we are honored to offer this opportunity to our students.

Interested debaters should send our scholarship form, a letter of eligibility, and letter of recommendation from a coach or teacher to womensdebateinstitute@gmail.com .  Your letter of eligibility should address your Hispanic heritage and your financial need.

 

4. The Gail McDougle Scholarship

The Gail McDougle Scholarship is supported by Dr. Cullen Hendrix in honor of his mother, Rev. Gail McDougle. Gail debated at Sam Houston High School in Houston, TX, where she won the Texas State Championship in policy debate. She is currently the pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Salem, Oregon. Gail's debate skills have made her an inspirational and truly unique minister. She has also an unwavering commitment to social justice, and was awarded the 2009 Salem Peacemaker's Award for her advocacy of peace in the community. This full tuition scholarship is open to any debater living in the state of Texas. In your application, please specify both merit (debate experience and awards) and financial need.

Interested debaters should send our scholarship form,  a letter of recommendation from a teacher or debate coach, and a personal statement of financial need to womensdebateinstitute@gmail.com

 

5. Capitol Debate Scholarship - Women in Debate in Maryland

This scholarship is reserved for women competing in Policy Debate on the national level from the state of Maryland.  The scholarship will cover airfare expenses to travel to the Women's Debate Institute up to $375.  The applicant should at least be entering her junior year in high school with a preference toward entering Senior year.  Please submit a short one to two page essay on why you would like to attend the women's debate institute and how you hope to return what you learn at the workshop back to your local debate community.  Recipient will be asked to write a report to Capitol Debate indicating their perspective on how more women can remain in competitive debate competition at the highest levels in high school and college debate.

 

Please send your essays to Rae Lynn Schwartz-DuPre at raelynn.schwartz-dupre@wwu.edu.