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by Emily

Students who are passionate about public health and also have a creative side may be interested in applying for this week's Scholarship of the Week, the Dr. Alma Adams Scholarship.  Adams Scholarships are awarded to students for their outstanding community service and use of artistic abilities to increase awareness about the toll of tobacco within underserved communities.  The awards recognize Alma Adams, a professional artist, educator, North Carolina state legislator and former board member of the American Legacy Foundation.

Up to two scholarships will be awarded each year to students who are pursuing a career related to public health and who have placed an emphasis on working with disadvantaged communities or groups that have been particularly targeted by tobacco advertising campaigns.  Adams Scholarships are awarded to students who have shown a commitment to educate members of these communities about tobacco and drug use, especially through creative campaigns.

Prize:

$10,000

Eligibility:

High school seniors and current undergraduate or graduate students planning to pursue a career in public health, health communications, social work, education, or a related field.  Applicants must demonstrate financial need and must have received a GPA of at least 3.0 in the most recent academic year.  Applicants should also have previous experience working with an underserved community, particularly working to prevent tobacco or drug use. 

by Emily

This week's Scholarship of the Week is more than just a scholarship award, but a chance to speak out on issues that matter to you and potentially bring about meaningful change.  Scholarships.com is now accepting applications for the annual Resolve to Evolve Essay Scholarship.

The Resolve to Evolve Scholarship is about more than just making resolutions—it’s about creating change and furthering our evolution as individuals and a society. We must resolve to proactively and progressively confront challenges, however daunting. The “R2E” essay scholarship is an opportunity to move beyond finger-pointing and offer constructive criticism and workable solutions for problems facing an administration or an organization. Winners will not only receive a $1,000 college scholarship, but will also have their essays forwarded to officials who have the power to potentially act upon each essay’s suggestions.

This year, the themes focus on calls for change and general education requirements in colleges.  Applicants may respond to one of two questions: 1. Do general education requirements add to or detract from the ability to attain a useful and meaningful college degree? How can colleges both prepare students for careers in their intended fields and produce well-rounded graduates? or 2. After an election filled with calls for change, what changes are most important for America to undergo, and what steps must be taken to make these changes?

Prize: Five $1,000 scholarships

Eligibility: The Scholarships.com "Resolve to Evolve" Essay Scholarship is open to all United States citizens who are registered users of the Scholarships.com web site and meet the following criteria: Applicant must be a currently enrolled full-time undergraduate or graduate student or a non-traditional/returning student who will be enrolled at a U.S. Department of Education accredited 2-year or 4-year college, university or vocational school at the time the prize is awarded. Must be age 19 or older to apply. Proof of enrollment required.

Deadline: July 31, 2009

Required Material: Applications require three parts.  The first part is a 300 to 800 word response to one of two essay prompts.  The second is a shorter personal statement, answering the question "What do you feel has been or will be your biggest obstacle in attending college, and how do you think your degree will help you achieve your goals?"  The third part of the application is a letter of recommendation from an individual who knows you well enough to speak authoritatively about your character and abilities.  Applications must be printed (not handwritten) and mailed to the address provided in the scholarship information.

Further details about the application process can be found by conducting a free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com. Once the search is completed, students eligible for this scholarship award will find it in their search results.

by Emily

In the past few weeks, at least nine universities have received donations of at least $1 million, with instructions that the money be used primarily to fund scholarship programs. The donations, which total at least $45 million, have been given to colleges across the country since March, according to the Associated Press.

While anonymous donations happen from time to time, this circumstance is still highly unusual, since no college officials know who provided the gifts.  Typically, the college knows the donor's identity but agrees not to reveal it.  However, schools benefiting from this wave of anonymous donations have been contacted by representatives of banks or law firms, rather than by the donors themselves, and have been asked not to attempt to ascertain the donor's identity.

The donations have largely been met with gratitude. They are well-timed, given the state of the economy and many colleges' current attempts to meet the increased financial need of students.  Families are experiencing greater need for financial aid, and colleges' endowment funds, including endowed scholarships, have lost large amounts of money, giving them fewer resources to use.

For students at these colleges, as well as other schools that have recently benefited from generous donations, the scholarship opportunities they provide could mean the difference between attending college and staying home.  However, these anonymous donors are not the only people out there dedicated to making a college education possible for students in tough times.  You can do a free scholarship search for information on more scholarship awards.

by Emily

College and high school students between the ages of 16 and 21 have the chance to win money for college by making a video promoting safer or more environmentally aware driving in this week's Scholarship of the Week.  The Bridgestone Safety Scholars video contest asks students to create an original public service announcement addressing either automotive safety or automotive environmentalism.

