Norma Ross Walter Scholarship

The purpose of the Norma Ross Walter Scholarship is to provide financial assistance to female graduates of Nebraska high schools who plan to enroll as English majors in accredited colleges or universities. Applicants must be female high school seniors who are prospective first-year college students and plan to continue their education as English majors in accredited colleges or universities. Selection is based on intellectual promise, creativity, and character of the applicant.

Norma Ross Walter was a Navy Wave during the Second World War and a career newspaper editor in California. A lover of Cather and frequent visitor to Red Cloud, she was also a firm believer in education for young women. At her death in 1982, she left a bequest to fund a scholarship program. The first scholarship was awarded in 1987.

Financial Data

First place recipient: $3,000.00

Second place recipient: $2,500.00

Third place recipient: $2,000.00

Each stipend is payable at the beginning of the first year of college. The scholarship is not renewable.

Student Scholarships

To further Cather’s legacy and to support the next generation of Cather readers and scholars, the Willa Cather Foundation annually awards a number of scholarships for college-bound students who desire to major in English or history, graduate students presenting on Cather at academic conferences, and educators interested in introducing Cather in the classroom. Please browse the descriptions that follow for more information and to download application forms.