Award: $2000-$5000
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://jea.org/home/awards-honors/journalist-of-the-year/
Friday, February 21, 2014
Sister Rita Jeanne Journalist of the Year Scholarship
This scholarship is for graduating high school seniors who have participated in high school journalism for at least two years. Applicants must be students of a Journalism Education Association (JEA) adviser, be a state winner, and have at least a 3.0 GPA. To apply for this scholarship, applicants must submit a portfolio of their work.
Award: $2000-$5000
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://jea.org/home/awards-honors/journalist-of-the-year/
Award: $2000-$5000
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://jea.org/home/awards-honors/journalist-of-the-year/
American Legion Auxiliary Children of Warriors National Presidents' Scholarship
This scholarship is for high school seniors who are children, step-children, grandchildren, step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren, or great-step-grandchildren of veterans who served in the armed forces during eligibility dates for membership in the American Legion (see application). To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must have completed 50 hours of volunteer service within the community, verified in writing by the receipt organization(s). Scholarships will be awarded based on character and leadership, essay and application, financial need, and scholarship.
Award: $2500-$3500
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: https://www.alaforveterans.org/Scholarships/Children-of-Warriors-National-Presidents--Scholarship/
Award: $2500-$3500
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: https://www.alaforveterans.org/Scholarships/Children-of-Warriors-National-Presidents--Scholarship/
The Art of the College Recommendation Letter
By Andrew Simmons
Article link: http://m.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/02/the-art-of-the-college-recommendation-letter/284019/
In late September, seniors case my classroom in the early morning and charge in before I’ve turned on my laptop. They corner me at the copy machine and at the entrance to the faculty lounge. They each want the same thing: a letter of recommendation. And when I say yes, the student presses a crumpled brag sheet in my hands and runs in the opposite direction. Most teachers who have seniors as students are lucky if fewer than 20 ask, and generous if they agree to do 15. Writing a meaningful letter of recommendation takes time, a luxury that teachers don’t have. Still, it is difficult to say no to a worthy student, especially one who has made a public request with pleading puppy eyes.
I usually end up writing 12 to 15 recommendations per “season.” Some teachers are more prolific recommendation letter mills, churning out dozens every fall. Yet, judging from the specimens I have seen sliding from the office printer, their often-simple formula falls short.
A lot of teachers introduce themselves, announce the subject’s suitability for college, summarize his or her academic performance, and then fill in personal details by following the brag sheet—an unfortunately named document that endeavors to outline a student’s achievements: sports played, volunteer work completed, awards won, and so forth. Teachers who draw from the brag sheet merely end up corroborating the information revealed elsewhere in an application.
“He was defensive player of the year for the football team.”
“She ran student government and earned a 4.0.”
“His exam scores were the best in his class for the second half of the year.”
Even when these teachers editorialize further, they may traffic in the sorts of dull generalities that student writers are taught to avoid.
“She is a consistently respectful student.”
“He always puts forth great effort, no matter the task.”
The routine reduces students to bland shades of their real vibrant selves. The messages may also be misleading. A "respectful, quiet" student might sit in the back of class and never contribute to discussions. A "gregarious, social" student may be a pain in the ass unless his talkativeness is harnessed for an academic purpose. A "late bloomer" probably tanked his freshman year.
Admissions officers see hundreds of letters and encounter the same clichéd phrases and trite euphemisms again and again. We teachers mean well, and when it comes to applicants with stellar grades and scores, our letters may do no harm. But when we write formulaic recommendation letters, we’re not thoughtfully considering the purpose of a recommendation letter, and as a result, we’re probably not making great cases for promising students with less sparkling academic records.
That’s why I’m trying to embrace a different way of writing recommendations. My job is not to draw big neon circles around a student’s achievements so that an admissions officer will pay more attention to them. Instead of bragging on behalf of the student, I want to render human the person admissions officers may view as a collection of letters and numbers, to say what those grades and scores cannot.
A recommendation letter can discuss the academic and, when relevant, personal challenges a student has faced. It can clarify a student’s learning style and distill what he or she brings to a conversation about an academic topic. After all, colleges are trying to build classes of students, not simply usher in as many high-scoring kids as fate will permit. A recommendation, when it is done right, highlights, instead of purely the triumphs, the intangibles in a student's application. It helps admissions officers accomplish the goal of building a class that will thrive at the school and take advantage of the opportunities it can provide.
I avoid gratuitous praise. I can recommend a student “without reservations” and nonetheless call honest attention to challenges they have faced. It is not an error of inclusion to describe a student’s miserable first impression. Sharing a selective, respectful history of a student’s turbulent home life does not reflect poorly upon the applicant or the writer. Once an admissions officer at a very selective East coast liberal arts school and currently a college counselor at a private Quaker school, Ryan Keaton believes in keeping it real. “When I was in admissions . . . reading about how the student walked on water made me wonder if I was getting an accurate representation,” she says. “When I write now, I make sure I'm representing strengths and struggles honestly. If the rec letter doesn't add depth, then it's pointless. I learned that as an admission counselor reading umpteen letters a day.”
