Musser Fellowship in Entrepreneurial Studies

The Warren V. Musser Fellowship in Entrepreneurial Studies supports full-time and half-time graduate students at the Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies, near Philadelphia in the United States. It is aimed at aspiring entrepreneurs who plan to start their own business, lead a startup, or take a leadership role in a fast-growing new or emerging firm. The fellowship provides a stipend of up to 25,000 US dollars, covering tuition for the duration of the funded study, which is structured around a one-year program. Fellows must enrol in and complete at least four graduate courses, equivalent to 12 credits, in each semester of the award, and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 throughout. Recipients cannot hold paid employment during the fellowship, must accept the award within two weeks of notification, work with an assigned mentor on their academic and career goals, take part in co-curricular projects, research and presentations, and attend the annual campus event for scholarship recipients and donors. Because the stipend amount and closing date are set each cycle, confirm the exact current figures and deadline on the official Penn State Great Valley page before applying.

What's covered

• Tuition stipend — A fellowship stipend of up to US$25,000 (about ~EUR 23,000 (est.)) applied toward graduate tuition at Penn State Great Valley for the funded study period.
• Full-time or half-time funding — Support for students enrolled full-time or half-time in a campus-based graduate program at the Great Valley campus, structured around a one-year program.
• Faculty mentorship — An assigned mentor who works with the Fellow on academic and career goals throughout the award, at no cost to the Fellow (a benefit worth ~US$1,000 (est.) in equivalent advising).
• Co-curricular and research activities — Funded participation in co-curricular learning projects, research, presentations and other entrepreneurship activities tied to the fellowship.
• Donor and recipient event — Participation in the annual campus event for scholarship recipients and donors, providing networking with the entrepreneurial community.

How to apply

Applicants must first be admitted to a Penn State Great Valley graduate program, then submit the fellowship application with supporting documents.

1. Gain admission — Apply for and secure formal admission to a campus-based graduate program at Penn State Great Valley.
2. Complete the application form — Fill in the Musser Fellowship application form in full.
3. Prepare your essay and resume — Upload your resume and an essay outlining your educational plans, career objectives and entrepreneurial experience.
4. Provide references — Supply contact information for two references to support your application.
5. Submit before the deadline — Submit the complete application before the published closing date and accept any offer within two weeks of notification.