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The majority of students who apply for scholarships are aspiring young people from families that are absent the financial resources necessary to pay the tuition and fees associated with post secondary education. A sad consequence of the economic recession is that hundreds of deserving students are seeing the pursuit of their educational dreams being eroded by the economic decline of many middle and low income families who have experienced foreclosure, job loss, unemployment and underemployment.
The Community Foundation’s commitment to supporting access to educational opportunity has resulted in the attendance by 1300 of deserving students to the finest colleges and universities in the state and throughout the nation. With over $5.4 million invested in providing financial assistance for the young and college-bound, the Community Foundation’s leadership on behalf of promoting educational opportunity would not be possible without donors like you. Your contribution ensures the role of the Foundation will be sustained in its efforts to advance and promote scholarship giving through the following means:
- Information Technologies: Promoting speed, efficiency, and environmentally appropriate methods to leverage the power of the internet and digital technologies in order to achieve the greatest cost/benefit efficiencies possible in managing and administrating scholarship applications. Paperless and user-friendly, the on-line process attracts hundreds of students that qualify and compete for scholarship awards.
- Engagement of Community Volunteers: The recruitment, coordination, and management of a small army of 30 community volunteers who annually contribute over 1,000 volunteer hours in support of reviewing an average of 1,000 individual applications, interviewing 200 individual students, and making final recommendations for 100-plus individual scholarship awards.
- Annual Scholarship Directory: The Foundation produces annually the most comprehensive scholarship directory assembled for our region featuring a description of the many individual scholarships awards offered to graduating seniors. The directory primarily includes detailed information associated with each scholarship award, the application process and application deadlines. The Directory is marketed in PBC to guidance counselors in 48 private and 35 public high schools; and in Martin County, to four public and three private high schools. The Foundation disseminates the Directory to high school seniors through the Foundation’s website, generating more than 18,000 hits over the six month scholarship season in 2009-2010.
- Annual Scholarship Award Ceremonies: Culminating event for students, parents, and donors held annually in mid-May of each year to announce scholarship award winners honoring donors, students, and parents and mentors, including a powerful video featuring each talented young person that will receive an award.
- Alumni Network and Student Support: A Foundation and staff supported network for scholarship alumni; and post-award, the commitment of Foundation staff to sustain its practice to stay in touch with every award winning student, throughout their scholarship relationship with the Foundation and beyond.
Consider making a contribution to the Leadership Fund for its support of the educational opportunities for area students.
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