When I wrote a letter for my student Marina in October, I chronicled the process by which she wrote her personal statement, an essay detailing her complicated, tense relationship with her twin brother who, minutes-older and more socially adept, has often treated her with condescension. In her essay, she’d described trying to find or make him a birthday gift that he would value—in the end, a clever piece of video art. Her first essay draft had been four pages long and still unfinished, convoluted and riddled with wild tangents. But there was so much insight and heart buried in it. We had to move chunks of text around – not fun for a writer of any age. With every brutal edit, though, she’d nod enthusiastically and scribble changes frantically into the margins. Working with her showed me her character and the way she tackles a tough task. She thinks in lively sprints but has had to practice being methodical, backtracking to efficiently organize her ideas. I had to include that in her letter, even if doing so required me to acknowledge a problem area I’d identified.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that writers of recommendation letters should not endorse their subjects vigorously.
“When I write a recommendation letter, I see myself as an advocate for [a student’s] entire life,” says Joaquim Hamilton, Director of College Connection at Philadelphia Futures, which helps low-income, first-generation college students with the admissions process. Hamilton was previously an admissions officer at Swarthmore. “It is not enough for me to simply talk about their academics and club involvement. The students have just started to come into their own academically and personally. Their accomplishments just scratch the surface of who they are and what they will accomplish in the future. We can't write as if [it] is the end of a story, but more of a story yet to be written.”
Hamilton and I both work with students who are pioneers of sorts. They are the first in their families to attend college, and in many cases, the first to graduate from high school. Most of my college-bound students have neither a 2100 on the SAT nor a 4.0. GPA. Many of them have failed classes. Many of them have missed school to take care of younger siblings or attend family court. Some have faced dramatically difficult family disturbances and extreme poverty. A few have committed minor crimes. Many of my students have tackled AP classes without homework help outside of school. Many learned how to speak English in elementary school. Their strengths cannot be summed up by a transcript. It’s a recommender’s responsibility to make a school’s admissions officers wonder how a student’s story will continue to evolve.
“I have to make sure that colleges can look past them as ‘risky’ and really understand their untapped potential,” says Hamilton. “‘Could you imagine what this student would be able to accomplish if they had the professors, facilities, and environment that would properly support their talent?’”
Juan was a student who needed a letter to put his work in proper context. He’d started off high school on a dismal trajectory, a fantastic baseball player who failed half his classes. By the time he’d turned things around, his G.P.A. bore scars. In my class, as a 12th grader, he stood out for his analytical essays and personal narratives. He wrote, for instance, a richly descriptive five-page essay about a hunting trip he took with the male members of his extended family in which not a single shot was fired. Instead of the trip’s macho pretense, he focused on the relationships among family members. In order to provide context for Juan—a great athlete, a scrappy kid, a willing class clown, and yet an observant, sensitive writer—I had to write about that essay. I also had to ask others about him—teachers and coaches who’d known him longer. I had to make connections between the kid he was in the tumultuous first half of high school and the young man he’d become by its conclusion.
I had to play both detective and journalist. Consciously adopting that role isn’t a bad idea. After all, I am uncovering and illuminating what has not been made clear. I am not, like a good news reporter, free from bias. I think my students deserve careful consideration. But I have a responsibility to emphasize that without resorting to hyperbole. Students get themselves into college, but when teachers tell their stories well, we can give admissions officers a more enlightened perspective.
Andrew Simmons is a writer, teacher, and musician based in California. He has written for The New York Times, Slate, and The Believer.
Article link: http://m.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2014/02/the-art-of-the-college-recommendation-letter/284019/
In late September, seniors case my classroom in the early morning and charge in before I’ve turned on my laptop. They corner me at the copy machine and at the entrance to the faculty lounge. They each want the same thing: a letter of recommendation. And when I say yes, the student presses a crumpled brag sheet in my hands and runs in the opposite direction. Most teachers who have seniors as students are lucky if fewer than 20 ask, and generous if they agree to do 15. Writing a meaningful letter of recommendation takes time, a luxury that teachers don’t have. Still, it is difficult to say no to a worthy student, especially one who has made a public request with pleading puppy eyes.
I usually end up writing 12 to 15 recommendations per “season.” Some teachers are more prolific recommendation letter mills, churning out dozens every fall. Yet, judging from the specimens I have seen sliding from the office printer, their often-simple formula falls short.
A lot of teachers introduce themselves, announce the subject’s suitability for college, summarize his or her academic performance, and then fill in personal details by following the brag sheet—an unfortunately named document that endeavors to outline a student’s achievements: sports played, volunteer work completed, awards won, and so forth. Teachers who draw from the brag sheet merely end up corroborating the information revealed elsewhere in an application.
“He was defensive player of the year for the football team.”
“She ran student government and earned a 4.0.”
