SALEF Scholarship!

TODAY IS THE DEADLINE!

Don't forget to apply to the SALEF Fulfilling Our Dreams Scholarship

SALEF website

SALEF's "Fulfilling Our Dreams Scholarship" fund is making higher education a reality for Central American and Latino students, including AB 540 students, with approximately 750 scholarships provided since 1998. SALEF's "Fulfilling Our Dreams Scholarship" Fund offers financial assistance and support to undergraduate, graduate and professional students, often making the difference in whether a student can attend college or not.

The Scholarships are open to all qualifying students regardless of immigration status. SALEF promotes giving back to our communities, thus scholarship recipients are expected to complete community service hours and receipt of the scholarship award is dependent on completion of their pledge.

Pomona College

Eligibility Criteria:

• Applicants must be of Central American or other Latino ethnicity
• Applicants must demonstrate proven financial need
• Applicants must possess a minimum 2.5 GPA
• Applicants must demonstrate a history of community involvement
• Applicants must be either:

                a) Graduating High School seniors
                b) Current undergraduate, graduate and professional students
                c) Community college students (must be AB540)
                d) Vocational/Trade school (must be pursuing a health related field)

• Applicant must reside in the following areas:

                a) Greater Los Angeles Area
                                (Specifically Pico-Union, South Los Angeles, and surrounding schools)
                b) San Fernando Valley (must be pursuing a health related field)
                c) San Francisco/Bay Area (must be pursuing a health related field)

Good Luck!
College Guru

Scholarship Resources

Tired out all scholarship options or simply just don't know where to start looking? Here are a couple of options worth checking out. 

Cash for College
* The College Access Foundation of California, sponsors more than $250,000 in Cash for College
scholarship awards to local area students in the area of Los Angeles, CA
www.lacashforcollege.org/

* Princeton University

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Scholarship Database
*This premier scholarship opportunity is afforded to Latino students who have a history of performing public service-oriented activities
in their communities
*There is no GPA or major requirement
* Downloadable directory:
http://www.chci.org/chciyouth/resources/2008-2009_Directory.pdf
* Regional scholarship directory:
http://www.chci.org/chciyouth/scholarship/regscholarships07.pdf
* National scholarship directory:
http://www.chci.org/chciyouth/scholarship/natscholarships07.pdf

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
* Young Scholars Programs
* Undergraduate Transfer Scholarships
* Graduate Scholarships
www.jackkentcookefoundation.org

Latino College Dollars
* Scholarships for California’s Latino Students
* Information on how to plan for college and how to pay for it
* Downloadable list: http://www.latinocollegedollars.org/directory.htm#
www.latinocollegedollars.org
Office of Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard Scholarship Directory
* Different qualifications apply– please visit the listed website
* Various deadlines and awards
http://www.house.gov/roybal-allard/2008_Resource_Guide.pdf

Scholarships.com
* Start early & search for scholarships while applying to colleges
* Review your scholarships by deadline, dollar amount & more
* Create one-click custom scholarship application request letters
* Search colleges and universities
* Get admission info & more
www.scholarships.com

Scholarships for Hispanics
* Directory that allows you to indicate citizenship status
* Provides information only on scholarships that student would qualify for
http://www.scholarshipsforhispanics.com/directory/

Fastweb
http://www.fastweb.com/

Zinch
http://www.zinch.com/scholarships/search

Most of these resources where taken from the Maldef website.
*Photo taken by me while at Princeton

College Guru

5 Tips on Applying to Scholarships

While searching for scholarships myself I came upon this cool article on tips that will help you win scholarships. I got the article from Fastweb, a scholarship search site. Here is what it said.

Cal Poly : San Luis Obispo

By now, you know that winning scholarships is hard, like really hard. You feel like you’ve applied for countless scholarships with zero results, and you’ve nearly given up on winning anything along with your dream of going to or finishing college.

So what can you do?

