Scholarships
AFS Intercultural Programs (formerly the American Field Service) is a worldwide, nonprofit organization that has been a leader in high school student exchange for 60 years. A new scholarship program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State for U.S., is offering 550 full scholarships to U.S. high school students to study abroad and learn languages that most students do not have an opportunity to learn but are rapidly becoming critical to know. Students aged 15 to 18 who wish to apply may visit www.NSLiforyouth.org online, or call (800)-AFS-INFO (237-4636).
CIRI Foundation: The CIRI Foundation has announced it is distributing more than 330 scholarship and grant awards totaling $900,000 for the fall 2008 term. The awards include scholarships, career upgrade grants and vocational training grants. Contact the foundation via phone at (800) 764-3382 or (907) 793-3573; e-mail tcf@thecirifoundation.org. Application information, selection criteria and guidelines for these merit-based awards can be seen on the Web at www.thecirifoundation.org.
Nursing students committed to practicing in rural Alaska communities can apply for tuition assistance from the David E. Knox Memorial Nursing Fellowship offered by The Alaska Community Foundation. Deadline for the scholarship applications is Feb. 1, with awards made by March 31. The fellowship will award up to $2,500, to a nursing student who agrees to practice as a nurse/RN in a small community within Alaska for a minimum of one year. Applications are available online on the scholarship page of The Alaska Community Foundation's web site (www.alaskacf.org) or by calling (907) 334-6700.
International Student Exchange Programs is looking for volunteers to serve as area representatives. For more information about the organization or becoming an area representative, call the Western Regional Office at 1-800-733-2773.
University of Alaska Foundation: The University of Alaska Foundation has scholarships available to students attending any campus of the University of Alaska, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Southeast and all community campuses, during the 2009-2010 academic year. The foundation has 58 scholarships offering awards from $500-$8,000. Requirements vary. Visit the Web at www.alaska.edu/foundation/scholarships/. Interested students who submit an online application via UAOnline are considered for all scholarships for which they are eligible. Applications must be received by Feb. 16. Applications received through Aug. 15, will be used for late-awarded scholarships or any new scholarships that may open up. Applications are available at UAOnline.alaska.edu or visit www.alaska.edu/foundation/scholarships/ for more information.
USCGC Hickory: The Homer-based Coast Guard cutter is sponsoring a $1,000 scholarshp essay contest for graduating students of the Homer area this year. The scholarship may be usd to any accredited two-year, four-year or trade school within the contiguous United States to help defray educational costs for the first year of schooling. The scholarship money will be forwarded to the college, university or trade school of the winner's choice in the winner's nam upon receipt of a copy of the winner's confirmed admission to that school. Scholarship application and essay are due Feb. 26, with the winner announced March 12 and presented at the Mariner Awards Night, May 4. Applicants must be high school seniors or equivalent and must be enrolled or enrolling in a U.S. accredited two-year, four-year or trade school for the fall of 2009. Applicants must write a one- or two-page essay on the importance of lifelong community service and how the applicant's strengths and weaknesses effect the organization(s) with which he or she volunteers. The essay will be judged on creativity, clarity of thought, grammar and spelling.
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