Videos must be either 25 or 55 seconds in length, must be the creator's original work, and cannot incorporate content or locations the creator does not have legal permission to use in a film.  Entries can be submitted online between May 27 and June 17, and on June 25 the top ten videos selected by Bridgestone Americas will be posted online.  Three grand prize winners will then be chosen from the top ten by popular voting.  Winners will receive both $5,000 in scholarship money and a trip to the 2010 Chicago auto show.

Prize: $5,000

Eligibility: Students ages 16 to 21 who are United States citizens or permanent residents and are currently enrolled in either high school or an accredited college or trade school.

Deadline: June 17, 2009

Required Material: An original video, 25 or 55 seconds in length, that addresses issues of either automotive safety or automotive environmentalism.  Videos must be uploaded to the Safety Scholars website between May 27 and June 17 along with a completed registration form.

Further details about the application process can be found by conducting a free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com. Once the search is completed, students eligible for this scholarship award will find it in their search results.

by Agnes Jasinski

Minority scholarships are one of the more common scholarships by type out there, with numerous organizations looking to make college more affordable for those who may have been traditionally under-served in higher education. Scholarships for Asian students are no different. In honor of May being Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, this week’s Scholarship of the Week is limited to women of Asian and Pacific Islander descent.

This week’s award comes from Central California Asian Pacific Women, a group of business and community leaders looking to support young women in their educational endeavors. Since 1981, the group has given more than $750,000 in scholarships to more than 180 of California’s Asian and Pacific Islander women. If you don't fit in to this category, try conducting a free scholarship search, and there are dozens of awards out there for not only Asian students looking to pay for college, but students from all minority groups and other demographic populations.

Prize: Scholarships vary, but the maximum amount is $1,000. Awards are given in July.

Eligibility: Applicants must be Asian and Pacific Islander women residing in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced or Tulare Counties in California. The selection criteria include academic achievement, extracurricular activities, and financial need. Applicants may be entering, continuing undergraduate, or re-entry students in a college or university. Special awards are also available for students studying in the areas of health, business, or early childhood education.

Deadline: May 15, 2010

Required Material: Those interested in the award are asked to complete online applications that include short essays in response to three questions to communicate personal experience, academic, and/or special circumstance information. Applicants must also submit official transcripts and two letters of reference; at least one of these should be from a teacher or counselor from the last or current school that applicant attended.

Further details about the application process can be found by conducting a free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com. Once the search is completed, students eligible for this scholarship award will find it in their search results.

by Agnes Jasinski

History is one of the most popular college majors pursued by college students across the country, second only to business. It’s only natural then that there are a number of scholarships out there for future historians, academics, and educators. This week’s Scholarship of the Week is the ALBA George Watt Memorial Essay Contest, an award for history majors particularly interested in Spanish and world history, presented by the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives.

Scholarships as specific as this one typically have fewer applicants than sweepstakes or awards based on broader criteria, so your chances of landing this one if you meet all of the qualifications are greatly increased. If you’ve already written essays about the Spanish Civil War, the global political or cultural struggles against fascism in 1920s and 1930s, or the lifetime histories and contributions of the Americans who fought in support of the Spanish Republic from 1936 to 1938, you may as well send your work in. Why not get rewarded for doing well on an assignment? If you’re a history major who has not been exposed to these particular historical events, try out a scholarship search, because there’s a good chance there are history scholarships out there that fit your interest areas.

Prize: Two prizes of $500 will be awarded.

Eligibility: All undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply. Work will be judged on the basis of originality, quality of research, and effectiveness of argument or presentation.

June 1, 2010

Required Material: Applicants must submit essays or thesis chapters of between 3,500 and 7,500 words in Spanish or English on topics already mentioned above. Submissions must have been produced to fulfill an undergraduate or graduate course or degree requirement. Any work produced since January 2009 is eligible for the competition. Award winners will be announced at the end of June, and all winning essays are published on the ALBA website.

by Agnes Jasinski

One of the more popular scholarship categories is “scholarships by type,” or awards based on specific student characteristics, like a commitment to community service or a passion for poetry. An expanding category has been scholarships for students with disabilities. As access to education in general has improved for students with disabilities over the years, so has the access to resources that can help pay for those educations. This week’s Scholarship of the Week is the AmeriGlide Achiever Scholarship, which targets students who use wheelchairs.

