Congratulations to Zöe Benfield a senior from Statesville majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing, for receiving the Rogers and Janice Whitener Scholarship for the spring 2021 semester.
Rogers and Janice Whitener were notable for their support of students and of the arts during their years at Appalachian State University. They created a scholarship to be awarded based on financial need, performance in creative writing for a majoring student and active, positive citizenship in all courses, including the creative writing program.
Benfield explained that the funding from this scholarship will ease some of the anxiety associated with being a non-traditional student pursuing her Bachelor's degree.
“I knew this scholarship would be helpful to me because, at nearly 25 years old, I am technically a non-traditional student. I have a wife and a mortgage, so I am in a different stage of life than most seniors I have as classmates,” said Benfield.
Outside of the classroom, Benfield works as the associate editor for The Peel Literature and Arts Review, an on-campus student-run literary magazine.
“I give this position my all, as I want my peers both within and outside of the creative writing concentration to have the opportunity to submit their work for feedback and the chance for publication,” said Benfield.
In the future, Benfield hopes to attain accelerated admissions at Appalachian to earn a Master of Arts degree in English and later a Master in Fine Arts in creative writing at another university. Her end goal is to teach English and creative writing at the college level and to continue her writing career. To date, Benfield has published a handful of short stories and is working on a few novel projects.
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About the Department of English
The Department of English at Appalachian State University is committed to outstanding work in the classroom, the support and mentorship of students, and a dynamic engagement with culture, history, language, theory and literature. The department offers master’s degrees in English and rhetoric and composition, as well as undergraduate degrees in literary studies, film studies, creative writing, professional writing and English education. Learn more at https://english.appstate.edu.
By Sophia Woodall
Dec. 17, 2020
BOONE, N.C.
Zöe Benfield, Spring 2021 Rogers and Janie Whitener Scholarship recipient. Photo submitted.
Zöe Benfield, Spring 2021 Rogers and Janie Whitener Scholarship recipient. Photo submitted.