Senior Thesis Professional Development Scholarship
Overview
Your senior thesis project is the ultimate showcase of your unique style, voice, and skills as a designer. It is the crown jewel of your professional portfolio—which is exactly what employers look at when you apply for jobs.
However, we know that designing and producing a full collection is expensive. Material costs can add up quickly, and a tight budget shouldn't hold back your creative vision or career potential. The Senior Thesis Professional Development Scholarship provides up to $500* to help TFD students fund their senior thesis projects, ensuring you can build a collection you are proud to show future employers.
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must meet the following criteria:
- Major: Be a currently enrolled Textiles & Fashion Design undergraduate student in the School of Human Ecology (SoHE).
- Location: Be completing your final semester on campus at UW-Madison. (Students currently spending their final semester at FIT are not eligible, as FIT does not require a senior thesis).
- Academics: Be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- First-Time Applicant: Have not been awarded this specific scholarship in the past.
- Showcase Agreement: Agree to display your collection at the Fall or Spring TFD Showcase and/or a local fashion, runway, or exhibition in the semester you are graduating.
- Digital Portfolio Agreement: Agree to create an e-portfolio, website, or digital display of your completed collection that can be shared with employers, alumni, and current or future students.
Application Requirements
Please prepare and submit the following items for your application:
- Thesis Proposal: A clear summary of what you plan to create, why you want to make it, and a realistic timeline for finishing the work.
- Visual Lookbook (PDF): A document containing 6 to 8 images to help the scholarship committee see your vision for the collection. This can include design sketches, fashion illustrations, mood boards, concept statements, fabric samples, or photos of your past finished work.
- Career Impact Statement: A brief explanation of how this scholarship will help advance your career development and professional goals.
- Project Budget: An itemized list of your estimated expenses to complete the collection, including fabric, hardware, notions, specialized finishes, etc.
- Additional Funding List: A list of any other financial aid, grants, or scholarships you are receiving specifically to help with these project costs, including the exact dollar amounts.
- Financial Need Statement (Optional): A brief statement outlining your current financial situation, if you would like the committee to take it into consideration.
How to Apply
- Apply online via the Wisconsin Scholarship Hub (WiSH).
- Deadlines:
- Fall Term: Applications are due by October 15.
- Spring Term: Applications are due by February 15.
What Happens Next?
- Review & Notification: A committee from the Advising & Career Center will review your materials. You will receive an email with their decision within two weeks of the application deadline.
- Receiving Your Funds: If you are awarded a scholarship, the funds will be sent to the Bursar’s Office and applied directly to your student tuition account.
- Refund Checks: If your tuition balance is already paid in full, the Bursar’s Office will issue the scholarship amount directly to you as a refund check. Checks can take up to 3 weeks to receive.
- eRefund: If you would like to receive your scholarship funds sooner, you can enroll in eRefund to have them direct deposited into your bank account. You can sign up for eRefund in your MyUW Student Center.
Questions?
Contact Jon Hetzel, Assistant Director of Career Services at jon.hetzel@wisc.edu.
*Funding may be full or partial based on your application's strength and available program funds.