Sigma Phi Society
2014-2015 Viele Scholarship Program
The Viele Scholarship Selection Committee proudly announces the 2014-2015 Viele Scholarship program. The Francis S. Viele Scholarship is one of the largest fraternal scholarship programs in the world. It represents and embodies Sigma Phi’s deep and abiding commitment to the pursuit of Truth through scholarly endeavor.
Instructions
Applications are due (must be postmarked) by April 30, 2014. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL ELIGIBLE BROTHERS TO APPLY!
Please do not wait to forward this to brothers who could benefit by applying for a Viele. Get the application to them soon so they have as much time as possible to prepare the application.
Historically, around half of applicants have received Viele Scholarships, with the average award being several thousand dollars, so any conscientious applicant has a reasonable likelihood of receiving substantial funding.
It is as always very helpful for alumni boards review the applications prior to submission: to check the applications for completeness, to give the applicants advice on how to improve their essays, to provide letters of recommendation, and the like. We highly encourage such collaboration between active and alumni brothers. When this has been done at various chapters in the past, the success rate of applicants getting scholarships increased dramatically.
The brothers receiving this notice are those we believe to be presidents of the active chapters, presidents of alumni corporations, S&A delegates, S&A alternates, and others for whom we have e-mail addresses. It is by no means meant to be exclusionary. If you believe that someone should receive a Viele application and he is not on distribution, please forward this note or a copy of the application file to him. If someone gets the application twice, no harm is done. As in prior years, the application will also be available on the Society’s Web site (http://www.sigmaphi.org) during the application process.
Selection Process
The Viele Scholarship is administered by the Sigma Phi Society. Applications are reviewed and awards are made by a Selection Committee composed of members of the Standing and Advisory Committee and other graduate members of the Society. Membership on the committee changes over time as various brothers express interest in participating. Typically there are five or six members on the committee representing as many chapters of the Society.
The Viele Selection Committee receives scholarship applications in the spring of each year. Each and every application is reviewed in detail by each and every member of the Committee. The Committee then meets (generally in June or July) to discuss each and every application and, through a vigorous give-and-take, to reach a consensus on the distribution of awards. Notifications are sent out by e-mail in August. Graduate members of the Society who are not members of the Committee sometimes observe the review process. Overall, the process is open, fair, reasonable, thorough, rigorous, and non-discriminatory.
Although some degree of balance is desired in the distribution of awards among chapters, initiation years, majors, active versus graduate members, and other factors, such desire does not trump the Committee’s careful, studied, collective judgment regarding the merit of each individual application. Historically, approximately 50% of applicants have received Viele awards, although this fraction varies from year to year.
The criteria on which applications are judged fall broadly into the following three areas:
· Scholarship—Both the achievement of scholarly excellence and the demonstration of academic aptitude and career potential
· Service—Attitude toward, and demonstrated commitment and service to the community and Sigma Phi Society, including its ideals, chapters, members, facilities, and activities
· Need—Individual and family financial need as demonstrated by the cost of the applicant’s academic program and ability to pay as shown on a College Board Financial Aid Profile. (From time to time, the Selection Committee receives a “merit-only” application, i.e., one containing no information on the applicant’s ability to pay, explicitly indicated as such. The Committee may, under extraordinary circumstances and in its sole discretion, consider such applications for an award.)
While most successful applicants will demonstrate strength along all three dimensions, such balance is not required. Indeed, applicants are reviewed against the criteria on an individual basis. While the standards are applied rigorously and consistently, they are not applied in a rigid or mechanistic fashion. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Because the Committee reviews and judges written applications for the Viele Scholarship, applicants should not assume any familiarity with them, their activities, their merits, or any other information not reflected in the application itself. Indeed, as a means of ensuring fair and equitable distribution of awards, the Committee generally eschews consideration of factors not included in the written submission.
Given the extreme care with which each and every application is weighed, and the distribution of awards is determined, decisions made by the Selection Committee are final and not subject to reconsideration, appeal, or review.
Eligibility
The Viele Scholarship is limited to only those individuals who, at the time awards are made, shall be: initiated members in good standing of the Sigma Phi Society; full-time, matriculated students in good standing, not on academic or other probation; candidates for a bachelor's or higher degree; and enrolled at an institution of higher learning which is accredited by one of the six regional accrediting agencies in the U.S.A. or has received comparable accreditation status abroad. Note that, in general, graduate students in degree programs are eligible whereas those pursuing a professional certification are not.
Questions?
Please contact me with any questions you have about the Viele program or application process.
Thanks for your help in ensuring every Sig who is interested in and deserves a Viele scholarship gets a chance to apply.
BSL,
Glenn R. George, Ph.D., C'82
Chairman, Viele Scholarship Selection Committee
Telephone (mobile): +1-215-620-0355 E-mail:
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