Application Deadline: March 1

The Ann Marie Bolger Memorial Scholarship, which honors the life and contributions of a valued colleague, is given on an annual basis to one or more incoming Student Affairs Administration master’s students who best exemplify the qualities required for outstanding work in the profession of student affairs.

Ann served as Director of Residence Life at Michigan State University for a short time, but left a lasting impact on the organization, students, and the University. Her commitment to and trust in students and staff enabled a vast transformation in Residence Life. As a result of her leadership, Residence Life’s “core” reflects commitment to student learning, leadership development, ethical decision making and multiculturalism. Her impact extended beyond Michigan State into the profession of student affairs where she was a leader in the Association for College and University Housing Officers and the American College Personnel Association. Numerous faculty, professionals, and leaders throughout the country considered Ann a friend, gentle critic, and mentor. In addition, the campuses she worked at throughout her career, including the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, the University of California at Davis, Chapman University, and Macalester College, were changed by her dynamic leadership. Ann will be remembered locally and nationally as a loving mother, visionary leader, educator, student advocate, and change agent. The spirit of the scholarship and the selection criteria resonate with Ann’s unending belief that students matter, that students have much to teach others, and that creativity in student affairs requires strength of character.

Criteria for the scholarship include: 

• Admitted to the Student Affairs Administration Master’s Program
• Evidence of academic excellence
• Evidence of contribution to peer learning (e.g., service as a mentor, peer advisor or educator, student government leader, resident advisor, etc.)
• Evidence of commitment to the profession of student affairs (e.g., participation in conferences and clear professional goals)

Application process:

By  March 1, applicants should send a resume or CV and an essay, no longer than 800 words, addressing how their experiences and aspirations meet the above criteria. Materials should be emailed to the SAA Program Coordinator, Dr. Patricia Marin, at pmarin@msu.edu, with the subject line “Bolger Scholarship.” Only complete applications received by the deadline will be considered.