Thanks
to the generosity of Federated Insurance and the Federated Challenge, we are
offering a scholarship for current and former Littles and High School Bigs to
attend a non-four-year education that focuses on obtaining an apprenticeship,
certificate or associate’s degree.
This scholarship, for up
to $5,000 per year, is for students to attend a non-four-year education or
training program at an accredited Minnesota postsecondary school that focuses
on obtaining an apprenticeship, certificate, or associate’s degree. Funds
may be used for tuition, fees, books, and other necessary expenses related to
the particular program or training (e.g. tools, materials, cookware,
etc.). Awards will range from $1,000-$5,000, and will be evenly
distributed between the 2 semesters immediately following the application
deadline. For example, if a student applies and they receive $1,000, they
will get $500 of their scholarship the following Fall semester and the
remaining $500 for the next Spring semester.
Eligibility
Applicants to the
Federated Challenge Scholarship must:
·
Be a current or past Little Brother or Little Sister or High
School Big Brother or Big Sister for a minimum period of 18 months prior to the
application deadline date
·
Have been matched through one of the Minnesota Big Brothers Big
Sisters agencies: BBBS Twin Cities, BBBS of Central MN, or BBBS of
Southern MN
·
Be a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident status
·
Have attained a high school diploma or GED (or will have graduated
prior to the term for which the scholarship application is being submitted)
·
Be enrolled or plan to enroll part-time or full-time in a
non-four-year program at a trade, technical or community college, or another
accredited Minnesota postsecondary school to obtain an apprenticeship,
certificate, or associate’s degree
·
Have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale (or its
equivalent)
·
Have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA). Please note this scholarship is not based on financial need, so
if you do not qualify for free or reduced lunch, you are still eligible to
apply for this scholarship if you meet all other criteria.
Award
A scholarship between
$1,000-$5,000 will be awarded for one year of education after high school.
Students have the opportunity to annually renew, if the applicant has
positively represented BBBS as a scholarship recipient and is able to show
documented academic progress. The award will be paid to the educational
institution on behalf of the student.
Award recipients will be
required to:
·
Turn in all paperwork as requested by BBBS
·
Give back to the BBBS community if asked. Opportunities could
include: volunteering at an agency event or match activity, helping at
the BBBS office with behind-the-scenes projects, sharing your story with
matches or with BBBS staff, or becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister
·
Connect with the College Access representative at your BBBS
agency at least once per semester
Application materials
required:
·
Submit this online application by Friday, April 14th at
11:59 PM: Make sure you read through the whole page before starting
·
Unofficial High School or College Transcript
·
At least one Letter of Recommendation (this can be from a
teacher or counselor, your Big, an employer or a community member such as a
coach, mentor, faith leader, etc.). You are welcome to submit more than
one as well.
·
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) confirmation
email: Please connect with the College Access representative at your
agency directly if you are unsure of how to obtain this document
Please contact Amanda Gilbertson at 507-213-9982 or amanda@bbbsofsouthernmn.org if you have questions or need assistance with the scholarship application.