In 2013, VCFA and upstreet Magazine established the awards through a gift by Vivian Dorsel. The scholarships are awarded to help meritorious and deserving writers attend VCFA, and in particular those who might not be able to attend without scholarship support.

Vivian is a graduate of the Writing program (’06) and a long-term supporter of scholarships for VCFA’s Postgraduate Writers Conference. She has a deep understanding of the need for scholarships to help talented and emerging writers pursue their dreams of a writing career.

upstreet Magazine, based in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts, is an independently owned and published, nationally distributed magazine which was founded by Vivian in 2005.