Author: Mychal Wynn
State Farm Youth Advisory Board
September 7, 2012
State Farm Youth Advisory Board
The YAB is one of the nation’s most exciting opportunities for youth empowerment and development. The board is comprised of 30 youth from around the country who serve as equal members on the board. The board is given responsibility over $5 million dollars to grant service-learning and community impact projects that seek to solve important domestic issues. Board Members are selected through a competitive application process, and all applications are read and reviewed by at least two members of an internal review team at Corporate. Please read all of the information carefully.
Commitment expected of the Board Members
The Board’s work is handled through three in-person meetings at State Farm’s Corporate headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois or at other locations within the U.S. Primary commitment to the board and time working is through virtual communications between meetings. The expectation is that all associate and board members will commit 15 hours per month to board activities.
All Youth Advisory Board meetings are mandatory for all board and associate board members. Previous boards felt that board meetings are critical to understanding the mission, helping develop processes and to get to know fellow board members before working online to develop the grant proposals. The funding meeting is where the board makes all its decisions on grants to be funded. IF you cannot make these meetings, your candidacy as an applicant will be affected. Extenuating circumstances will be taken into account.
Youth Advisory Board meetings beginning with the term that begins January 2, 2013 and ends January 2, 2014 will take place on:
- January 2-6, 2013 – Bloomington, IL
- Key Events
- Orientation of associate board members
- Associate board members move to board status
- Board members rotate to alumni status
- Development of new board’s mission, goals and issue areas
- Outlining of the Cause An Effect program
- Key Events
- March 13-16, 2013 – National Service-Learning Conference – Denver, CO
- Key Events
- Presentations at conference
- Board meeting
- Key Events
- August 1-6, 2013 – Bloomington, IL
- Key Events
- Funding meeting for grants
- Key Events
- January 2-6, 2014 – Bloomington, IL
- Key Events
- Orientation of associate board members
- Associate board members move to board status
- Board members rotate to alumni status
- Development of new board’s mission, goals and issue areas
- Key Events
Youth Advisory Board Members’ Expenses
All travel, lodging and meal expenses of Board and Associate Board members are covered for all meetings initiated by State Farm relative to Board activities. Board and Associate Board members will not be compensated for their time other than through expense reimbursement. There is no personal financial cost associated with board and associate board membership.
Applications are open until October 1, 2012.
The White House Internship Program
September 7, 2012The White House Internship Program is a public service leadership and development program that provides emerging leaders with an opportunity to gain valuable skills while supporting the work of the White House and furthering the priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration.
Each year, leaders from around the country participate in the White House Internship Program to dedicate their time, energy, and experience to serve the country through public service.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, it is a paid internship for the first time in recent history.
Visit website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/get-involved/internships/white-house-internship-program/
Woodrow Wilson International Center Fellowship
September 7, 2012
Fellowship Opportunity
Through an international competition, the Center offers 9-month residential fellowships. Fellows conduct research and write in their areas of interest, while interacting with policymakers in Washington and Wilson Center staff. The Center accepts non-advocacy, policy-relevant, fellowship proposals that address key challenges of past, present and future issues confronting the United States and the world.
Deadline: October 1, 2012
NASA’s Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest
September 6, 2012
Announcing NASA’s 2012 Edition of the Cassini Scientist for a Day Essay Contest
The Cassini spacecraft launched in October 1997 and has been orbiting Saturn since 2004.
The essay contest is open to students in grades 5-12. Essays must be under 500 words.
There are three essay topics to choose from:
- Saturn’s small shepherd moon, Pan
- Saturn’s F Ring
- Saturn
Students choose one of these topics and write an essay about why they think this image should be taken by the Cassini spacecraft. What questions do they hope will be answered by taking this picture?
The essay contest meets U.S. National Science and Language Arts Standards.