“His exam scores were the best in his class for the second half of the year.”
Even when these teachers editorialize further, they may traffic in the sorts of dull generalities that student writers are taught to avoid.
“She is a consistently respectful student.”
“He always puts forth great effort, no matter the task.”
The routine reduces students to bland shades of their real vibrant selves. The messages may also be misleading. A "respectful, quiet" student might sit in the back of class and never contribute to discussions. A "gregarious, social" student may be a pain in the ass unless his talkativeness is harnessed for an academic purpose. A "late bloomer" probably tanked his freshman year.
Admissions officers see hundreds of letters and encounter the same clichéd phrases and trite euphemisms again and again. We teachers mean well, and when it comes to applicants with stellar grades and scores, our letters may do no harm. But when we write formulaic recommendation letters, we’re not thoughtfully considering the purpose of a recommendation letter, and as a result, we’re probably not making great cases for promising students with less sparkling academic records.
That’s why I’m trying to embrace a different way of writing recommendations. My job is not to draw big neon circles around a student’s achievements so that an admissions officer will pay more attention to them. Instead of bragging on behalf of the student, I want to render human the person admissions officers may view as a collection of letters and numbers, to say what those grades and scores cannot.
A recommendation letter can discuss the academic and, when relevant, personal challenges a student has faced. It can clarify a student’s learning style and distill what he or she brings to a conversation about an academic topic. After all, colleges are trying to build classes of students, not simply usher in as many high-scoring kids as fate will permit. A recommendation, when it is done right, highlights, instead of purely the triumphs, the intangibles in a student's application. It helps admissions officers accomplish the goal of building a class that will thrive at the school and take advantage of the opportunities it can provide.
I avoid gratuitous praise. I can recommend a student “without reservations” and nonetheless call honest attention to challenges they have faced. It is not an error of inclusion to describe a student’s miserable first impression. Sharing a selective, respectful history of a student’s turbulent home life does not reflect poorly upon the applicant or the writer. Once an admissions officer at a very selective East coast liberal arts school and currently a college counselor at a private Quaker school, Ryan Keaton believes in keeping it real. “When I was in admissions . . . reading about how the student walked on water made me wonder if I was getting an accurate representation,” she says. “When I write now, I make sure I'm representing strengths and struggles honestly. If the rec letter doesn't add depth, then it's pointless. I learned that as an admission counselor reading umpteen letters a day.”
When I wrote a letter for my student Marina in October, I chronicled the process by which she wrote her personal statement, an essay detailing her complicated, tense relationship with her twin brother who, minutes-older and more socially adept, has often treated her with condescension. In her essay, she’d described trying to find or make him a birthday gift that he would value—in the end, a clever piece of video art. Her first essay draft had been four pages long and still unfinished, convoluted and riddled with wild tangents. But there was so much insight and heart buried in it. We had to move chunks of text around – not fun for a writer of any age. With every brutal edit, though, she’d nod enthusiastically and scribble changes frantically into the margins. Working with her showed me her character and the way she tackles a tough task. She thinks in lively sprints but has had to practice being methodical, backtracking to efficiently organize her ideas. I had to include that in her letter, even if doing so required me to acknowledge a problem area I’d identified.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that writers of recommendation letters should not endorse their subjects vigorously.
“When I write a recommendation letter, I see myself as an advocate for [a student’s] entire life,” says Joaquim Hamilton, Director of College Connection at Philadelphia Futures, which helps low-income, first-generation college students with the admissions process. Hamilton was previously an admissions officer at Swarthmore. “It is not enough for me to simply talk about their academics and club involvement. The students have just started to come into their own academically and personally. Their accomplishments just scratch the surface of who they are and what they will accomplish in the future. We can't write as if [it] is the end of a story, but more of a story yet to be written.”
Hamilton and I both work with students who are pioneers of sorts. They are the first in their families to attend college, and in many cases, the first to graduate from high school. Most of my college-bound students have neither a 2100 on the SAT nor a 4.0. GPA. Many of them have failed classes. Many of them have missed school to take care of younger siblings or attend family court. Some have faced dramatically difficult family disturbances and extreme poverty. A few have committed minor crimes. Many of my students have tackled AP classes without homework help outside of school. Many learned how to speak English in elementary school. Their strengths cannot be summed up by a transcript. It’s a recommender’s responsibility to make a school’s admissions officers wonder how a student’s story will continue to evolve.
“I have to make sure that colleges can look past them as ‘risky’ and really understand their untapped potential,” says Hamilton. “‘Could you imagine what this student would be able to accomplish if they had the professors, facilities, and environment that would properly support their talent?’”
