WIESBADEN COMMUNITY SPOUSES CLUB Continuing Education Scholarship Application

Transcription

1 WIESBADEN COMMUNITY SPOUSES CLUB Continuing Education Scholarship Application November 22, 2017 Dear Scholarship Applicant, The Wiesbaden Community Spouses Club (WCSC) is excited that you are applying for one of our scholarships! The WCSC prides itself on helping individuals within the community reach their educational goals by providing financial assistance through the scholarship program. While the scholarship process is competitive, please keep in mind that everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. We are looking for academically well-rounded students who have made a positive contribution to our military community by virtue of their commitment to the ideals of leadership, community involvement, and public service. All information provided will be considered and scored fairly by a scoring committee. The scoring committee makes a concerted effort to be consistent and objective. Committee members are not privy to applicant identifying information until award decisions are made. Please read the directions carefully. Feel free to contact the chair at scholarshipwcspousesclub@gmail.com if you have any questions about the application. The application deadline is Saturday, 24 February Please use the checklist provided to ensure your application is complete. Incomplete applications will not be considered. this year! Good luck to you! The Scholarship Committee is looking forward to awarding many scholarships Sincerely, Rachel Baker Scholarship Committee Chair

2 PURPOSE: The purpose of the WCSC Scholarship is to reward and encourage military and DOD civilian family members for excellence in academic or vocational education and community involvement, as they begin, or continue, their pursuit of higher education. ELIGIBILITY: The applicant must be a dependent of a U.S. citizen recognized as a federal employee, contractor, retiree, or active duty member of the U.S. military. The U.S. citizen sponsor must reside and/or work in the Wiesbaden military community at the time of application submission. Applicant must have graduated from an accredited high school or hold a GED equivalent. If applicant is presently enrolled in college, he or she must be in a degree or re-certification program at an accredited college, university, or vocational school. Persons awarded full scholarships (e.g. ROTC) or attending service academies are ineligible. Applicant must be a valid U.S. ID card-holder. Active duty service members are not eligible. Applicants are only eligible to receive an award for a total of two years, whether high school, continuing education, or a combination thereof. AWARDS: Scholarships will be paid directly to the school of choice upon written notification of enrollment. Scholarships will be awarded for tuition, books, and educational fees. The award remains valid until February 28, Any unused amount returns to the WCSC Scholarship Fund. All awardees are responsible for ensuring that the proper billing information appears on the application. The WCSC Scholarship Fund is not responsible for late fees due to incorrect billing information. In the event the awardee transfers to a different school, the awardee is responsible for communicating and coordinating with the current school for the return of the check. Once the returned checked is received by WCSC, a new check will be sent to the transfer school. PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT: Under authority of U.S. Title 10, Section 3012, the enclosed personal information will be maintained by the Scholarship Committee for administrative use and released only to the individuals needed to evaluate the application. Disclosure of the information is voluntary; however, failure to disclose all or part of the requested information may hinder evaluation of the application. The application will remain in possession of the Scholarship Committee Chairperson for a period of one year and will then be destroyed. I understand that scholarship awardees names may be released at the discretion of the Wiesbaden Community Spouses Club. Applicant s Signature: _ Date: Sponsor s Signature: Date: Page 2 of 11

3 PROCEDURE FOR APPLICANTS: A. General Information 1. Complete and return the Personal Information Form; sign and date bottom. 2. Type / Print all requested information. 3. Failure to answer all questions or follow directions will result in disqualification. 4. Verify that you have included all required material. B. Two current letters of recommendation must accompany the application. 1. One letter must be from a current or former instructor or employer. The letter should address the potential, work habits, and character of the applicant. 2. The second letter should be from a teacher, an employer, or community member who has observed your involvement in the community, and can discuss the applicant s service, dedication, and volunteerism. The second letter cannot be from a relative of the applicant. 3. The letters must be returned in a sealed envelope with the reference s signature on the seal, or scanned and ed as a PDF, directly to the scholarship chair, at scholarshipwcspousesclub@gmail.com. Letters ed to the applicant and then forwarded to the scholarship chair will not be accepted. 4. The applicant s name should be OMITTED in the body of the letter. 5. Letters must be typed, dated, signed, and sealed. Page 8 has specific instructions for the reference regarding the content and submission of the letter. C. Attach an official copy of your college transcript in a sealed envelope. If you have not yet attended college, include your official high school transcript in a sealed envelope. Also, if you have attended more than one college, include an official copy of your transcript from each institution. The WCSC will accept online secure delivery of official transcripts. Verify the procedure with your university and notify the scholarship chair of your intent prior to requesting this method of delivery. Only transcripts sent directly to the scholarship address will be accepted. Those forwarded through the applicant s address will not be accepted. D. Complete the following forms: 1. Leadership Form. 2. Extracurricular Activities, Community Service, and Employment Form. 3. Honors, Awards, and Achievements Form. Follow the instructions on each form. Please attach additional pages as necessary. Place only the last 4- digits of your SSN in the top right-hand corner of each form for identification. E. Write an essay of words on the topic below. Your essay should be double-spaced and use Arial 12 font. Ensure the last 4-digits of your SSN, not your name, are in the upper right-hand corner of each page. The responses will be evaluated on grammar, style, and content. Please do not include the essay question in your word count. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. Note: This essay topic is one of those listed on the Common Application, ( published February 6, Please note, however, that the length guidelines differ. Page 3 of 11