If you haven’t heard this already, you’re hearing it now: winning scholarships is a numbers game, and the more you apply, the better your chance of actually winning. Essentially, if you want to win a scholarship  giving up is not an option; no matter how tired, frustrated or rejected you feel because of the process.

So here are some tips:

• Be honest with yourself: how many scholarships have you really applied to – a couple, five, 10? Those numbers aren’t going to cut it. If paying for school with scholarships and financial aid is really so important to you, then devote more time to your applications. If you’ve been applying to one scholarship a month, that’s not enough. Spend a half hour every day on applications or a few hours a week; whatever works best for your schedule. Lets say you end up with 2,000 dollars in scholarships and you have worked 40 hours on scholarships, if you do the math that's 50 dollars an hour which is way better than any job will pay. 

• Look for more search options:Are you exhausting all of your scholarship search options? If you log onto Fastweb and merely look at your scholarship matches, that’s doing nothing to help you win a scholarship. Look at all of your scholarships and mark those that interest you and actually apply for them. Visit the site frequently too — don’t wait months to log back on.

Cal Poly: San Luis Obispo

• Search in your community:  Reach out to your high school guidance counselor once a month and ask him or her about community scholarships. Scour your local newspaper for scholarship opportunities, and don’t shy away from entering contests, sweepstakes or promotions with a dollar prize. You can use that money for school too! 

• Every little bit counts:When you see a scholarship for $500, do you skip over it and look at the scholarship for $10,000 instead? Here’s a little secret: scholarships with a smaller award amount don’t get the same volume of applications as a $10,000 scholarship, meaning your odds are better. So don’t skim over the small amounts – that’s $500 less you have to pay for college, right? And if you win several $500 scholarships, that can really add up.

• Get a head start on next year: Some scholarships aren't renewable so get a head start! Being prepared for next year will give you better options and there are thousands of scholarships for undergraduate students!

*Photos where taken by my friend when he was at Cal Poly SLO. 

Scholarship Bulletin: April

As most of us find out where we are going to college it is important to keep looking for scholarships to pay for the ever increasing tuition rates. Yet no dream college should be given up because one can't afford it. That is why I will keep posting scholarships in hope that you guys will find these useful.

* University of California Berkeley

Holocaust Remembrance Project Scholarship
Award Amount: $100-10,000
Deadline: April 15, 2011
Requirements:
* High School student 9-12 grade, 19 years or under
* Submit an essay
* Open to all residents of the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, and
the U.S. Virgin Islands.
http://holocaust.hklaw.com

Yoshiyama Award for Exemplary Service to the Community
Award Amount: $5,000
Deadline: April 3rd of each year
Requirements:
* Graduating high school seniors must be nominated.
* Must demonstrate self motivation, leadership, creativity,
dedication, and a commitment to pursuing community service.
* GPA, SAT scores, and school clubs do not count
Log-on to website for complete details.
www.hitachifoundation.org

Salvadoran-American Leadership & Educational Fund: SALEF Education for Excellence Program
Award Amount: $500- $2,500 awarded annually
* Applicants must be Salvadoran, Central American, or other
* Overall GPA should be at least 2.5
* History of community service and involvement
* Open to high school, undergraduate, & graduate
Students. Undocumented students are encouraged to apply.
http://www.salef.org/

Lanzate Travel Award Program
Award Amount: 4 Roundtrip tickets to and from University
Deadline: April 30
Requirements:
* Must be a student at two-four year college/University
* Have a 2.5 or higher G.P.A.
*Undergraduate and Graduate students are eligible to apply
http://www.hacu.net/hacu/NewsBot.asp?MODE=VIEW&ID=764&SnID=214592862

CCNMA

*University of California Berkeley

Award Amount: $500-$2,000
Deadline: April 2011
Requirements:
* For California Latino students interested in journalism and
attend or plan to attend a California college
* Social Security number asked for, but student may receive award
without it
http://www.ccnma.org/

