Rowan Foundation names 2026 scholarship winners for women writers

By AI, Created 5:17 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – The Rowan Foundation awarded four undergraduate women $1,000 scholarships during National Women’s Health Week, including one recognizing resilience after a blood clot experience. The program drew 248 applicants nationwide and ties creative writing support to broader awareness of women’s health risks.

Why it matters: - The Rowan Foundation is using scholarships to support young women writers while drawing attention to blood clot awareness in women’s health. - The program links creative achievement with lived health experience, including one award for a student whose writing path was shaped by a blood-clotting experience. - The awards also spotlight a health issue that can affect women across life stages, including birth control, family planning, pregnancy, childbirth and menopause.

What happened: - The Rowan Foundation announced its 2026 scholarship recipients during National Women’s Health Week. - Four undergraduate women each received a $1,000 scholarship. - The winners were selected from 248 applicants nationwide. - The awards came through two programs: the Alexandra Rowan Voices of Tomorrow Scholarships and the Alexandra Rowan Resilience in Writing Scholarship.

The details: - Susan Coyle of Kent State University at Kent received the Voices of Tomorrow Scholarship for poetry. - Jordan Montero of the University of California-Berkeley received the Voices of Tomorrow Scholarship for nonfiction. - Zuri Scales of Towson University received the Voices of Tomorrow Scholarship for fiction. - Rebecca Mlapah of Brown University received the Resilience in Writing Scholarship. - The Voices of Tomorrow Scholarships recognize excellence in poetry, nonfiction and fiction. - The Resilience in Writing Scholarship supports an undergraduate woman whose academic and creative experience has been influenced by a blood-clotting experience. - The Rowan Foundation described the Resilience in Writing Scholarship as a national effort that is still uncommon in broader women’s health conversations. - David Rowan, founder of the Rowan Foundation, said the program is deeply personal to the family because Alexandra Rowan loved writing and expressed herself with clarity and depth. - David Rowan also said the quality and thoughtfulness of the submissions stood out. - The Foundation said the first year of the scholarship program exceeded expectations.

Between the lines: - The scholarship program is doing more than funding students. It is also building a storytelling platform around women’s health and patient experience. - The emphasis on resilience suggests the Foundation wants personal health narratives to be part of the public conversation, not just clinical data. - The program’s focus on undergraduate women creates a direct link between education, advocacy and health awareness.

What’s next: - The Rowan Foundation said it plans to continue and expand the scholarship effort in future years. - The Foundation will keep using its Patient & Community Advisory Group and national storytelling efforts to elevate women’s voices and inform patient-centered care. - The Foundation invites readers to explore the writing initiative and learn more about the scholarship program.

The bottom line: - The Rowan Foundation is pairing writing awards with women’s health advocacy, turning scholarships into a broader campaign for awareness, education and patient voice.