Spoken Word Scholarship

The Department of Access, Compliance, and Equal Opportunity and the Juneteenth Celebration Committee are excited to announce the third annual Juneteenth Nova Star Scholarship Showcase as a part of our 2024 university-wide Juneteenth celebration. In addition to inviting the FIU student community to serve as showcase participants, we are excited to announce that we are now also offering the inaugural Nova Star Spoken Word Scholarship. Spoken word is an important historical aspect of the African and African Diasporic creative tradition and has the power to inspire both thought and action.

Those who are interested in participating in the Nova Star Spoken Word Competition are eligible for one of the following two scholarships if selected as finalists:

Nova-Star Griot: $1000
Nova-Star Jaliyaa: $500

Theme: This year’s Juneteenth theme is “Celebrate, Educate, and Heal.” Participants in the Nova Star Spoken Word Scholarship Competition are required to both interpret and incorporate the theme into their submission.

Submission Format: All submissions must be typed double-spaced, with 1-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font. The overall length of the spoken word piece must range from 500- 700 words. Each page must be numbered at the bottom and include the title of the submission at the top of the page. Your name and Panther ID Number (PID) must be included at the top left corner of the first page. All written submissions must be converted to PDF format prior to uploading.

Criteria: The work of the two selected finalists will be considered based on its creativity and resonance, as well as its interpretation of this year’s theme. The top two written submissions will be selected to be performed during the 2024 Juneteenth week of events. The application deadline is May 20th, 2024.

*Student Eligibility Requirements: *
Must be enrolled as a full-time student at FIU (12 credits per semester)
Must have a minimum GPA of 2.75
Must be in good academic and conduct standing with the university
Must have completed at least one full semester at FIU
Must be available during the Juneteenth celebration event

We encourage all participants to use their respective voices to celebrate, educate, and heal.

Please apply here at go.fiu.edu/spokenword