Office of Alumni Relations Application for the service member leadership scholarship

SCHOLARSHIP PURPOSE
Choosing to be a student while currently serving in the military allows these students to express their continued leadership experiences while working towards achieving one’s academic goals. To help these motivated students, the Office of Alumni Relations and the VSC established the Service Member Leadership Scholarship. We strive to encourage our military service members and show support as these students strive to reach their goals of academic success, military success, and graduation.

SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The Service Member Leadership Scholarship recognizes students who continue to pursue their degree while they are actively serving in the Reserves/National Guard or are active duty and pursuing off-duty education. This scholarship recognizes students who are service members whose noteworthy leadership has contributed to the campus or local community in a substantial way. Service Member students receiving this award will have demonstrated leadership that produced significant positive results in a campus or community organization, activity, or initiative, with or without holding a formal leadership position. This scholarship will award, at a minimum, one (1) scholarship and up to three (3) scholarships to assist actively serving/active duty students in accomplishing their academic goals. No more than one (1) award will be made to a graduate student.

ELIGIBILITY

• The student must be actively serving in the Reserves/National Guard or are active duty and pursuing off-duty education and a student as defined by the Veterans Support Center.
• The actively serving/active duty student must be a student in good standing with the University of Utah and will be attending full-time during Spring Semester 2025.
• If an undergraduate, actively serving/active duty student must have earned a minimum of 30 credit hours at the University of Utah by the end of Fall Semester 2024.
• If a graduate student, actively serving/active duty student must have earned a minimum of 18 credit hours at the University of Utah by the end of Fall Semester 2024.
• The actively serving/active duty student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater earned at the University of Utah.

Many students who are selected to receive a university scholarship after May 12, 2015 are required by state law to certify under penalty of perjury that they are eligible to receive the scholarship as a U.S. citizen or a citizen of another country who is lawfully present within the United States. Students who have both graduated from a recognized Utah high school and who are awarded a scholarship funded by a private donor are not required to certify their lawful presence before receiving a privately funded scholarship. (This scholarship is a privately funded scholarship.)

VSC DEFINITION OF A VETERAN/MILITARY STUDENT
A collective term for any student who served or serves in the U.S. Armed Forces, regardless of location, duration, branch, or component and who has not been dishonorably discharged, in the National Guard, or in the Reserves.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The recipients of scholarships will be required to share their story and a photo with the Alumni Association and meet with members of the Alumni Association. Recipients may also be required to attend a scholarship celebration lunch in April 2024.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply, fill out the form and complete the required essay available. Once completed, remember to submit the application and essay.

Applications must be received no later than 11:59 PM MST on Sunday, February 16, 2025.

Documentation of military/veteran status will be required.

SCHOLARSHIP CONTACTS

Faa Taupau, Director, Veterans Support Center, ftaupau@sa.utah.edu
Angela Brink, Office Manager, Veterans Support Center, abrink@sa.utah.edu

Veterans Support Center 801/587-7722

ESSAY PROMPT

Provide an essay about how the leadership skills you learned in the military are being used to make a difference on the campus, for a veteran, or in our local community.
(500 word minimum – 1,000 word maximum).

Optional: You may provide additional information, such as a statement of financial need, which you feel is relevant for consideration of this scholarship (500 word limit).