General Information on Scholarships from the
Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
1. What is The Community Foundation of Greater Jackson's scholarship program?
Our scholarship program is made of funds established by individuals or organizations wanting to assist Mississippi residents in obtaining a college education. Students apply to the program and, if eligible, can be awarded a scholarship from one of the scholarship funds.
2. Am I eligible to apply?
Each scholarship fund has specific eligibility criteria that were defined by the donor when the fund was established. Please read through the specific criteria for each fund to see if you are eligible.
3. Where can I find information on the programs?
You may find information on all programs and application process on the Internet at our Web site, located at www.cfgreaterjackson.com.
4. What is the deadline to apply?
It varies by scholarship. Application materials must be received at the Foundation's offices or by the person indicated on the application no later than 4 p.m. on the day specified for the fund to which you are applying. See the actual application for the exact date. All application materials must be sent together as a single packet, and the application should be typed. No application will be considered after the deadline.
5. Is this application available on the Internet?
Yes. You may find it on our Web site at www.cfgreaterjackson.org.
6. When will I find out if I have been awarded a scholarship?
Applicants will be notified by The Community Foundation of Greater Jackson in the summer, usually around June. Scholarships will be announced and awarded on an annual basis.
7. Are these scholarships taxable?
Although different scholarships have different restrictions, awards generally apply to direct college expenses, such as tuition, fees and books. Monies received for tuition, fees and books may not incur tax liability while monies applied to room and board may be considered taxable income. The recipient is responsible for any tax liability incurred as a result of this award. The Community Foundation of Greater Jackson will not provide tax information to the student or the Internal Revenue Service, and the student is fully responsible for filing any tax documents.
8. If I am awarded a scholarship, how much will I receive?
Most of the scholarship funds offer small awards, ranging between a few hundred to a thousand dollars. The average scholarship awarded for each fund is listed following that fund's description.
9. Where can I use a scholarship?
This is noted in the description of each fund.
10. May I receive scholarships from more than one fund?
Yes, but we ask that you send one copy of the application and supporting materials for each scholarship for which you are applying.
11. If I withdraw from one school, what do I do about the scholarship?
This is noted in the description of each fund.
12. Does the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson make the decisions about who is awarded a scholarship?
Each scholarship has its own selection committee, but final approval of each recipient must come from The Community Foundation of Greater Jackson Board of Trustees. Foundation staff members process the application materials for the committees that make the decisions.
13. If I am awarded a scholarship, do I get the check?
No. The check will be mailed directly to the financial aid office of the appropriate college or university.
14. If I am awarded a scholarship for one year, will I automatically receive that award for the following year?
Please consult the eligibility of each scholarship to determine whether you may reapply.
15. Do I need to send a copy of my parents' tax return?
Yes. Attach a copy of either your or your parents' most recent IRS Form 1040, 1040EZ, etc. and any other documentation supporting unique financial circumstances. Need is generally based on your parents' financial situation, but yours will also be taken into account.
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Scholarship Funds of The Community Foundation of Greater Jackson
APWA Scholarship Fund
The Mississippi Chapter of the American Public Works Association established its scholarship fund at The Community Foundation of Greater Jackson in 2000. The fund will honor a full-time junior or senior at a public university in Mississippi studying to enter the field of public works. The student must have been graduated from high school in Mississippi. ("Public works" is generally the municipal or county governmental agency or department which usually administers projects such as road building, storm water retention, lot clearing, street lighting, engineering review of construction site plans, and other duties. Those entering this profession most often study engineering, and eligible majors include civil engineering, electrical engineering, public administration, environmental engineering, biology and chemistry.) This award is based both on merit and need.
Required materials: Scholarship Selection/Certification Form, Application, Activities Sheet, Financial Form (with tax return), Transcript.
2008 Award: One scholarship, $1,000
Apply now for 2009.
John Robert Boswell Memorial Scholarship Fund
The John Robert Boswell Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in December 1999 by Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Boswell of Jackson in memory of their son John Robert Boswell, a National Merit Finalist and STAR Student at Jim Hill High School. A Carrier Scholar at Ole Miss, he was graduated in 1984 with a degree in chemical engineering and worked in the field until his death in 1993 of a brain tumor. The scholarship is awarded to an outstanding senior majoring in chemical engineering at Ole Miss. The recipient must be a full-time student and cannot belong to a social sorority or fraternity. This award is based both on merit and need.
2008 Award: One scholarship, $1,000
See Ole Miss Chemistry Department for more information.
Harrison Clark Scholarship Awards Fund
Jim and Molly Clark of Madison wanted a way to pay tribute to the friendly nature of their son, Harrison Hull Clark, a trumpeter very active in the Madison Central High School Marching Band and Symphonic Band who died in 1998. Honoring his memory, his parents established this fund in late 1999 to benefit outstanding graduates of their son's school, Madison Central. Since then, the fund has grown with contributions from members of the Clark family, friends and faculty and fund raisers held by students at the school. Applicants, who must be seniors at Madison Central High School, must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 and rank in at least the 60th percentile on college entrance exams and plan to be full-time students. These awards are based on merit only.
2008 Award: Six scholarships, $500 each
Applications available from MCHS senior counselor only.
Aura Neely-Gary Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Aura Neely-Gary Memorial Scholarship Fund was established at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson in 2007 in memory of Mrs. Gary by her family. Mrs. Gary’s strong commitment to education and self-improvement was the impetus for her family’s desire to establish this scholarship in her honor. The family wanted to honor her memory by providing a college scholarship to a person whose secondary school education may have been interrupted for various reasons or those who require assistance to continue their education. The fund awards one scholarship annually in the amount of $2,000 based on merit and need to a male or female student planning to enter a college or university in Mississippi. Preference will be given to students that desire resuming their education following a period of personal difficulties. Special consideration will be given for young women who had previously dropped out of school and are now enrolled at a post-secondary institution.
