Student Resources

To honor the late James A. Wier, a former student at Metropolitan State University of Denver who was killed in the line of duty as a patrolman with the Denver Police Department, by providing financial assistance to MSU Denver students majoring in Criminal Justice and Criminology. The minimum GPA of applicants is 3.0. The essay and community service detailed in the MSU Denver Scholarship Application will be a major factor in the selection of the recipient by the scholarship committee.

(On the night of June 3, 1987, Officer James Wier and Officer Jimmy Gose were dispatched to 40 S. Pennsylvania Street for a “man-with-a-gun” call. As the officers arrived at the home, they could see a man, later identified as Charles Tarr, behind the door with a rifle or shotgun in his hands. The officers went for cover, James Wier crouching behind a three-foot stucco wall and Jimmy Gose behind a car, just before Charles Tarr opened fire. As James Wier rose up from behind cover to return fire the third time, Charles Tarr shot him fatally in the head. Jimmy Gose called for back-up, which arrived within minutes, however, before the mayhem was over, Sergeants Ronald Samson and Peter Diaz were also wounded, Ronald Samson serously. Charles Tarr finally ended his “war” by turning his gun on himself.)

To apply for this scholarship, click here.

Harol Nees, a 1976 MSU Denver graduate, came to the University in 1998 as an assistant professor after nearly two decades in law enforcement. He served as Chair of Faculty Senate from 2004-2008 and was elected as Faculty Trustee in 2010. He retired in 2011 as a full professor and was awarded emeritus status one year later.

The purpose of this scholarship is to provide assistance to students who are passionate about criminal justice and criminology and plan to pursue a career in that field. Applicants should:
· Have a declared major in Criminal Justice & Criminology
· Be a degree-seeking
· Be taking a minimum of 12 credit hours during the semester(s) the scholarship is received
· Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2
· Have completed volunteer work related to Criminal Justice (preference is given to those students with higher levels of volunteerism) – list every volunteer service you do within the criminal justice system

When all criterions are equal, preference will be given to students who are eligible to receive financial aid as determined by FAFSA guidelines. The recipient(s) shall be selected by a committee appointed by the Chair of the Criminal Justice and Criminology Department at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

To apply for this scholarship, click here.

OD Duhu graduated from Metropolitan State University (MSU) with a degree in Criminal Justice and Criminology. In her final year, she applied for and received the John and Tammy Coon Scholarship (Coon Scholarship). As a student with no external financial support, taking 12-15 credit hours per semester, and working up to 55 hours a week to support herself and pay for tuition, fees and books, the Coon Scholarship helped alleviate OD’s financial burden and was much appreciated. The intention behind the scholarship is to pay it forward in gratitude for the Coon Scholarship, and for the great education that she received at MSU. One instrumental strength of the MSU Criminal Justice and Criminology program lay in the fact that all the instructors were actively working in the field at the time, and were able to provide current and real-world scenarios and experiences. This gave OD a good foundation with which to start a career that has continued to grow and be successful. The scholarship will provide financial support for students who like OD, have had to overcome adversities to achieve their academic goals.

The scholarship recipient shall:

• Meet MSU Denver’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements and cannot be in default or owe any refund/repayment of federal, state or institutional aid.
• Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Have a financial need, per the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the MSU Denver Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
• Be taking 12 or more credit hours during the semesters that the scholarship is received.
• Be a junior or senior at MSU Denver with a declared major in Criminal Justice and Criminology.
• Write a 500 word or less essay describing how they have overcome adversities to get to this point in their life, and what part MSU Denver has played in this journey. (The Donor wishes to emphasize the importance of the essay in selection. Spelling, grammar, and focused responses to the Donor’s question should be considered in rating.)

The scholarship award for one recipient is $5,000 up to the cost of tuition, fees and books to be awarded in the fall and spring semesters only. Each recipient may receive one scholarship (no renewals). Students will have two semesters to use the award. If a recipient does not use the entire $5,000 award, the remainder will be given to next highest rated, eligible student from the same selection pool as the original recipient.

Selection will be made by the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology Scholarship Committee. The Donor may participate in selection as a minority member of the committee but shall not control the committee or decisions that it makes. Selection committee members must be able to make independent decisions without potential or perceived influence caused by a conflict of interest. Selection committee members should avoid any situation where personal and business relationships could have, or give the appearance of having, undue influence. In cases of potential conflict of interest, the committee member shall declare the conflict and refrain from the decision-making process. For application information, please visit here.