University News

WIU alumna Jessica Schaumberg at WIU's Undergraduate Research Day in April.
[Download Print-Quality Image]

WIU Alumna Awarded National Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship

September 22, 2022

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB, IL – A member of Western Illinois University's chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi has been awarded a national fellowship to pursue her graduate studies.

Jessica Schaumberg, of Streator, IL, a May graduate with bachelor's degrees in music performance and music composition, and minors in English and Spanish, received an $8,500 fellowship. She was one of 50 national winners who are entering their first year of graduate or professional study.

Schaumberg was also named the winner of the WIU Phi Kappa Phi chapter's fellowship of $500, which qualified her for the national award. At WIU, she was also a Centennial Honors Scholar and the Music Departmental Scholar.

Schaumberg is currently a graduate teaching assistant at Texas A&M University – Commerce, working toward a master's degree in flute performance.

"Earning this Fellowship is an amazing opportunity that would never have been possible without a lot of help from the people at WIU. Krista Skien and Molly Homer have been constant mentors, and their encouragement is what drove me to apply in the first place. The original piece of music I submitted toward the personal essay was created under the guidance of my composition teacher Dr. (James) Romig. And all of the writing was presided over by my friends in the University Writing Center. In short, this achievement was largely thanks to the incredible support from every corner of the WIU community."

The national Phi Kappa Phi office awards more than 50 fellowships each year.

In 2020, Mariah Dicksen, of Lockport, IL, was awarded an $8,500 fellowship to pursue a Ph.D. in microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2019, WIU alumna Nicole Walker was awarded the national fellowship to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and, in 2018, alumna Jillian Escobar was awarded a $5,000 fellowship to pursue a doctoral degree in audiology at Northwestern University. In 2017, alumnus Nicholas Breslin won the fellowship and is using the award to pursue his doctoral studies at Michigan State University.

The selection process for the national Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship is based on the applicants' evidence of graduate potential, undergraduate academic achievement, service and leadership experience, letters of recommendation, personal statement of educational perspective and career goals and acceptance at an approved graduate or professional program.

For more information, visit PhiKappaPhi.org/Awards.


Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing