The Dr. Kenneth J. Pakenham Memorial Endowed Scholarship

The Dr. Kenneth J. Pakenham Memorial Endowed Scholarship was established in January 2020 by Pamela McCarthy in memory of her husband, Dr. Kenneth Pakenham. After teaching for three decades, Dr. Pakenham retired from The University of Akron in 2010 as Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of English, where he taught Linguistics and English as a Second Language. He also served as director and an instructor for the English Language Institute.

Dr. Pakenham, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) with master's degrees from the University of Essex and the University of Leeds (U.K.), was the author of Expectations: Language and Reading Skills for Students of ESL (Prentice Hall), and three editions of Making Connections: Skills and Strategies for Academic Reading (Cambridge University Press). His wife, Pam McCarthy (1970, 1989), and twins, Michael (2011) and Kate (2011) Pakenham, are all University of Akron graduates. With its inception in 2020, this scholarship commemorates The University of Akron's 150th Sesquicentennial Anniversary.

Prize:

TBD, but historically $300-$600

Who can enter:

Currently enrolled UA undergraduate students majoring in English, with first consideration given to those pursuing a certificate in Linguistic Studies or Teaching English as a Second Language.
Academic merit and financial need will also be considered. Scholarship assistance will be applied directly to the recipient's student account and may be used to cover costs of tuition and fees. Recipients and scholarship amounts will be determined by the Department of English.

Application Guidelines:

To apply, students should write a letter of no more than 600 words that argues for why they are an excellent candidate for this scholarship, ideally highlighting their work in Linguistic Studies or Teaching English as a Second Language, as well as how they plan to use their work in these areas in the future. The letter must demonstrate their academic merit (academic awards, other relevant academic information). Additionally, students should indicate their financial need, and briefly indicate how this scholarship will contribute to their academic success.

Submission Guidelines:

Submission must be typed, double-spaced in 12-point font, and no more than 600 words.
Any referenced sources (not required) must conform to MLA or APA style.
Only one submission per person.
Student should include his/her name, email address, and student ID number on the letter.
This submission may not be submitted for another Department of English prize or scholarship.
Save the title of your document in “LAST NAME-Award Title” format (for example, SMITH-Pakenham Scholarship).
Upload your document in PDF form.
The submission link will become available in February 2025.