Federated Challenge Scholarship

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Please note this application is only for participants of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MN. If you were matched with the Twin Cities BBBS agency please apply with this link. If you were matched through BBBS of Southern MN please use this link. Please note each agency has their own scholarship application.

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 or High School Big for a minimum period of 18 months prior to the application deadline date
Have been matched through BBBS of Central MN. If you were matched through BBBS of Central MN please complete this application. If you were matched with the Twin Cities BBBS agency please apply with this link. If you were matched through BBBS of Southern MN please use this link. Please note each agency has their own scholarship application.
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: Attending the Federated Challenge, 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 Sunday, March 23rd 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 Ann Matvick directly if you are unsure of how to obtain this document

If you have any questions please contact Ann Matvick @ 320.258.4517 or ann@BigDefenders.org

Contact Information and School Details

Student Information

First Name

Last Name

Date of Birth (mm/dd/yyyy)

Phone

Address Line 1

Address Line 2

City

State

Zip/Postal Code

I am a:

Gender

Are you a U.S. citizen or permanent resident?

Ethnicity

Please list the last 4 digits of your social security number

Are you a current or past Little of at least 18 months as of the application deadline?

Are you a current or past High School Big Brother or High School Big Sister (site-based program) of at least 18 months as of the application deadline?

Have you previously been awarded and accepted this scholarship?

Parent/Guardian Information

First Name

Last Name

Phone

Relationship to Student

High School Information

High School Attended

Location

Graduation Date

Self-Declared School Information

Cumulative Grade Point Average on a 4.00 scale

GPA Type

Postsecondary School Information

Name of Postsecondary Institution

Location

Year in school for 2024-25 academic year

Type of school

Enrollment Plan

Expected College Graduation Date (ex: May 2024)

Degree

Major or Anticipated Area of Student

Essays

Essay Questions: Please write one to two paragraphs per prompt

We recommend that you type your essays in a Word or Google document first to check for errors and their length before pasting them in your application and submitting it.

For First-Time Applicants Only: Describe how your experience in the BBBS program has impacted your life. For Returning Applicants Only: Explain any challenges you had this year in school and how you overcame them.

Describe your current educational and career plans and how they have been influenced by your classes, extracurricular activities, or life experiences.

Tell us specifically how you plan to use the scholarship funds. For example: pay tuition, buy books, go from part-time to full-time, or take more classes. If your academic program requires the purchase of additional supplies (e.g., cookware, cosmetology kit), please list them here, as well as their costs, and include supporting documentation. Additionally, please share any special circumstances that you would like us to consider that may have an impact on your financial situation (e.g., loss of employment, change in housing status).

Required Documents

Transcript

Recommendation Letter

FAFSA Confirmation Email

Additional Supporting Documents if needed

Please upload a Senior Photo or Headshot

By submitting this application, I hereby grant Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MN (BBBS) and Federated Insurance permission to use my name and likeness in photograph(s)/video in any and all of its publications and in any and all other media, whether now known or hereafter existing but including online social networking sites, such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter and other, similar sites. I will make no monetary or other claim against BBBS or Federated Insurance for the use of the photograph(s)/video.

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