Laurence J. Peter Memorial Graduate Fellowship in Teacher Education

College of Education, Sport, and Human SciencesDevelopment TeamLaurence J. Peter Memorial Graduate Fellowship in Teacher Education

Laurence J. Peter Memorial Graduate Fellowship in Teacher Education

This scholarship was established by family, friends, colleagues, and admirers of Laurence J. Peter, the distinguished educational scholar and humorist. Dr. Peter earned his Ed.D at WSU in 1963. He was the prolific author of many scholarly works. With the immense success of the publication of “The Peter Principle” in 1969, Dr. Peter became a national and international celebrity. He died at the age of 70 in January 1990. Laurence Peter was an extraordinary man who spent his life searching for knowledge, wisdom, and ways to improve the teachers of the future. He will always be an inspiration to the scholars who follow him.

The Laurence J. Peter Memorial Graduate Fellowship in Teacher Education shall be awarded annually to one or more graduate students in education whose main professional focus will be the direct improvement of the performance of the teaching act. This fellowship will not be awarded to those students pursuing a career in counseling, administration or other specialties that may improve teaching indirectly. The recipient can use the award for such things as tuition and fees, subsistence, research expenses, and other educationally related costs.

Essays should be between 500 and 750 words, be double spaced, and directly speak to the prompt.

Application opens September 1 each year and closes April 30th, 2026.

Winners will be selected and notified in May for a Fall distribution.

For questions, please contact Joni Ford, development coordinator for the College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences, at joni.ford@wsu.edu.

Laurence J. Peter Memorial Graduate Fellowship in Teacher Education

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Describe your proposed plan by answering the following question:

Your proposal: If awarded, how do you plan to improve the teaching act? What problem are you trying to solve? Please describe how you intend on solving the problem, what you need to accomplish this, and describe what the outcome of your work would be.(Required)

Have you received other financial aid/scholarships through WSU before?(Required)

Yes, I received funding this semester/year from WSU in general

Yes, in previous semesters/years

No, never

If yes, please list the school year(s), name(s) of the scholarships, and how much you have been awarded here, separating each award by a semicolon

i.e. 21-22 - Steen-Smith Scholarship - $2000; 22-23 - COE Scholarship Fund - $2000

By clicking the box below, I am submitting that the information provided above is true to the best of my knowledge. I also accept that filling out this form does not guarantee any funding will be awarded.(Required)

I agree and understand