Knights of Vartan

KNIGHTS OF VARTAN

AVAK TAHLIJ SCHOLARSHIP AWARD PROGRAM

Guidelines for 2012 Awards

1. ELIGIBILITY AND REQUIREMENTS

1. Eligible recipients include Asbeds, wives of Asbeds, members of the Daughters of Vartan, the children and grandchildren of Asbeds in good standing, as well as those of deceased Asbeds, who were in good standing at the time of their demise.
2. Applicant must be enrolled in a full-time undergraduate or graduate program in a fully accredited college or university in the United States or Canada.
3. Applicants must have at least one year of college or university program completed.
4. Applicant must provide all of the information requested on the application form.
5. Applicant must provide his or her most recent official college transcript.
6. Applicant must provide a small head and shoulders self portrait.
7. Previous recipients are not eligible.

1. PROCEDURE

1. Sbarabeds are to appoint three qualified Asbeds in good standing to form a Tahlij Scholarship Committee. Their responsibilities are:
2. Distribution of application forms to qualified students.
3. To investigate and evaluate the information provided.
4. To submit all applications, along with evaluations, to their respective Grand District Representatives by April 30, 2012.
5. Grand District Representatives will appoint a panel, comprised of several qualified Asbeds, with two provisions: that there should be no more than one from any one Tahlij and that the Asbeds be unrelated to any of the applicants. Responsibilities of the panel are:
6. To weigh the merits of each applicant, and,
7. To submit the names of up to, but no more than, three finalists, along with a recommendation and all applications, through the Grand District Representative, to the Avak Ter-Sbarabed by May 15, 2012.
8. The Avak Tivan will then select the six (6) Knights of Vartan scholarship winners from the finalists submitted. There shall be a winner from each district, provided there is at least one (1) qualified applicant from that district. If one or more districts do not submit qualified finalists, the Avak Tivan shall select additional recipients from a pool of all of the applicants, to assure that all six (6) scholarships are distributed. Responsibilities of the Avak Tivan are:
9. Notify the applicant by letter of receipt of his/her application.
10. Notify applicants who were not picked by letter and request them to re-apply the next year. If they are still attending college.

1. RATING SYSTEM

The following system shall be employed by all the selection committees:

1. 35 points; applicant’s scholastic grades and achievements.
2. 35 points; applicant’s involvement in community, church and school.
3. 30 points; applicant’s essay on:
4. Future education plans
5. Career ambitions, and
6. Financial need.

1. TIME TABLE

1. Announcement of scholarship program in monthly bulletins and at both Tivan and Tahlij meetings, beginning in January, if possible, and continuing through March.
2. March 31 – Deadline for applicants to submit applications.
3. April 30 – Deadline for Tahlij committees to submit applications, with evaluation to their respective Grand District Representative.
4. May 15 – Deadline for Grand District Representatives to submit their respective finalists to the Avak Ter Sbarabed.
5. July 2011 – Names of scholarship recipients to be announced during the Avak Tahlij Convocation.

1. GENERAL

1. All information submitted by all applicants shall remain confidential.
2. All information submitted by all applicants is to be carefully reviewed, analyzed, and evaluated at each level, objectively, and without bias.
3. Recipients will be publicly acknowledged.
4. Applicant’s involvement in community, church and school are considered.
5. Failure to submit all the required information on the official Knights of Vartan Avak Tivan application form, or the inclusion of anofficial college transcript, and applicant picture are considered grounds for the disqualification of the applicant.

1