The Duracell/National Urban League Scholarship
Award: $10,000 + Paid Internship
Deadline: April 15, 2011
Requirements:
* Open to minority students focusing in engineering, sales,
marketing, finance and business

AAJA General Scholarship Award
Award Amount: $1,000 & $7,500
Deadline: April 20
Requirements:
* Graduating seniors, undergraduates, and graduate students with a
focus on journalism
* Must demonstrate financial need and journalistic ability
http://aajaonline.tumblr.com/

Davis Putter Scholarship Fund
Award Amount: up to $10,000
Deadline: Postmarked by April 1st of every year
Requirements:
* Open to graduate and undergraduate students
* Must demonstrate financial need
* Must demonstrate participation in expanding civil rights, economic
justice, and international solidarity
* Visit website for more details


World Studios Foundation Scholarships
Award Amount: Varies
Deadline: April 1, 2011
Requirements:
* Open to disadvantage or minority college students who are
currently enrolled at an accredited school
* Major requirements: see website for details
http://scholarships.worldstudioinc.com/

A.W. Bodine-Sunkist Memorial Scholarships
Award Amount: $2,000
Deadline: April 30th of each year
Requirements:
* Students entering any undergraduate grade level
* Must have a background in CA or AZ agriculture (you or someone
in your immediate family must have derived the majority of your/their
income from agriculture), financial need, and a minimum 3.0 GPA.
Selection is based on test scores, essay, and references

The Hispanic Engineers National Achievement Awards Conference
Award Amount: Varies
Deadline: April 30, of every year
Requirements:
* Students must be majoring in math, computer science, material
science, engineering or applied science
* Must have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher

*Embarcadero, San Francisco

Transportation Clubs International Scholarships
Award Amount: Varies
Deadline: May 30th, of each year
Requirements:
* Award can be used at institution in Mexico, US and Canada.
*Must attend a four year institution
*Must intend to pursue a career in logistics, civil engineering,
transportation
*Must have finished at least one year of undergraduate studies
http://www.transportationclubsinternational.com/scholarships.html

HENAAC Graduate and Undergraduate Student Leadership Award Scholarship
Award Amount: $500- $5,000
Deadline: April 30, 2011
Requirements:
* Applicants do not have to be of Hispanic descent
* Must be enrolled in an accredited university or college, High
School senior
* Applicants must be Science, Technology, Engineering or Math
* Applicants must have an overall grade point average of 3.0 or
higher
http://www.greatmindsinstem.org/henaac/scholars/docs/2012HENAACScholarsApplication.pdf

MEChA de UC Riverside Alumni Scholarship
Award Amount: $300.00 one time (3 awards)
Deadline: April of each year
Requirements:
* Student must be either a high school senior with a 3.0 GPA,
transfer student with a 2.8 GPA
* UCR student currently enrolled with a 3.0 GPA or above.
* AB 540 high school students with a min. 3.0


Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity: Tau Chapter Scholarship
Award Amount: $500
Deadline: April 18th of each year
Requirements:
* Award offered to a high school senior of Hispanic origin. Student
must have a 2.5 GPA or higher and accepted to CSU Dominguez
Hills for the Fall term.

California’s Wine Grape Growers Foundation Scholarship

Peace Tower Japantown, San Francisco

Award Amount: $2,000- $4,000
Deadline: April of each year
Requirements:
* Parent/Guardian must be employed as a vineyard worker by a wine
grape grower in CA during the past and current seasons.
* It is recommended that you already be in the process of establishing
residency
* Must submit application, 2 page essay, transcripts, letter of
recommendation, and SAT/ACT scores.
* Must be a graduating high school senior in 2008
*** May require a social security number. Call to inquire***
www.cawg.org/cwggf/
Contact:
Carolee Williams (916) 379-8995


The Cuban American Scholarship Fund
Award Amount: $1,000
Deadline: April 15
Requirements:
* Full-time student of Cuban descent
* 3.0 GPA required and recipients must be California resident,
enrolled in a college or university for the fall semester
* Must be U.S. Citizen or resident of California.