4 F. Send an to to notify the committee you are applying. This will ensure we have your contact information. You will be notified as we receive components of your application. G. Submission of Application: Due to potential mail problems, WCSC recommends hand delivery. Drop off the completed application packet to the WCSC Representative at the Wiesbaden Entertainment Center on Friday, February 23, 2018, between 1500 and 1700, or Saturday, February 24, 2018, between 1000 and If you are attending school in the United States, we recommend you have your letters of recommendation and your transcripts sent directly to the Scholarship address listed below, as indicated in the transcript and recommendation pages. Scan your signed application and it with your essay to your sponsor/parents and have them turn it in as directed above. OR From an APO post office, mail completed application packet to: WCSC Scholarships CMR 467, Box 7000 APO, AE Applications must be postmarked by Saturday, February 24, 2018 *We will not accept applications on other dates or at other times, nor will ed applications be accepted. Please contact Rachel Baker with any questions at: ** IMPORTANT ** The last 4 of your SSN are required on the top right corner of ALL materials submitted, EXCEPT for transcripts and recommendations that are in a sealed envelope. Page 4 of 11

5 Please use the checklist below to make sure that you have all the required materials included with your scholarship application. ALL of the requested components are needed by the scholarship committee. Signed Privacy Act Statement Personal Information Form Signed Certification Page Signed by Sponsor and Applicant Two Instructor/Employer Recommendations Letters (sealed) College Transcripts One official copy from every college attended. Leadership Form Extracurricular Activities, Community Service, and Employment Form Honors, Awards, and Achievements Form Essay Page 5 of 11

6 Applicant s Name: Applicant s SSN: (last four digits) Local Residence: Mailing Address: Applicant s Phone: Applicant s Address: Sponsor s Name: Sponsor s SSN: (last four digits) Sponsor s Status: First Middle Last Active Duty Military / Retired or Deceased Military / DOD Civ Other Sponsor s Sponsor s Duty Unit: Sponsor s Duty Phone: Home Phone: Name of school or institution presently attending or previously attended: (Use back of sheet for additional schools if necessary.) Date Institution Credits Date Date Program or Field of Study: Institution Credits_ Institution Credits Semester/Quarter hours needed to complete degree: Previous degrees earned, where completed: Page 6 of 11

7 Certification Page I certify all information in this application is my own, accurate and complete. Any late fees acquired due to incorrect billing address / information are the sole responsibility of the applicant. I understand this award will be applied strictly toward tuition, books, and educational fees. It is also my responsibility to contact the scholarship committee chairperson if I receive additional scholarships or federal assistance. If the award is not used by February 28, 2019, I must notify the scholarship committee and return it to the WCSC Scholarship Fund. I understand the grant may be rescinded if I fail to comply with all the stipulations made by WCSC. I understand all decisions made by WCSC are final, and should I be awarded a scholarship, I will need to sign a release authorizing the WCSC to publish images of me at the award ceremony. Have you received a WCSC Scholarship in the past? Y or N If yes, what year(s)? Applicant s Signature: _ Date: _ *Sponsor s Signature: _ Date: _ Last 4 Digits of Sponsor s SSN: Sponsor s Duty Phone (Civ): Sponsor s Supervisor: Supervisor s Phone (Civ): (The contact information requested will only be used to verify the applicant s eligibility.) *In the event the sponsor is deployed, the applicant may sign the form, provided a copy of the Power of Attorney, designating the applicant as a legal representative of the sponsor, is attached. Page 7 of 11

8 For the Reference Dear Sir/Madam, The Wiesbaden Community Spouses Club appreciates your time and effort in writing a recommendation letter. We are looking for academically well-rounded students who have made a positive contribution to our military community by virtue of their commitment to the ideals of leadership, community involvement, and public service. Please identify in the letter your relationship with the applicant and the length of acquaintance. We would like your honest and realistic evaluation of this applicant. Consider the applicant s ability to complete their program of study by specifically addressing and evaluating his or her intellectual promise, motivation, integrity, and collaborative skill. Please limit the letter to two pages and DO NOT include the applicant s name in the body. You can scan the completed and signed letter and it as a PDF directly to the Scholarship Chair at scholarshipwcspousesclub@gmail.com no later than February 22, Please include the name of the applicant in the . If you are choosing this method, please coordinate with the applicant to ensure the applicant can accurately track all the application requirements. The other option is to give your completed letter to the applicant in a sealed envelope with your signature on the seal no later than February 9, In accordance with the Privacy Act, the letters will remain with the Committee Chair for a period of one year, and then will be destroyed. Sincerely, Rachel Baker Scholarship Committee Chair Page 8 of 11

9 LEADERSHIP Applicant s Last 4 Digits of SSN: Please list all leadership positions held during the past four years. Clearly state the number of hours involved in the activity. Multiple years in the same leadership position can be reported on one line. Please attach additional pages as necessary. Year Leadership Position Activity / Organization Location Hours per wk Total Hours Page 9 of 11

10 EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, COMMUNITY SERVICE, and, EMPLOYMENT Applicant s Last 4 Digits of SSN: Please list all extracurricular activities including sports, community service, and paid employment in which you participated during the past four years. Begin with the current or most recent activities and employment. Multiple years in the same activity, service, or employment can be reported on the same line. Please attach additional pages as necessary. Year Activity / Leadership Position Agency / Organization Location Hours per wk Total Hours Page 10 of 11

11 HONORS, AWARDS, and ACHIEVEMENTS Applicant s Last 4 digits of SSN: Please list all school, academic, and community honors, awards, and achievements you have received during the past four years (Examples: Honor Societies, National Merit Scholarship, Eagle Scout, Employee/Volunteer of the Month, Dean s List, Sports Awards). Please attach additional pages as necessary. Year Activity Award / Achievement Supervisor Location Page 11 of 11