More than $600,000 in scholarships are available for area students through the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore. The Foundation, which awarded 400 scholarships last year, has recently opened applications on their website, with many of the scholarships having an April 1, 2020 deadline.
The Foundation, which holds more than 190 scholarship funds, has steadily increased scholarships each year, growing the amount of scholarships awarded by $300,000 in just the past five years.
“With the rising cost of education, scholarship funds are more important than ever to area students,” says Community Foundation President Erica Joseph. “The growth we have seen in the past five years is a testament to not only how vested our community is in education, but also to the impact made on these students’ lives.”
Joseph explains that the foundation offers a wide variety of scholarships, each with their own unique criteria.
“Scholarship funds at CFES are a valuable resource for people who want to help local students. They are created by individuals, families, or businesses that are passionate about encouraging an area of study, memorializing a loved one, or simply extending a helping hand, so there is a little something for everyone.”
Some scholarships are based on the student’s prospective area of study, like The Richard and Patricia Hazel Minority Scholarship which is for students who are interested in pursuing a career in education, STEM, or nursing. However, not every scholarship is for graduating seniors or four-year college students.
“We are seeing an increased interest in scholarships for non-traditional students and trade schools,” says Joseph. “For instance, the Naleppa Family Healthcare Scholarship focuses on students who have already been accepted into a healthcare education program, such as a two-year nursing program, whereas the Beattie Healthcare Careers Scholarship is for students who have already begun their undergraduate study in a healthcare field.”
The Foundation also sees many organizations and businesses creating scholarships as a way of giving back to the communities they do business in. One of the Foundation’s newest funds includes the Cato, Inc. Scholarship which assists employees of the business and their family members with the cost of education at two and four year programs.
For a full list of scholarships, criteria, and applications, visit CFES.org/scholarships.
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