At Kean University, students are given opportunities through various financial support systems. The goal of Kean's Office of Financial Aid is to make college affordable for students who want to succeed academically. 

With that being said, they offer flexible service hours and counselors that aim to assist students through financial aid. In addition to loans, work-study and grants, scholarship awards are always being produced for the benefit of Kean students. 

In regard to new scholarships, Premiere Stages is trying to get the word out about the Bauer Boucher Playwriting Award. As an award created in 2014 by Premiere Stages to honor W. John Bauer and Nancy Boucher, the award recognizes the work of one playwright each year to support the writer's enhanced visibility, supply feedback and provide a cash award of $2,000.   

Aside from the monetary award, professional influencers provide their insight and contribute to the betterment of the playwright.

This award is not new to the university, as there are many previous winners of the award. The winners of the past four years are as follows:

2014: "The One, Percy Ent" by Tariq Hamami, Class of 2006

2015: "Letting Go" by Sahirah Johnson, Class of 2017

2016: "Onyx Falling" by Emily Conklin, Class of 2015

2017: "Incident at Willow Creek" by B. V. Marshall, Class of 1973

2018: "Daemon" by Dustin Ballard, Class of 2009 

In addition, one is required to do the following in order to have a successful submission:

• A brief synopsis of the play that is no more than half a page
• A breakdown of the character
• The biography and resume of the playwright
• Lastly, a script or the current state of the script, including written work and scene breakdown 

Students should also be aware of the following guidelines:

• Playwrights must be current students in good academic standing or graduates of Kean University
• Plays must be unpublished and should have received a professional production
• Script submissions must be one-acts, full-length or solo shows
• Scripts that are incomplete must contain at least 25 pages and attach a scene breakdown for the entire play
• A script should not have been previously submitted because they are ineligible for a decision
• Playwrights must be available for the development of their script to obtain skills and knowledge
• Submissions are accepted from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 at 11:59 p.m.
• All plays must be submitted as a PDF via email to premiere@kean.edu.

Furthermore, the winner of the award will be selected in January 2019. The winner will receive a one-day developmental reading of their play with a professional cast and director, alongside an encore performance at a local community organization. 

For other playwrights, there may be a chance to be selected as a finalist and awarded $100.

Courtney Little, the producing associate for Premiere Stages endorses the benefits of this award 

"The Bauer Boucher Playwriting Award is a wonderful opportunity for Premiere Stages to encourage and reward promising playwrights that are Kean students and alumni," said Little.

Any students interested in this award and the betterment of their writing can visit the Premiere Stages website or email colittle@kean.edu for more information.