Juan was a student who needed a letter to put his work in proper context. He’d started off high school on a dismal trajectory, a fantastic baseball player who failed half his classes. By the time he’d turned things around, his G.P.A. bore scars. In my class, as a 12th grader, he stood out for his analytical essays and personal narratives. He wrote, for instance, a richly descriptive five-page essay about a hunting trip he took with the male members of his extended family in which not a single shot was fired. Instead of the trip’s macho pretense, he focused on the relationships among family members. In order to provide context for Juan—a great athlete, a scrappy kid, a willing class clown, and yet an observant, sensitive writer—I had to write about that essay. I also had to ask others about him—teachers and coaches who’d known him longer. I had to make connections between the kid he was in the tumultuous first half of high school and the young man he’d become by its conclusion.
I had to play both detective and journalist. Consciously adopting that role isn’t a bad idea. After all, I am uncovering and illuminating what has not been made clear. I am not, like a good news reporter, free from bias. I think my students deserve careful consideration. But I have a responsibility to emphasize that without resorting to hyperbole. Students get themselves into college, but when teachers tell their stories well, we can give admissions officers a more enlightened perspective.
Andrew Simmons is a writer, teacher, and musician based in California. He has written for The New York Times, Slate, and The Believer.
Glenn Miller Scholarship Competition
This scholarship is for instrumentalists and vocalists who are high school seniors or first-year college students. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must intend to make music a central part of their future. To apply for this scholarship, applicants must submit an audition CD or tape; see application for more details. Finalists must be able to come to Clarinda, Iowa, at their own expense for the final competition on June 12, 2014, and be able to perform at the Stage Show on June 13, 2014.
Award: $1000-$4000
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://www.glennmiller.org/scholarships.html
Award: $1000-$4000
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://www.glennmiller.org/scholarships.html
Barbara Wiedner and Dorothy Vandercook Peace Scholarship
This scholarship is for high school seniors and college freshmen who have demonstrated leadership and personal initiative in activities involving peace, social justice, nuclear disarmament, and/or conflict resolution. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be able to provide evidence of leadership and personal initiative in related activities or in a related organization, including volunteer or paid work.
Award: $250-$500
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://peacescholarships.org/
Award: $250-$500
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://peacescholarships.org/
A Nurse I Am Scholarship
This scholarship is for students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited LVN/LPN, RN degree (ADN or BSN) diploma or RN-to-BSN program. Enrollment may be on a full-time or part-time basis and applicants must begin or have begun classes no later than January 31, 2014. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be US citizens or legal residents and their nursing program must be located within the 50 US states. To apply for this scholarship, applicants must watch an educational documentary and write an essay that addresses two given questions; see website for details.
Award: $2000
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://www.anurseiam.com/
Award: $2000
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://www.anurseiam.com/
Math, Engineering, Science, Business, Education, and Computers (MESBEC) Scholarship
This scholarship is for students who are at least one-quarter American Indian and are enrolled members of a US tribe that is federally recognized, state-recognized, or terminated. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must have high GPA and test scores and be enrolled in an accredited US college/university on a full-time basis. The six priority majors are math majors, engineering majors, science majors, business majors, education majors, and computer science majors.
Award: $500-$5000
Deadline: March 15, 2014
More info: http://www.catchingthedream.org/Scholarship.htm
Award: $500-$5000
Deadline: March 15, 2014
More info: http://www.catchingthedream.org/Scholarship.htm
William J. Adams, Jr. & Marijane E. Adams Scholarship
This scholarship is for declared biological engineering majors and agricultural engineering majors who have completed at least one year of undergraduate study and have at least one year of undergraduate study remaining at the time of application. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must have at least a 2.5 GPA, demonstrate financial need, and have a special interest in agricultural machinery product design and development.
Award: $1200
Deadline: March 15, 2014
More info: https://www.asabe.org/awards-landmarks/student-awards,-competitions-scholarships/adams-scholarship.aspx
2013 Winner, Ira S. Kuenzli
Award: $1200
Deadline: March 15, 2014
More info: https://www.asabe.org/awards-landmarks/student-awards,-competitions-scholarships/adams-scholarship.aspx
2013 Winner, Ira S. Kuenzli
American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) Foundation Engineering Scholarship
This scholarship is for declared biological engineering majors and agricultural engineering majors who have completed at least one year of undergraduate study and have at least one year of undergraduate study remaining at the time of application. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be members of ASABE, have at least a 2.5 GPA, and demonstrate financial need. Applicants must be able to verify that graduation assures eligibility for the PE licensing exam.
Award: $1200
March: 15, 2014
More info: http://www.asabe.org/awards-landmarks/student-awards,-competitions-scholarships/foundation-scholarship.aspx
Award: $1200
March: 15, 2014
More info: http://www.asabe.org/awards-landmarks/student-awards,-competitions-scholarships/foundation-scholarship.aspx
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Women in Technology Scholarship (WITS) Program
This scholarship is for women who are enrolled in or accepted into a two- or four-year college or university within the United States for the 2014 school year. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be planning a career in information technology or a related field. Applicants must have earned a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA. The scholarship will be awarded based on academic performance, essay, and level of participation in community service and/or extracurricular activities.