As part of this scholarship, you’ll be asked to write an essay on one of two topics provided by AmeriGlide. The first asks which area of your school you think would benefit from improved accessibility and how you would improve it; the second asks which area of your school already has excellent accessibility and why. If you don’t fit the criteria for this award but feel you’d be eligible for a different disability scholarship, browse through the information we have posted on scholarships of that type or try a scholarship search. There are awards out there based on any and all student characteristics. It’s up to you to put in the work to seek them out and apply!

Prize: $500

Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled at an accredited two- or four-year college, use a manual or electric wheelchair, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and be a legal resident of the United States or hold a valid student visa.

Deadline: July 31, 2010

Required Material: Those interested in the scholarship must complete an online application form, which includes an essay of a minimum of 500 words on one of the prompts provided by the scholarship provider. Applicants will also be able to submit two character references once they complete their online applications.

Further details about the application process can be found by conducting a free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com. Once the search is completed, students eligible for this scholarship award will find it in their search results.

by Suada Kolovic

The fifth annual Bridgestone Safety Scholars Video Contest has begun, and YOU could be one of this year’s $5,000 scholarship winners! This year, they’ve expanded their contest to include all drivers ages 16-21 in the United States and Canada (excluding Quebec). To enter, simply create a 25- or 55-second video about driver safety and upload it to SafetyScholars.com by May 13. They’ll narrow it down, and the top 10 videos will be posted on the site, where it is up to the public to vote on their favorite. The top three winners all receive a $5,000 scholarship!

For more information on this scholarship and other scholarship opportunities, conduct a free scholarship search today!

by Alexis Mattera

No, there are still no classes entitled “The Anatomy of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show” or “The Hanukkah Snuggie’s Effect on Modern Judaism” but classes with roots in popular culture are popping up on college campuses everywhere. If you’ve yet to select your classes for next semester or have found a few empty blocks in your schedule, consider enrolling in one of these fun, weird and surprisingly informative courses. (Bonus: They could help you earn an equally unusual scholarship!)

• Consumerism and Social Change in Mad Men America, 1960-1963: Northwestern University history professor Michael Allen teaches this freshman course, which examines the relationship between consumerism and the social and political changes of the 1950s and 1960s. Students attend lectures and read historical texts but are also required to watch several “Mad Men” episodes each week. We’d assume cigarette smoking, scotch swilling and infidelity do not earn extra credit points.
• South Park and Contemporary Issues: This course at McDaniel College mixes sociology and philosophy while exploring the controversial contemporary social issues featured on the long-running Comedy Central cartoon. The official course description states, “Ultimately, students will gain…new knowledge of the benefits of applying an interdisciplinary approach to contemporary social issues.” No Kennys will be harmed but bring your own Cheesy Poofs.
• Music, Video Games, and the Nature of Human Cognition: This NYU psychology class already has a waiting list and there’s a good reason for it: Professor Gary Marcus believes video games – specifically “Guitar Hero” – can be used to enhance human cognition. Some parents are upset that this is the type of class their tuition is going toward but Marcus stresses that delving into this understudied area will yield positive results. Rock on, Professor!
• Lady Gaga and the Sociology of Fame: The University of South Carolina’s Mathieu Deflem has gone gaga for Gaga and he hopes his students will too with his sociological analysis of selected social issues related to the pop star’s work. Though the course is within the sociology department, the subjects of music, fashion, art, business, marketing, new media, religion and politics will be integrated to dissect Gaga’s rise to fame and impact on society. Unlike the infamous meat dress, this approach is well done.
• Zombies in Popular Media: Vampires are so last year, people, and Columbia College Chicago has the latest undead trend – zombies – ready to take over your brain, not eat it. Literature, comics and film will “foster thoughtful connections between student disciplines and the figure of the zombie,” states the course description and the history, significance and representation of zombies will be discussed and implemented on a daily basis. Hopefully, this class doesn’t take place after dark.

by Suada Kolovic

Is dancing your passion? Then put your best foot forward and try out for the Jessica Karrat Dance Scholarship. The Jessica Karrat Dance Scholarship Fund is dedicated to providing funds for individuals who wish to participate in dance education. It seeks to provide aspiring dancers with the opportunity to fulfill their dreams whether to start a dance career or continue with their dance education.

Scholarship recipients must be residents of the United States or programs must benefit United States citizens. A minimum award of one scholarship, in the amount of $500 per year, is being awarded to assure that the scholarship will be significant enough to provide financial assistance. For more information on this scholarship and other dance scholarship opportunities, conduct a free scholarship search today!