Who was Frances Wallis?

Ms. Frances Wallis was a well-known and respected English professor at the University of Georgia for over thirty years.  She also was a member of the UGA Catholic Center, having converted to Catholicism as an adult.  When Frances died in 2010, she left the Catholic Center a substantial bequest with no stipulations as to how her gift should be spent.  To honor her and to honor those things she loved, the Catholic Center will spend all of her gift to foster, promote, enhance and assist the causes of education, faith formation and outreach.  Nearly two-thirds will go to a new Catholic Center undergraduate student scholarship fund.

Who may apply?

If you will be enrolled at UGA this coming year as a 2nd, 3rd or 4th-year student pursuing a degree and are a registered member of the Catholic Center, you may apply.  The scholarship is not based on grades; however, you should have a C average or better and should be making timely progress in pursing a degree.  This scholarship will be awarded to Catholic Center undergraduate students who need financial help staying in school, doing their best and graduating.  We will ask questions concerning financial status only to help ascertain who best can use this gift from Ms. Wallis.  Everything in this application will be kept private, read only by a panel of judges who are members of the Catholic Center.  Nothing in this application will be discussed with anyone who is not a Wallis Fund committee member or a scholarship judge.

What are the criteria for the scholarship?

•Are you a registered member of the Catholic Center?  (You MUST be a registered member by the last day of March in order to apply for a scholarship; no exceptions.)

•In the upcoming academic year, are you a 2nd, 3rd or 4th-year UGA student in good standing and working on a degree?  (Incoming freshmen are not eligible.)

•Do you have a demonstrable need for financial help to attend UGA?

What does the scholarship entail?

If you are awarded a Frances Wallis Fund scholarship, you will receive $2000 for expenses for the upcoming academic year.  This money may be spent on tuition, room and board, books or in any way that allows you to stay in school, do a creditably job and graduate.  It is our hope that when you graduate and go on to a good job, you in turn will help those less fortunate in some meaningful way.  (Awardees are responsible for consulting IRS regulations regarding the taxable status of the award.  See Publication 970.)

How and when should you apply?

Please fill out a paper application that is available in the Center office or download one from the Center’s website using the following link:  Frances Wallis Scholarship Application.

The completed application must be received by the Center office no later than 12:00 noon of the last Monday in April (no exceptions).  Notification of scholarship recipients will be sent out the first week in June.