Award: $2,500
Deadline: March 10, 2014
More info: http://www.trustvip.com/about-vip/community-support/women-technology-scholarship-wits/
Award: $2,500
Deadline: March 10, 2014
More info: http://www.trustvip.com/about-vip/community-support/women-technology-scholarship-wits/
Engineering for You Video Contest
This competition is open to individuals or teams in six competition categories. To enter, applicants must create and submit a 1 to 2 minute video showing engineering contributions that serve human welfare and the needs of society occuring anywhere during the time period from 1964 to 2064. What will engineering create in the next 50 years? Rev up your
creativity, pull out your camera or phone, and produce a video showing
the world how you see engineering enhancing quality of life and serving
the needs of society. Middle school, high school, community college through grad school students eligible. See website for complete rules and submission guidelines.
Award: $5,000 - $25,000
Deadline: March 31, 2014
More info: http://www.nae.edu/e4u/
Award: $5,000 - $25,000
Deadline: March 31, 2014
More info: http://www.nae.edu/e4u/
EngineerGirl Essay Contest
This essay contest is for high school students - men and women - in grades 3 through 12 (ages 8-18). To apply, applicants must write an original essay on a given topic related to engineering. A contest dealing with engineering and its impact on our world. Essays will be judged on the basis of content, research, expression, and originality. This contest is open to students from countries outside the United States; however, students must make an effort to be sure they enter in the appropriate grade category, and all essays will be held to the same standards, even if the student is not a native English speaker.
Award: $100-$500
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://www.engineergirl.org/10209.aspx
Award: $100-$500
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://www.engineergirl.org/10209.aspx
American Chemical Society (ACS) Scholars Award
This scholarship award is for African American, American Indian, and Hispanic students who are planning to pursue full-time study in a chemically-related field. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must be graduating high school seniors, college freshmen, college sophomores, or college juniors; have a 3.0 GPA; demonstrate financial need; and planning a career in the chemical sciences.
Award: $2,500 - $5,000
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/funding-and-awards/scholarships/acsscholars.html
Award: $2,500 - $5,000
Deadline: March 1, 2014
More info: http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/funding-and-awards/scholarships/acsscholars.html
American Society of Naval Engineers Scholarship
This scholarship is for students who are enrolled in a college program in preparation for a career in naval engineering. Examples of the programs of study which apply to the diverse field of naval engineering are naval architecture, marine, ocean, mechanical, structural, civil, environmental, aeronautical, electrical, and electronic engineering, and the physical sciences, as well as other programs leading to careers with both military and civilian organizations requiring these educational backgrounds. Naval engineering includes the design, construction, and repair of ships and their installed systems and equipment, as well as research, logistic support, and the management of acquisition and maintenance. Scholarships are limited to support during the last academic year of undergraduate education or during one year of graduate education leading to a master's degree in an accredited college or university.
To qualify for this scholarship, undergraduate candidates must be full-time students or currently participating in a co-op program; and graduate students must be full-time students. Graduate applicants must also be ASNE members. All applicants must be US citizens. Selection for this scholarship is based on academic record, work history, professional promise, interest in naval engineering, extracurricular activities, and recommendations. Financial need may also be considered.
Award: $3000-$4000
Deadline: Feb. 28, 2014
More info: https://www.navalengineers.org/students/scholarships/Pages/ASNELandingPage.aspx
To qualify for this scholarship, undergraduate candidates must be full-time students or currently participating in a co-op program; and graduate students must be full-time students. Graduate applicants must also be ASNE members. All applicants must be US citizens. Selection for this scholarship is based on academic record, work history, professional promise, interest in naval engineering, extracurricular activities, and recommendations. Financial need may also be considered.
Award: $3000-$4000
Deadline: Feb. 28, 2014
More info: https://www.navalengineers.org/students/scholarships/Pages/ASNELandingPage.aspx
Friday, February 14, 2014
Summer Pre-College Programs 2014
Summer Pre-college Programs are a wonderful opportunity for students to get incredible college experience while still in high school. Pre-college programs are also a great way for students to bolster their admissions chances, gain valuable work experience, build relationships, and explore their career opportunities. Click on the link below for a list of this year’s programs for you to check out. Each entry includes a link to the program’s official website, as well as information on application deadlines, program dates, and any available financial aid packages or scholarships for underrepresented students.
Full article and list of college programs: http://www.collegegreenlight.com/blog/summer-pre-college-programs-2014/
Full article and list of college programs: http://www.collegegreenlight.com/blog/summer-pre-college-programs-2014/
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Ray Davies Student Service Award/Mayoral Recognition of Youth Service.
The Metropolitan Education Commission along with Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and the City's Human Relations Commission, the Jewish Community Relations Council and the Tucson Service Learning Group would like to announce the Ray Davies Student Service Award/Mayoral Recognition of Youth Service.
