Today kicks off our 50 states, 50 scholarship blog segment. In our efforts to serve students all over the country, we want to highlight scholarships from every state in the union.

We won’t get to every school, but we will be able to hit regions that are often neglected. How many scholarships do you hear about coming from Alaska? Well there are some and we think plenty of students will be interested. You never know where the perfect opportunity may pop up!

Speaking of Alaska…

Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Scholarship and Internship Opportunities

File this one away for next year as the deadline for this year has passed, but it’s a great opportunity!

• Five scholarships of five-thousand (5,000) dollars are awarded  per academic year in healthcare-related fields to full-time undergraduate students 
• Five scholarships of five-thousand (5,000) dollars per academic year in healthcare-related fields to full-time graduate students
• Students must be Alaska Native or American Indian permanent Alaska residents.

CPAI 2008 Scholarship Program
Another future scholarship! The ConocoPhillips Alaska scholarship program is open to Alaska high school seniors planning to attend an institution of higher learning, academic or trade school.

• Seven $5,000 in-state scholarships and thirteen $3,000 general scholarships will be awarded to Alaskan high school seniors.
• A panel of judges will select the winners based on each student’s future potential to contribute their knowledge and talents in Alaska. In addition, each student’s service to their community, service to their school, school achievements, and financial need will be taken into consideration.

"Dancin’, nothing left for me to do…""Got canned heat in my heels tonight bay-bay."

Get your tap, pointe or split toe jazz shoes ready! It’s time for more dance scholarships.

Ball State University Dance Scholarships

• 7-9 Fine Arts scholarships to new students in Theatre and Dance are awarded.
• $4,000 ($1000 per year for 4 years) awarded
• Scholarships are based on talent and potential.
• A student must be accepted on a regular or distinction basis by Ball State University and be a declared Theatre and Dance major.
• Students must audition.

Audition Rules:

"An audition is required for admission to Ball State University’s acting and musical theatre options and dance program. Students may audition before applying for admission or before acceptance to the university.

Scholarship Auditions
Auditions/interviews are required for any incoming theatre or dance major who wants to be considered for a Presidential Scholarship In The Arts Scholarship, a New Student Talent Scholarship or a Fine Arts Scholarship in theatre or dance. Fine Arts Scholarships are $4,000 ($1,000 per year for four years). Talent Scholarships provide one-year stipends of $500 to $1,000.

Students auditioning for admission do not have to audition separately for scholarships; one audition covers both requirements."

Here are some great grants just established by the 2005 Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005. Remember, grants do not need to be repaid. Whoo hoo!

Higher Education Reconciliation Act of 2005

Two new student aid grant programs were created by a federal law that went into effect on July 1, 2006. They are the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) and the National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant). See below for more information about each grant program.

Academic Competitiveness Grant is available for first year undergrads up to $750 and second year undergrads up to $1,300.

Eligibility:

• U.S. citizen;
• Federal Pell Grant eligible;
• Enrolled full-time in a degree program;
• Enrolled in the first or second academic year of your program of study at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution;
• Have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the first academic year (if you are a second-year student).

National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant
The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant) is for third- and fourth-year undergraduate students who are eligible to receive up to $ 4,000 each year.

Eligibility:

• U.S. citizen;
• Federal Pell Grant eligible;
• Enrolled full-time pursuing a major in physical, life or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering, or a critical foreign language; and
• Have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale.

If you’re not out of school yet, take heart, you’re almost there and with the extra free time, why not pad your college dollars with a few more scholarships? These puppies all have a June 15th due date so make copies of your scholarship resume, double check your application and get a move on it!

Garden Crusader Awards from Gardener’s Supply Company

-Given to those who are improving the world through gardening!

Dorothy Payne Scholarship -American Association of University Women

-$5,000 grant for high school seniors who attend a public school in Buffalo, Niagara Falls or Lackawanna, New York school districts.

Polonia Foundation of Ohio, Inc. Scholarship

-Ohio State University students of Polish ancestry will receive grants between $750 - $1,500.

The Thomas P. Quinn Scholarship Fund

-Residents of New London County who will attend a four year college can win awards between $2,000 and $4,000.

-Students also need four letters of recommendation.

-Students must also submit SAT scores.

While Memorial Day was the official day to recognize the contributions Veterans have made to the society, however any day is a great day to recognize those who place their lives on the line for us each day. So for veterans and their families we have a great load of scholarships for you!

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program

ELIGIBILITY

You must be the son, daughter, or spouse of:

• A veteran who died or is permanently and totally disabled as the result of a service-connected disability. The disability must arise out of active service in the Armed Forces.
• A veteran who died from any cause while such service-connected disability was in existence.
• A servicemember missing in action or captured in line of duty by a hostile force.
• A servicemember forcibly detained or interned in line of duty by a foreign government or power.
• A servicemember who is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment for a service connected permanent and total disability and is likely to be discharged for that disability. This change is effective December 23, 2006.

Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts Scholarship Program

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

• Uniformed Services Members of the United States who served in Afghanistan, or contiguous air space as defined in federal regulations, on or after October 24, 2001, and before a terminal date to be prescribed by the United States Secretary of Defense; or in Iraq, or contiguous waters or air space as defined in federal regulations, on or after March 19, 2003, and before a terminal date to be prescribed by the United States Secretary of Defense, may apply for a scholarship if they are:
• A veteran who served at least 60 days in the Afghanistan or Iraq Conflicts
• An active duty member of the Armed Forces who served at least 60 days in the Afghanistan or Iraq Conflicts
• A member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States or the Maryland National Guard who was activated as a result of the Afghanistan or Iraq Conflicts and served at least 60 days, as defined above; or
  • a son, daughter, or spouse of:
  • a veteran or active duty member of the Armed Forces who is serving or has served in the Afghanistan or Iraq Conflicts at least 60 days, as defined above; or
  • a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces or Maryland National Guard who was activated as a result of the Afghanistan or Iraq Conflicts and served at least 60 days, as defined above.
  • Applicants must be residents of Maryland, must be accepted for admission or enrolled in a regular undergraduate program at an eligible Maryland institution, or be accepted for admission or enrolled in a 2-year terminal certificate program in which the course work is acceptable for transfer credit for an accredited baccalaureate program at an eligible Maryland institution. Students must be enrolled as either a full-time (12+ credits per semester) or part-time (6-11 credits per semester) undergraduate student.

AFCEA Educational Foundation Disabled War Veteran Scholarship

ELIGIBILITY:

• Currently enrolled and attending either a two-year or four-year accredited college or university in the United States.
• Students may also be enrolled in an accredited distance-learning or online degree-granting program affiliated with a major, accredited two-year or four-year college or university in the United States.
• Freshmen, sophomore, junior and senior undergraduate students enrolled at the time of application either part time or full time in an eligible degree program as stated below.
• Candidates must be major in the following or C4I-related fields of electrical, aerospace, systems or computer engineering; computer engineering technology; computer network systems; information systems security; computer information systems; information systems management; technology management; electronics engineering technology; computer science; physics; mathematics; or science or mathematics education. Majors directly related to the support of U.S. intelligence or national security enterprises with relevance to the mission of AFCEA will also be eligible.

Fine tuning your resume is much like polishing your scholarship essay. A few well-thought out edits and a fine toothed comb could be the difference between getting those much needed scholarship bucks and paying for college by selling plasma.

Proofread

It should be totally unnecessary for me to say this, but proof your resume thoroughly and have someone else give it the once over as well. A fresh pair of eyes can pick up on any grammar and flow issues.

Watch Your Formatting

Resume styles go in and out just like fashion trends. Do a quick I-net search for the most appropriate and current style.

Update Often

New achievements, including scholarships won, should be added to your resume as they come. This saves you from having to backtrack. Experts also advise that you update and tailor your resume to each scholarship. Some scholarships may focus more on your volunteer opportunities. Look for a way to highlight those on your resume, by forgoing the classic "chronological order" type of resume for the more appropriate qualifications/experienced based resume.

Well sort of…

In order to bring more students the glorious joy of finding this blog easier we are moving to:
http://www.enotes.com/blogs/scholarships-blog/

So update your bookmarks now. Don’t worry, nothing will change - you’ll still get me in all my scholastical glory. Yes, “scholastical” is a word.

Now let’s tie in our move with a scholarship, file this one for next year:

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
Young artists and writers who are in grades 7 - 12 are eligible to participate. Graduating seniors will have the opportunity to gain scholarship monies.

Work is selected for Awards by the following criteria:

Originality
Technical proficiency, and
The emergence of an authentic vision or voice

I hope the bunny has made a trip to your house this morning. Whether you celebrate the holiday or not you’ve got an excuse to eat chocolate, so munch up!

Here are some holiday inspired scholarships just for you!

Easter Seal Society of Iowa Disability Scholarship

Criteria:

• Must have a permanent disability
• A resident of Iowa
• At least a 2.8 GPA and
• Financial Need

The minimum award for this scholarship is $750 and the max is $1,000.

Easter Island Foundation

The Wiegand Educations Scholarship Award

Two $2,000 awards for one male & one female student that is renewable.

Criteria:

• Under 30 residents of Rapa Nui heritage
• Decided based on academic performance, short essay
• Annual progress report from recipient

St. Lukes United Methodist Church Easter Egg Project College & Professional Scholarship

Info:

• Must be an active member of St. Luke’s
• Must either be a recent high school graduate or attending college
• Scholarship is renewable for 5 years max.

Tylenol is now in the business of relieving financial burdens by offering scholarship programs to noteworthy students. The company is currently giving away more than $250,000 in financial assistance to college students studying medicine.

This scholarship is administered by Scholarship Program Administrators, Inc. When you visit the Tylenol website, click on the application link and you will be redirected to the Scholarship Program Administrators website.

Start the application process by obtaining an AIS number from the site. Simply register and provide the information requested, and this number will be provided to you. The questions are brief and informal, and require that your provide contact information such as your address and phone number.

After completing that part, you will then be able to login and complete the application process through a secured site where you can access the scholarships made available by Tylenol.

For more information about these awards, visit the Tylenol website.