Graham-Fancher Scholarship
Award Amount: $300
Deadline: April 30,
Requirements:
* Student graduating from a high school in Northern Santa Cruz
County. Recommendation from a counselor required.
Call for details
Attn: Robert Daryl
149 Josephine Street, Suite A
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 423-3640

SALEF Fulfilling Our Dreams Scholarship Fund
Award Amount: 1,500 (Renewable for 4 years)
Deadline: April 30
Requirements:
*Reside and study in California
*Be a high school senior, undergraduate, graduate or professional
student.
* Be of Central American or other Latino etnicity
*Demostrate financial need and history of community service.

Most of these scholarships are taken from the MALDEF website check it out if you have any questions. Good luck on your search!
*All photos taken by me when I visited Berkeley.

College Guru

Alliance/Merck Scholarship: DEADLINE EXTENSION

The Alliance/ Merck Scholarship is a great opportunity for Hispanic students interested in the sciences. The Program will annually provide 10 promising Hispanic high school students from Brownsville, TX; Elizabeth, NJ; and Los Angeles, CA with $42,500 in college scholarships and internship support to pursue STEM degrees. If you live close to one of these areas please check out the website for your school might still qualify. In addition, the program will annually provide 25 Hispanic college students nationwide majoring in a STEM field with $2,000 scholarships. The scholarship is open to all students regardless of citizenship.

*University of California at Berkeley

THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO:

March 31, 2012 

Click Here to visit the The Alliance/ Merck Scholarship website.

Please make sure to take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity. 

*Photo taken by me at Berkeley.

College Guru

An Inspiring Story

College admission decisions are just around the corner and while we wait why not read an interesting story. I wanted to share a story written about my friend that has inspired me to be a better person and who I'm sure has inspired countless of others. I am posting the article from YumaSun.com in which he was featured in and I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Project Elijah founder approaches new phase in life

March 05, 2012 3:19 PM

BY SARAH WOMER - SUN STAFF WRITER

One Yuma student has been striving to make a difference in other people's lives since he was a boy — an effort that hasn't changed, even though he's a senior in high school this year.

Gila Ridge High School student Elijah Humphrey, 16, started a recycling program called Project Elijah in 2007 to raise funds for a local student who wanted to attend a summer enrichment course at California State University but couldn't afford to go.

Humphrey said that even though he was only 11 at the time and had limited resources, he didn't let that stop him.

“I collected money from family, friends and neighbors but I also collected cans. I turned the cans in for money and was able to help the student out.”

Now, five years later and nearing the end of his senior year, Humphrey has interviewed for a number of prestigious Ivy League schools and has already received over $20,000 in scholarships.

Humphrey said it has been his lifelong dream to attend an Ivy League school and that he has interviewed at schools like Princeton, Brown and Dartmouth. He is waiting for acceptance letters from Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Notre Dame and Columbia, to name a few.

Elijah Humphrey (far left)

“I received a Quest Bridge Scholarship late last year that paid the application fee as well as waived the regular application process to over 31 of the top college and universities in the country. This scholarship was well worth over $3,500 and saved me a huge deal of time with the admission process.”

He has also received the Kohl's Cares Scholarship and a $10,000 Coca-Cola scholarship with the chance to interview for another $20,000 next month in Atlanta.

“My family and I were thrilled to hear about all the scholarships and all the attention that I am starting to receive. We are truly blessed and honored and give all glory to God. He is the center of our lives and without him, none of this would be possible.”

In addition to being president of the Project Elijah initiative, Humphrey is involved in the National Honor Society, Junior Statesmen of America and National Society of High School Scholars. He was part of the National Youth Leadership Forum and the Global Young Leaders Conference as well as the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) Scholars Program, which he has been in since seventh grade.