This award will honor students who have best exhibited, as determined by the Youth Service Coalition, the qualities of leadership, community service, compassion for others, and who have encouraged mutual respect among diverse groups. We are inviting high schools to nominate current seniors who reflect and embody these values through their school and/or community activities and involvement in worthwhile causes. The recognition event will be held on April 11, 2014 at 4:00 pm on the main stage at the Pennington Street Block Party, 48 E. Pennington, sponsored by City High School.
To nominate members of your current senior class click here. Applications are due March 15, 2014.
This award will honor students who have best exhibited, as determined by the Youth Service Coalition, the qualities of leadership, community service, compassion for others, and who have encouraged mutual respect among diverse groups. We are inviting high schools to nominate current seniors who reflect and embody these values through their school and/or community activities and involvement in worthwhile causes. The recognition event will be held on April 11, 2014 at 4:00 pm on the main stage at the Pennington Street Block Party, 48 E. Pennington, sponsored by City High School.
To nominate members of your current senior class click here. Applications are due March 15, 2014.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
UA American Indian Alumni Scholarship Program
Their mission is to support American Indian Alumni of The University of Arizona (UA) by providing networking opportunities, serving as a liaison between the University and our alumni membership, and by recognizing personal and professional achievement of our membership. In addition, AIA supports American Indian students at the UA through mentorship, community service and the provision of scholarship opportunities.
UA Alumni Association scholarships are awarded in two categories: Merit-based — to attract and retain students of exceptional academic quality, and need-based — for students who demonstrate great financial need. (Need-based scholarship applicants must complete a free application for federal student aid.)
Award: Varies
Deadline: March 28, 2014
More info: http://alumni.arizona.edu/scholarship/american-indian-alumni-aia
Application: http://arizonaalumni.com/sites/default/files/scholarships/aia_scholarship_application_2014-2015.pdf
UA Alumni Association scholarships are awarded in two categories: Merit-based — to attract and retain students of exceptional academic quality, and need-based — for students who demonstrate great financial need. (Need-based scholarship applicants must complete a free application for federal student aid.)
Award: Varies
Deadline: March 28, 2014
More info: http://alumni.arizona.edu/scholarship/american-indian-alumni-aia
Application: http://arizonaalumni.com/sites/default/files/scholarships/aia_scholarship_application_2014-2015.pdf
Careers at NASA
NASA Pathway Programs: Check out info on opportunities for students and recent graduates to be considered for Federal employment.
View an up-to-date listing of all current NASA positions.
What they do: Their work ranges from the everyday operating of NASA facilities, to exploring furthest limits of the past, present, and future.
More info here: http://nasajobs.nasa.gov/
View an up-to-date listing of all current NASA positions.
What they do: Their work ranges from the everyday operating of NASA facilities, to exploring furthest limits of the past, present, and future.
More info here: http://nasajobs.nasa.gov/
Thursday, February 6, 2014
TheDream.US – A NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR DREAMers
TheDream.US is a national scholarship fund for DREAMers established by Graham Holdings Company. They provide college scholarships to highly motivated DREAMers who, without financial aid, cannot afford a college education that will enable them to participate in the American workforce. They partner with quality colleges that focus on college completion and make a commitment to provide comprehensive student support services to TheDream.US Scholars attending their institutions. TheDream.US awards scholarships for tuition and fees to DREAMers who have demonstrated financial need, academic achievement, and a high motivation to succeed and are accepted to attend one of their partner colleges. This scholarship program is administered by Scholarship Management Services®, a division of Scholarship America®. Scholarship Management Services is the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs for corporations, foundations, associations and individuals. Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability or national origin.
Award: $12,500
Deadline: March 31, 2014
More info: http://thedream.us/scholars/scholarship-guidelines/
Award: $12,500
Deadline: March 31, 2014
More info: http://thedream.us/scholars/scholarship-guidelines/
New England Counselors of Color Bridging Access to College
NECBAC will be awarding book scholarships to eligible students of color graduating from a New England high school who will be enrolling full-time in a NECBAC member institution. In order to be considered for this scholarship, applicants must submit an official application, essay and an official high school transcript through their website by the May 15, 2014 deadline.
Award: Book Scholarship
Deadline: May 15, 2014
More info: http://necbac.org/students/
Award: Book Scholarship
Deadline: May 15, 2014
More info: http://necbac.org/students/
William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fellowship for Minority Students
This fellowship is for graduate and undergraduate minority students from underrepresented communities of color. To qualify, applicants should have an excellent academic record and the following: demonstrated interest or experience in nonprofit organizations, philanthropy, and the social sector; excellent research and writing skills; demonstrated financial need; and US citizenship or permanent residency. Students must be able to work as interns for 12-15 weeks in the Washington, DC office of the Aspen institute during the academic semester in which the fellowship is awarded. Fall and Spring interns will work part-time (15-20 hours per week) and Summer interns will be full-time). A fellowship stipend of approximately $2,000 will be awarded to the fall and spring intern and approximately $4,000 to the summer intern.
