Technical Communication Scholarships
Earn Special Funding
Technical communication refers to the interrelated fields of documentation, instruction, web design, and many others that all evolve to translate the digital and technical realm into one that is clearly understood by an intended audience. The field of technical communicators is comprised of technical and professional writers, software engineers, web designers, programmers and instructional design specialists, as well as a crop of others that interface with the technical environment.
There are many colleges and universities that offer either courses or whole degree programs in technical communications and as a result more and more scholarship money is becoming available.
Professionals trained in technical communications may find positions as varied as the disciplines themselves: within small marketing agencies, large software companies, instructional design firms, and throughout the public and private sectors.
Private Scholarships
The Society for Technical Communication is the national organization dedicated to promoting and supporting the work of all kinds of technical communicators. The organization is broken up into regional chapters, all of which provide a regular forum for collaboration and networking. The STC like other professional organizations provides resources for student members who will be the next generation of industry leaders:
- Marian Norby Scholarship awards a female member a modest scholarship for courses or a degree program in technical communications. Any eligible applicant must be a federally employed administrative assistant to qualify.
- International Scholarship Program awards $1,500 to undergrads and grads whose program of study is in technical communications or a closely related field.
- Chapter scholarships are available.
A key part of technical communications is translating images into digital language easily accessed by those who require the resources. The Raymond Davis Scholarship available through the Society for Imaging Science and Technology offers qualified students a $1,000 award for their efforts in related studies. The award is applicable for undergraduate or graduate students.
The Special Interest Group on Design of Communication (SIGDOC) sponsors the Undergraduate Scholarship Program designed to support the studies of a student studying in a technical communication program or closely related curriculum. Qualified applicants must submit a portfolio and references from faculty. Awards are $500.
The Taylor/Blakeslee Science Writing Fellowships are sponsored by the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing and awarded to outstanding grad students in the field of science writing. Technical communication involves all types of specialized writing that converts highly technical texts to those more palatable for laypersons. Awards are $2,000.
College Scholarships
The Medtronic Technical Communication Scholarship is provided to students in the Scientific and Technical Communications major at the University of Minnesota. Applicants must write an essay detailing their education and career goals in the field. Medtronic is a biomedical company and therefore is invested in providing for students whose interests are in medical or scientific communication.
Colorado State University students majoring in technical communications through the Department of Journalism and Technical Communication may be eligible for the Robert A. Schenkein Scholarship. The award goes to upperclassmen in the major whose career emphasis is on public relations. Awards are $750.