For contest rules, videos about each essay topic, a downloadable contest flyer, frequently asked questions, and more information, visit:
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/scientistforaday/
The contest deadline is Wednesday, October 24, 2012. All essays must be submitted by the student’s teacher. If the essay contest is used as a class assignment, please send the top 3 essays from each class, along with a list of other students who wrote essays for the contest.
All students who write essays will receive a certificate of participation. Winners and their classes will be invited to participate in a teleconference with Cassini scientists. Winning essays will be posted on the Cassini website.
For questions about the contest, e-mail scientistforaday@jpl.nasa.gov
Scholarship Opportunity for Women
July 25, 2012
About the Scholarship
Womenetics, U.S. Bank and Discover® will award a grand total of $22,000 in scholarships to ten undergraduates this fall.
Womenetics recognizes the power of young people. The Advancing Aspirations Global Scholarships (AAGS) are designed to connect students who are interested in the global advancement of women with thought leaders in vital, impactful roles and to provide means for further study. We believe students are the future leaders of women’s empowerment worldwide.
Eligibility
To be eligible, an individual must be enrolled as an undergraduate student in an accredited college or university, and be a U.S. citizen or legal resident of the United States. Students who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree are not eligible. Students are invited to enter both the U.S. Bank and Discover Prizes; however, if selected for one prize, the student is automatically ineligible for the other. Students are not required to attend the conferences in Atlanta or Chicago in order to win.
Scholarship Details and Requirements
U.S. Bank and Discover have partnered with Womenetics to encourage future leaders to learn about these topics. We invite college students to discuss one of the following questions in an essay of 2,500 words or less, for the opportunity to win one of ten prizes. Please provide a ‘works cited’ page to document any research referenced in your essay. In addition, a separate 200-word essay on what you will do with the prize money should you win is required. The prize money is intended to finance education, travel or other opportunities that may lead to further understanding of these important global issues.
1st Prize: Two first place winners (one for the U.S. Bank Prize and one for the Discover Prize) will win $5,000 and an expense-paid trip to attend and be recognized at the respective Womenetics’ Global Women’s Initiative conference. In addition, the winner is invited to attend a VIP Reception with featured speakers and other top business, academic, nonprofit and policy leaders the evening before the event.
2nd Prize: Eight additional essayists (four for the U.S. Bank Prize and four for the Discover Prize) will win $1,500 and recognition at the Womenetics Global Women’s Initiative, as well as an invitation to the VIP Reception with featured speakers and other top business, academic, nonprofit and policy leaders the evening before the event. The four finalists for each conference are invited to attend, but are responsible for their own travel costs.
To enter, essay and registration form must be received by email and in printed copy by 5 pm EST on Friday, July 27. Essays must be sent electronically to scholarships@womenetics.com, and a printed copy with the completed registration form must be sent to
Advancing Aspirations Global Scholarships
Attention: Womenetics
99 West Paces Ferry Rd NW
Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30305
CLEP Exams
July 2, 2012
The College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP) helps you receive college credit for what you already know, for a fraction of the cost of a college course. Developed by the College Board, CLEP is the most widely accepted credit-by-examination program, available at more than 2,900 colleges and universities. Pass any of the 33 CLEP exams and achieve your college and career goals.
Learn About Your College’s CLEP Policy
Currently, 2,900 colleges and universities grant credit for CLEP, and each institution sets its own CLEP policy. In other words, each institution determines the exams for which it awards credits, the minimum qualifying score required to get credit, and the amount of credits that will be granted per exam. Before you take a CLEP exam, review the CLEP policy of your college or university.
How Much Credit Can You Earn?
If you pass a CLEP exam, you may earn up to 12 credits. The amount of credit you can earn on an individual CLEP exam varies with each college. Some colleges place a limit on the total amount of credit you can earn through CLEP. Other colleges may grant you exemption but no credit toward your degree.
Minimum Qualifying Score
Most colleges publish the required scores for earning CLEP credit in their general catalog or in a brochure. The required score for earning CLEP credit may vary from exam to exam. Contact your institution to find out the minimum qualifying score for each exam you’re considering.