Award: $2,000-$4,000
Deadline: Feb. 28, 2014
More info: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/nonprofit-philanthropy/leadership-initiatives/hearst
Award: $2,000-$4,000
Deadline: Feb. 28, 2014
More info: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/policy-work/nonprofit-philanthropy/leadership-initiatives/hearst
Buick Achievers Scholarship Program
DEADLINE SOON!
This scholarship is for high school seniors, high school graduates, and current post-secondary undergraduate students who plan to enroll full-time in an undergraduate program at an accredited four-year college or university in the United States or Puerto Rico for the entire upcoming academic year.
To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must plan to major in a course of study that focuses on engineering/technology or select design- and business-related areas of study. Eligible majors include Automotive Technology, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Engineering Technology, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Information Technology, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Plastics/Polymer Engineering, Software Engineering, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Product Design, Transportation Design, Accounting, Business Administration, Ergonomics, Finance, Industrial Hygiene, International Business, Labor & Industrial Relations, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Mathematics, Occupational Health & Safety, Production Management, Statistics, and Supply Chain/Logistics.
Applicants must demonstrate an interest in pursuing a career in the automotive or related industries while using these areas of study. Applicants must be US citizens and have permanent residence in the United States. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement; financial need; and participation and leadership in community and school activities, work experience, and interest in pursuing a career in the automotive or related industry. Special consideration will be given to first-generation college students, women, minorities, and military veterans or dependents of military personnel. Scholarship applications must be submitted online.
Award: $2,000-$25,000
Deadline: Feb. 28, 2014
More info: http://www.buickachievers.com/
This scholarship is for high school seniors, high school graduates, and current post-secondary undergraduate students who plan to enroll full-time in an undergraduate program at an accredited four-year college or university in the United States or Puerto Rico for the entire upcoming academic year.
To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must plan to major in a course of study that focuses on engineering/technology or select design- and business-related areas of study. Eligible majors include Automotive Technology, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Controls Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Engineering Technology, Environmental Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Information Technology, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Plastics/Polymer Engineering, Software Engineering, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Product Design, Transportation Design, Accounting, Business Administration, Ergonomics, Finance, Industrial Hygiene, International Business, Labor & Industrial Relations, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Mathematics, Occupational Health & Safety, Production Management, Statistics, and Supply Chain/Logistics.
Applicants must demonstrate an interest in pursuing a career in the automotive or related industries while using these areas of study. Applicants must be US citizens and have permanent residence in the United States. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement; financial need; and participation and leadership in community and school activities, work experience, and interest in pursuing a career in the automotive or related industry. Special consideration will be given to first-generation college students, women, minorities, and military veterans or dependents of military personnel. Scholarship applications must be submitted online.
Award: $2,000-$25,000
Deadline: Feb. 28, 2014
More info: http://www.buickachievers.com/
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship Award
This scholarship is for minority graduating high school seniors. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must have achieved a minimum 1000 SAT score (1500 three-score) or an ACT composite score of 22. Applicants must plan to attend an accredited and approved four-year institution within the United States and be US citizens. Applicants must not possess a degree from a two- or four-year college when applying for the scholarship. Applicants must demonstrate a high level of academic achievement, financial need, and leadership potential.
Award: $7,500
Deadline: Feb. 15, 2014
More info: http://www.jackierobinson.org/
Award: $7,500
Deadline: Feb. 15, 2014
More info: http://www.jackierobinson.org/
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Undergraduate Scholarship Program
This scholarship is for college students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are pursuing careers in biomedical, behavioral, and social science health-related research. To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must have a minimum 3.3 GPA or rank in the top 5% of their class and demonstrate exceptional financial need. They must also be US citizens, nationals, or qualified non-citizens. Scholarship recipients will be obligated to participate in a 10-week summer position at an NIH research laboratory after each year of scholarship support. Upon graduation, recipients must also work full-time in an NIH research lab for one year for each year they received the scholarship.
Award: $20,000
Deadline: March 3, 2014
More info: https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/ugsp
Award: $20,000
Deadline: March 3, 2014
More info: https://www.training.nih.gov/programs/ugsp
How to Use Your School Counselor
This is an article from NACAC.
Click here: http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/articles/Pages/How-to-Use-Your-School-Counselor.aspx
School counselors are one of the best ongoing sources of support for students who plan to go to college. They can provide guidance and support throughout the entire process. If you are lucky enough to have access to a counselor in your school, it is in your best interest to visit that person on a regular basis.
Start by making an individual appointment to introduce yourself to your counselor. If small-group college counseling or information sessions are offered, sign up. But don’t only settle for a “group” meeting in which you will have to share time with other students. Make sure that you schedule an uninterrupted time for a private, one-on-one session. Begin by introducing yourself and stating clearly that it is your definite goal to attend college. Make sure your counselor realizes that this is IMPORTANT to you and that you are highly motivated!
