Scholarships

What kind of scholarships does the Rotary Club of Ann Arbor offer and what is the application process for these scholarships?

 

“Service Above Self” Scholarships for students at Washtenaw Community College

The Rotary Club of Ann Arbor “Service Above Self” scholarships are offered to Washtenaw Community College (WCC) students who are graduates of any Ann Arbor high school. Veterans are exempt from this Ann Arbor High school graduation requirement.

The Rotary Club will award up to eight scholarships each year, covering up to $1,250 of tuition each semester (Fall and Winter only). Students may renew their support if the student did not use all of their scholarship funds. Any remaining or unused funds may be used during a second consecutive year if the recipient earns a minimum 3.0 GPA, is pursuing classes toward the completion of one of the college’s programs, and successfully completes at least 2/3 of the classes on their schedule. For the student to use funds into a second consecutive year the student must receive approval from Ann Arbor Rotary Club, Service Above Self Committee.

To apply for a Service Above Self scholarship, contact the WCC Financial Aid Office, SC 205, 4800 East Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-4800 for an application.

 

STRIVE

In partnership with Ann Arbor Pathways to Success Academic Campus, the Ann Arbor Rotary STRIVE (Students Taking Renewed Interest in the Value of Education) Program helps turn young lives around. The program provides a unique structure, incentives, and motivation to help Pathways seniors accomplish these life-changing objectives. During the year the committee gives the STRIVE students incentives, such as theatre passes, restaurant certificates, bus passes, etc. and takes them to area companies to observe first-hand what the work-a-day world is like (STRIVE at Work) to encourage them to continue their progress. At the end of the school year, the committee awards about $12,000 in Washtenaw Community College scholarships to 8-10 top students based on the most improved and highest grade points.

 

Global Grant Scholarship (formerly Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship)

Rotary District 6380 has been selected as a pilot District as part of Rotary International’s “Future Vision Plan” which offers an alternative to the Ambassadorial Scholarship that Rotary has been awarding for many years. The following describes some of the changes associated with this new plan:
1) Those who are accepted as Scholars will receive: $30,000 instead of the previous $24,000.
2) The applicant, who must have completed an undergraduate degree, chooses the specific university he/she wants to attend, but it must be located within one of the 100 Rotary districts participating in the Future Visions Plan. You can get the specific location of a district online (http://www.rotary.org) and typing Rotary International District 1070, for example.
3) Admission to the university of choice must be granted before the scholarship application is submitted.  Previously candidates listed three or four universities of interest with one selected by Rotary.
4) The date for beginning the university experience could be the fall of 2011, or later.
5) The deadline for submitting the application to the Ann Arbor Rotary Club is November 15, with personal interviews occurring prior to December 15. Previous deadlines were in April or earlier.  Acceptance or denial should be reported by late January. Application forms for Global Grant Scholarships are available here. Questions about Global Project Districts and our Club’s selection process should be directed to “Contact Us” via the Club’s website.
Note: If your home is not Ann Arbor, you might find it helpful to check with the Rotary Club in your home area as their district might not be a Future Visions Pilot District. If that is the case, that District will still be granting Ambassadorial Scholarships and you might wish to apply through that club.  Information and application forms for an Ambassadorial Scholarship can be found here.