2008 Award: One scholarship, $2,000. Applications available at www.cfgreaterjackson.org, click on scholarships.
Anthony “Tony” Gobar Juvenile Justice Scholarship Fund
Named in honor of Anthony Gobar of Jackson, a long-time juvenile justice specialist, this fund will provide an annual scholarship based on both merit and need for a full-time junior or senior at a public university in Mississippi or at Southern University in Louisiana majoring in criminal justice, political science, or counseling. The student must have a stated career interest in juvenile justice or a similar field and have demonstrated a strong commitment to community and public service. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and have at least a current grade point average of 2.5 on 4.0 scales. Demonstrated financial need must be provided via the student’s university or college financial aid office.
2008 Award: One scholarship, $1,200 Applications available from University FAO, the corresponding University Departments or at www.cfgreaterjackson.org, click on scholarships.
Charles E. “Chuck” Griffin, Jr. Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Charles E. “Chuck” Griffin, Jr. Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund was established at the Foundation to honor the life of this talented young man whose life was cut short when a drag racer lost control of his vehicle and struck and killed Chuck as he stood in front of his best friend’s home. The fund awards an annual scholarship to a graduating student at Jim Hill High School and to a graduating student at Hinds Community College who plans to continue his or her higher education at a four year institution. The fund also awards an annual scholarship to a Tougaloo College graduate that has been accepted into the American Bar Association Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) program.
2008 Awards: one scholarship at Jim Hill ($2,000) and one CLEO scholarship ($1,800). Please see Jim Hill High School Principal or Chair of English Department at Hinds Community College for applications.
Bill Hunsberger Scholarship Fund
William W. Hunsberger, publisher of The Clarion-Ledger newspaper and a board member of the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson, died of an unexpected heart attack in 2004. In his honor, his family and friends established the Bill Hunsberger Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to students studying the programs at the universities attended by his three daughters. The award rotates annually among a journalism major at the University of Southern Mississippi, a journalism major at the University of Mississippi, and a political science major involved with student media at Mississippi State University. Applicants must be full-time, female students entering their junior or senior years of study.
2008 Award: one scholarship, $1,000 (USM)
Applications available from Ole Miss journalism department for 2009.
Ryan Kirkpatrick Memorial Scholarship Fund
Ryan Edward Kirkpatrick, a 17-year-old senior at Madison Central High School, was killed in a car accident in 2003. He had won a national award for wildlife photography and was also a filmmaker who had photographed plants and animals in the Amazon and an amateur horticulturist who raised orchids and bromeliads. The Ryan Kirkpatrick Memorial Scholarship Fund, started by his parents, will provide scholarships to graduates of Madison Central High School. Applicants must have a strong interest in the natural sciences and submit an essay on the natural world. A 2.50 minimum GPA is required.
2008 Award: One scholarship, $2,500
Applications available from MCHS senior counselor only.
Robert E. Luckett Memorial Scholarship Fund
When Rankin County School District director of special projects Robert E. Luckett died in February 2002, his family looked for a way to honor him and his lifelong dedication to education and children. His wife, Jeanne, and their son, Robby, created the Robert E. Luckett Memorial Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation to honor graduates of Richland High School, where Mr. Luckett served as principal for 19 years. Selected as statewide Principal of the Year in 1997, he had also served as principal of St. Joseph High School and assistant principal at Jim Hill High School. Children were always important in the Luckett household, with the couple serving as foster parents for 17 children during their 35-year marriage, resulting in their receiving the Lookin' To The Future Award from Southern Christian Services for Children and Youth earlier this year. This award is based on a combination of merit, need and teacher recommendation.
2008 Award: One scholarship, $500
Applications available from RHS senior counselor only.
Mae Meriwether Zifcak Girl Scout Scholarship Fund
Named in honor of the longtime director of the Middle Mississippi Girl Scout Council, this scholarship fund was created in 2001 to assist girls involved in the local council with their post-secondary education, primarily at trade schools.
2008 Award: one scholarship, $750.
Applications available from senior troop leaders or the Girl Scout Council of Middle Mississippi Program Director.
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Application Checklist
Application Guidelines: Carefully read this entire packet to ensure your application form and other forms are complete and accurate. Please review the items noted below to verify that all required forms are included.
( ) Scholarship Selection and Certification Form (Page One): Make sure you have checked the appropriate scholarship box and have signed the certification. If you are a dependent student (see financial form for definition), a parent must co-sign the application. If an independent but married student, your spouse must co-sign.
( ) Completed Scholarship Application (Page Two)
( ) Activities Form (Page Three): Do not attach a resume or additional pages; use only the page provided.
( ) Official Transcript: Please enclose official transcript from your school which include grades for the most recently completed semester.
( ) Financial Form (Page Four): Complete and mail with all other application materials. Include a copy of your (and/or your parents') most recent IRS Form 1040 if required for the specific scholarship -- see above descriptions.
Selection and Certification Sheet
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Scholarship Selection
Check the appropriate box for the fund to which you are applying:
(X) Mississippi Chapter of the American Public Works Association Scholarship Fund
Full-time junior or senior at Mississippi public university studying to enter the public works field.
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Publicity
If selected as a scholarship recipient, the applicant's name, hometown, school, field of study, activities, awards/honors and other non-confidential information will be released to the media to publicize the award. The recipient will also be asked to provide a photograph for issuance with the press release(s). Please provide your local media information below.
Primary newspaper: Television station:
Address: Address:
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Certification