Cecilie Scott-Betsy Milligan Scholarship
Under certain circumstances of financial hardship, PDX Writers will occasionally offer reduced or waived workshop fees. These are generally granted only to writers who are current or past attendees our workshops, and each workshop must be approved prior to registering. If you feel you might qualify, email us with an explanation of your situation, as well as which workshop you want to attend.
Congratulations to our 2018-2019 Scholarship Recipients!
Our first recipient (September-February) is Jolie Donohue
Jolie Donohue, The Gardening Goddess, is a horticultural therapist, garden designer and teacher. She believes in the inherent healing power of nature and loves sharing her passion with others. Jolie primarily writes about gardening and is excited for the publication of her first gardening book in 2019. Through PDX Writers she is finding her voice exploring new genres. Writing is an integral part her healing process living with chronic illness. Visit her at jolieanndonohue.com and missjolieannkitchengarden.blogspot.com
Janis Mercer will be our recipient in March-August
A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Janis received her PH.D. in English literature from The University of Mississippi. She has written for radio, television, and advertising and worked as a technical writer and editor; a documentation specialist; and a professor of English Literature, creative writing, and technical writing. She is currently working on a novel and a book of poetry. She lives in NE Portland with her son, Mack, and Megan and Mattie, her two dogs.
PDX Writers offers a scholarship for the writer who is ready to take their writing and/or a specific project to the next level without financial constraint. The scholarship allows the writer to take free PDX Writers workshops within the six-month scholarship period. It includes all workshops and day long retreats (meals extra). Scholarships do not include weekend retreats, meals, or overnight stays at day long retreats.
Previous Scholarship Winners
Cleo Hehn: March-August 2017
"The Cecilie Scott-Betsy Milligan Scholarship allowed me to focus on a writing project that had been in the back of my mind for a long time. During those six months I attended multiple workshops a week, immersing myself in my writing while also honing my techniques. I am so grateful to PDX Writers for this amazing opportunity."
Kriya Kaping: September 2017-February 2018
"The Cecilie Scott-Betsy Milligan Scholarship was instrumental in opening doors to my creative process that had been closed for too long. I was able to use the writing workshops during my scholarship residency to shakeout creativity, establish a writing routine, and stretch out those writing muscles to produce work that informed not only my prose, but was also used in my storytelling performances on stage. My time with PDX Writers has helped me fall more in love with the craft and feel more confident as a writer."
Susan Walters: March 2018- August 2018
"Thank you! My time as the recipient of the Cecilie Scott-Betsy Milligan Scholarship has ended. Attending the wide variety of workshops, retreats, and writing with others in community has been an honor. I have gained new skills and confidence in my ability to share my story in an entertaining and effective way."
The Cecilie Scott-Betsy Milligan Scholarship was founded in memory of two of our dedicated writers. Cecilie Scott, author of Knowing Bodies, wrote with PDX Writers for many years until her death in 2014. She travels in our hearts on each of our train retreats, since she never missed a one. Betsy Milligan was a collage artist who discovered her passion for writing in 2009 through PDX Writers and wrote with us until her death in 2014. If you’ve written in the PDX Writers Studio, you’ve seen her collage, entitled "Writers Island," displayed on the wall. We remember and honor both of these great writers with this scholarship.