Basic Qualifications for Grants-in-Aid

STUDENT PARTICIPANTS –

• Must attend the preparatory workshops held at their respective college;
• Must participate in all Coalition-sponsored role model program activities;
• Must meet with their assigned mentor on the dates and times arranged;
• Must attend the Role Model Program Closing Ceremony to accept grant awards in person; and
• Must pledge a minimum of three volunteer hours to the Coalition.

This time might be spent, for example, assisting in some capacity with one of the Coalition's community service projects and fund raising events, or by providing office support functions. Students are also required to march in the African American Day Parade with the Coalition. The annual parade is held on the third Sunday of September.

Criteria for Selecting the Top Scholarship Recipients

Academic Excellence – The participants' GPA is given the most weight in this category. However, consideration is also given to the number of credits completed, the area of concentration or major, and the amount of time devoted to study, in other words, did they work or engaged in other activities.

Extracurricular Involvement – Consideration is given to the participants' involvement in school and community activities, with particular emphasis on any leadership positions held, organizational memberships, etc.

Special Awards/Other Outstanding Achievement – Consideration is given to any special awards, academic or service, or other commendations that the participants received, including dean's list, special talent, etc.

Personal Statements – The participants' personal statements are evaluated for writing ability, both mechanics and creativity. In addition, the reviewers look for admirable qualities, personal characteristics and achievements, such as talent, career promise, unusual circumstances, tenacity, leadership ability, commitment to community, impact on people and demonstrated concern for others.

Recommendation Letters – Attention is given to how well the recommenders know the participants, as well as to the overall assessment of their potential and ability to succeed in their chosen fields.

Resumes – Attention is given to presentation, content, and grammatical accuracy.

Personal Interview – The personal interview is the Scholarship Selection committee's opportunity to meet the participants, to get an overall personal impression, and to clarify any questions or issues.