Throughout your high school years, your counselor can help you:
Click here: http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/articles/Pages/How-to-Use-Your-School-Counselor.aspx
School counselors are one of the best ongoing sources of support for students who plan to go to college. They can provide guidance and support throughout the entire process. If you are lucky enough to have access to a counselor in your school, it is in your best interest to visit that person on a regular basis.
Start by making an individual appointment to introduce yourself to your counselor. If small-group college counseling or information sessions are offered, sign up. But don’t only settle for a “group” meeting in which you will have to share time with other students. Make sure that you schedule an uninterrupted time for a private, one-on-one session. Begin by introducing yourself and stating clearly that it is your definite goal to attend college. Make sure your counselor realizes that this is IMPORTANT to you and that you are highly motivated!
Throughout your high school years, your counselor can help you:
- Plan classes that will prepare you well for college admission and success. Your counselor will know which high school classes are required for college admission.
- Review your academic record with you and suggest areas that need improvement. If you need to do some catching up, your counselor can suggest ways in which to do that.
- Begin the admission process by identifying the questions you should be asking—and finding honest answers. Questions such as: “Do I want to stay near home? Does the college have my major? How important is size?”
- Clarify and understand terms, ideas, and experiences for you that will encounter during research, campus visits, or meetings with college representatives. Your counselor will know where to find information; for example in books, catalogues, brochures, and CDs that deal either with the admission process or a specific college or university. In addition, your counselor will be able to point you to Web sites that offer RELIABLE and FREE information about college.
- Identify special opportunities that may maximize your chances for being a well-prepared and appealing candidate for colleges. These might include weekend or summer programs on college campuses (often free for first-generation students), internships, or community college classes open to high school students. Your counselor will know about local college fairs, opportunities to visit college campuses, and even overnight visits to colleges that may be offered.
- Familiarize yourself with everything you need to know about the required college admission tests. Your counselor can make sure that you get registered for the PSAT (the practice test for the SAT) and PLAN (the practice test for the ACT) tests. She/he can help you know which tests (SAT, ACT, SAT Subject tests, or TOEFL -Test of English as a Foreign Language) will be required by the colleges to which you may apply. Counselors know how and when to register for tests. She/he can even help with fee waivers if your family can’t afford to pay for tests.
- Secure applications, identify application deadlines and prioritize in order to make sure that everything gets done carefully and ON TIME! Here also, if you do not have enough money to pay for application fees, your counselor can assist in asking colleges to waive application fees.
- Complete your applications and polish any required college essays so that the product you send to colleges will represent the best of your thinking and writing abilities. Make sure that you take a “rough draft” to your counselor early on. Leave plenty of time for revision and rewriting, prior to deadlines.
- Figure out how to PAY for college. First, your counselor can give you essential information about the “need-based” financial aid application process. He/she can help you understand how to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and, if required, other aid applications—such as those required by individual colleges or the College Board’s “College Scholarship Service Profile.” Your counselor may also be able to help you research scholarships that are based on factors other than your ability to pay for college.
- Write a letter of recommendation to colleges or universities. Many colleges will require that you obtain recommendations from both a counselor and one or two teachers. In addition, counselors are often asked to complete “secondary school and mid-year reports” (included with applications).
- Compare offers of admission and financial aid after you have heard from all of your colleges. This can be an essential step in making a final decision. Your school counselor can help you decide which programs are best suited to your educational goals. She/he can also help you compare offers of scholarships and need-based financial aid that may be sent to you in very different formats from different colleges.
- Make appointments early and show up on time.
- Submit any forms that require counselor completion well in advance of due dates.
- Carefully follow any procedures that have been established by your school for turning applications and related forms or for securing transcripts.
- Whenever possible, make copies of everything you mail or give to your counselor. Sometimes, with so much paper, things get lost. When you have a copy easily at hand, nothing is ever lost forever.
- Make sure that you keep your counselor “in the loop” in terms of what you are hearing from colleges. If there are any problems which arise, your counselor can act as your direct advocate with colleges.
- Whenever you have questions don’t hesitate to return to your counselor for advice, especially if you feel you are being asked by a college to do something that doesn’t seem “just right”. Your counselor will know the rules of the game by which both students and colleges are supposed to play.
- If you think it would be helpful, try to schedule a meeting with your counselor AND your parent(s). There are parts of the college process for which you will need lots of help from them. This is particularly true when it comes time to completing the financial aid applications.
- Be sure to thank your counselor for assistance given. The counseling door is always open to students who show that they are appreciative of a counselor’s time and effort.
- Finally, when all is said and done, and you have made it successfully through the college selection and admission process—make sure that you take time to THANK your counselor one more time with a handwritten note (as well as any teachers who helped). If you have made good use of your counselor’s knowledge and assistance, the thanks will be more than well-deserved. When the student-counselor relationship “clicks,” your counselor will be able to offer the essential emotional support and encouragement that you will need during one of the most important times of your life. And your expression of gratitude will build a reservoir of good-will, should you need to return for further assistance at any time in the future.
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