In the Spring of 2014, the Center of the American West awarded its first two Beardsley Family Scholarships to CU Boulder undergraduates enrolled in the Western American Studies Certificate Program. Since then, awards ranged from $1,000 – $4,000 per scholarship depending on funding availability.
For the 2025-26 academic year we are offering
four merit-based scholarships of $2,000 each
Requirements:
- Eligible students must be full time, degree-seeking undergraduate students with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
- Applicants MUST also be enrolled in the Center’s Western American Studies certificate program.
The 2025-26 application period is OPEN:
- To apply, log into the Buff Portal, on or after November 1st, 2024 click on the drop down magnifying glass icon / hamburger menu option to the left of the screen and select "Finances."
- From there, click on the "Scholarship" system link (graduation cap icon) and, when available, search the word “Beardsley.”
- Follow the instructions from there.
The Story Behind the Scholarship
The Beardsley Family Scholarship was established in 2013 to honor the memory of George Beardsley, a Center of the American West board member and community leader dedicated to the American West. During his time on the board, George advocated for reaching out to motivated students who could benefit from engagement with the Center. His widow, Pam Beardsley, created this scholarship to provide financial support to students with a passion for learning about and working on Western American topics and issues.