Getting Credit for General Requirements
At some colleges, you may be able to apply your CLEP credit to the college’s core curriculum requirements. For example, CLEP credit may be given as “6 hrs. English Credit” or “3 hrs. Math Credit,” and can be used for any English or mathematics course. Find out before you take a CLEP exam what type of credit you can receive from your institution, or whether you will be exempted from a required course but receive no credit.
Prior Course Work
Some colleges won’t grant credit for a CLEP exam if you’ve already attempted a college-level course closely aligned with that exam. For example, if you successfully completed English 101 or a comparable course on another campus, you’ll probably not be permitted to receive CLEP credit in that same subject. Also, some colleges won’t permit you to earn CLEP credit for a course that you failed.
Additional Stipulations
Be sure to wait at least six months before repeating a CLEP exam of the same title. Scores of exams repeated earlier than six months will not be accepted (and test fees will be forfeited).
Colleges usually award CLEP credit only to their enrolled students. Here are some additional questions to consider:
- Does the college require that you “validate” your CLEP score by successfully completing a more advanced course in the subject?
- Does the college require the optional free-response (essay) section for the examinations in Composition and Literature as well as the multiple-choice portion of the CLEP exam you’re considering?
- Will you be required to pass a departmental test such as an essay, laboratory, or oral exam in addition to the CLEP multiple-choice exam?
Knowing the answers to these questions ahead of time will permit you to schedule the optional free-response or departmental exam when you register to take your CLEP exam.
Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund
July 2, 2012
Qualifications
Since 1978, Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund has awarded scholarships to help over 500 women across the United States attend college.
Eligibility Requirements
An applicant for a JRF scholarship must be:
- A woman, age 35 or older.
- A U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States.
- Enrolled in, or accepted to, a regionally or ACICS accredited school.
- Pursuing a technical or vocational education, an associate’s degree, or a first bachelor’s degree.
- Low-income
Income Guidelines
JRF’s low-income eligibility is based on the student’s estimated household income for the coming school year. Our income guidelines come from the Department of Labor’s Lower Living Standard.
Each year, Jeannette Rankin Fund awards scholarships to low-income women, ages 35 and older, who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents pursuing an undergraduate education at an accredited college or university in the United States.
The 2017-2018 application cycle is now open!
MENSA Foundation Scholarships
July 2, 2012
The Mensa Foundation Scholarship Program
The Mensa Foundation Scholarship Program awards more than $200,000 in assistance every year to college-bound students around the globe. Scholarships are awarded based solely on 550-word essays expressing applicants’ academic and professional goals and how their personal experiences will help them to accomplish those goals.
The U.S. scholarship program relies on approximately 450 dedicated volunteers around the country, with support from the Foundation’s office staff. U.S. applicants need not be Mensa members. However, college-bound Mensa members and their dependents may also be eligible for one of several $2,500 scholarships awarded each year through the Mensa Member Scholarship Program. Scholarship winners are notified in mid-June by mail and email.
The International Scholarship Program is open to international Mensans (other than American Mensa). One scholarship, which also includes dependents of international Mensa members, is for those attending college in the United States. The other scholarships are for international Mensans attending college other than in the U.S.
Visit website: https://www.mensafoundation.org/what-we-do/scholarships/
Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund
July 2, 2012
Visit website: https://apiascholars.org/scholarships/
National Society of Accountants Scholarship
July 2, 2012
2013 – 2014 Scholarship Application – Available October 10, 2012
Scholarship Application Guidelines
POSTMARK DEADLINE FOR 2013-2014 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS IS MARCH 10, 2013.
Please send applications, and direct any inquiries, to:
National Society of Accountants Scholarship Foundation Awards Program
c/o Scholarship Management Services
One Scholarship Way, P.O. Box 297
Saint Peter, MN 56082
Telephone: (507) 931-1682