“His most impressive quality is not his mind, but it is his heart,” said Sam Godfrey, communications coordinator for Johns Hopkins CTY Scholars. “Elijah has balanced his academics with countless volunteer activities.”

Humphrey also recently started a scholarship at Arizona Western College called the Steve Baxter Memorial Scholarship to help African-American students pursuing a law degree.

He will be giving $700 a year from Project Elijah funds, and a local attorney plans to give $1,000 in memory of Steven Baxter, a former AWC student who led many campus and community initiatives. Humphrey said that unfortunately, before Baxter could complete his degree, he collapsed on campus at the age of 20 and died from a pulmonary embolus.

“The student body president (at AWC) was looking through the schools newspaper archives and ran into Steven Baxter's story... She felt our lives paralleled. I did also.

“That is when I decided that we should start a Steven Baxter Memorial Scholarship from the recycling money that was generated on AWC's campus. I did not know Steven or his family but I feel a deep connection with them,” Humphrey said, noting that he and Baxter had a similar passion for law.

Past proceeds from the Project Elijah recycling project have also been donated to organizations like Paralyzed Veterans of America, The Breast Cancer Society, the Humane Society of Yuma, two local church youth groups and music programs at local schools.

Humphrey also volunteers 15 hours a week at the Sunrise Elementary School Discovery Club tutoring students in grades K-5 and spends 10 hours a week coaching their Odyssey of the Mind team.

Sarah Womer can be reached at swomer@yumasun.com or 539-6858. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSSarahWomer or on Twitter at @YSSarahWomer.

Read more: http://www.yumasun.com/articles/humphrey-77264-elijah-scholarship.html#ixzz1oaSH1EWa

Scholarship Bulletin: March

 Scholarship Bulletin: March

These are some scholarships coming up on march my main reference is the MALDEF Scholarship list (I linked it so you guys can take a look at it). These Scholarships are some of the many AB 540 friendly scholarships out there that don't require any social or citizenship.

Princeton University*

CALIFORNIA:

Orange County Hispanic Education Endowment Fund Scholarship Program (HEEF)

• Award Amount: from $250 - $5,00
• Deadline: March 4
• Requirements:
  * Award offered to Orange County Hispanic students with
  financial need at all levels of education.
  * Students may apply to more than one scholarship program but
  they may only receive one fund or program
• website: http://www.heef.org/scholarships/index.htm

Beca Foundation General Scholarship Fund

• Award Amount: $500-$1,000
• Deadline: March 2011
• Requirements:
  * Must be a resident of North San Diego County
  * (General) High School Senior entering 2 or 4 year university
  * (Medical Program) Available for students pursuing a degree in a
  medical related field
• website http://www.becafoundation.org/scholarship.htm

New American College Fund

• Award Amount: up to $5,000
• Deadline: March 1st
• Requirements:
  * Foreign-born, Documented Financial need, Lived in California for
  3 or more years of their high school career
  * Anticipated or previous graduation from a Bay Area high school
  * Minimum unweighted GPA of 3.0
• Website: http://www.e4fc.org/scholarsprogram/scholarsinstructions.html

Princeton University*

TELACU Education Foundation

• Award Amount: $500-$2,500
• Deadline: March 19
• Requirements:
  * Student must be from LA City, East LA, Montebello,
  Commerce, Bell Gardens or Monterey Park.
  * 2.5 GPA
  * Must be low income and first generation college student
  * See website for Regional Requirements
• Website: www.telacu.com

Youth Opportunities Foundation Scholarship

• Amount:Varies
• Deadline: March 31
  * Awards are given based on academic achievement and community
  involvement. Must be a CA resident and demonstrate financial need
  * Available to HS students with SAT scores of 1000 or above
  * Must be of Hispanic origin
• Contact: Felix Castro, PO Box 45762, Los Angeles CA 90045, (310) 670-7664, (310) 670-7664, Fax: (310) 670-5238 

GENERAL Scholarships after the break