Rotary Club of Jackson, MS

Scholarship Chair Sue Cherney and her committee interview a scholarship applicant.

Rotary Mentor Scholarship Program

Rotary Club of Jackson (Mississippi)

HOW THE PROGRAM BEGAN

In 1990 the Youth Charities Committee of the Rotary Club of Jackson recommended a college scholarship program for deserving youth who had potential as future leaders of Mississippi, but who lacked sufficient financial means to reach their goals. Instead of providing loans that had to be repaid, the committee wanted the scholarship recipients to give time back to the community in service by tutoring younger students and provide leadership by helping others.

The Club established the Jackson Rotary Mentor Scholarship program to help fill this need. To assist the scholarship recipients, a Rotary Club member is assigned as a mentor to guide and advise the student. In return, scholarship recipients are required to perform community service, usual mentoring elementary or junior high students, in the town where their college is located.

THE MENTORING PROCESS

This mentoring process has been one of the main attractions of the program, both for Rotarians and for scholarship recipients. Many Rotarians and many scholars went into the process with misgivings, but the club has received rave reviews from both sides about how well it has worked and how meaningful it has been. There is a waiting list of Rotary mentors, and most members of the committee have replaced a graduating senior with an incoming freshman to keep their part of the process going.

FUNDING THE SCHOLARSHIPS

The scholarships are for $16,000, payable at $4,000 per year. This does not, of course, provide all the funds for college, but it often makes the difference so that college is affordable.

The club raises the funds by including a $100 payment with semi-annual dues. This insures that all members support the signature project for our club.

The number of scholarships awarded each year depends on the amount of money raised by the raffle. After the first several years, when cash was invested to assure all obligations could be met, the number of scholarships awarded is dependent on a multiple of $16,000 being available for investment. In other words, in years where the club raised $60,000 or more, five scholarships were awarded. In recent years, four have been awarded each year, and at least $48,000 banked for future use. The funds are invested and the club has an approved subsidiary (Jackson Rotary Charities, Inc.) to insure that contributions are deductible.

THE SELECTION PROCESS

Scholarship recipients are selected by the Mentor Scholarship Committee. Their choices are based on potential, financial need, and high school performance. Information on test scores, grades, courses taken, quality of written expression, involvement in extra-curricular activities, attendance, outside employment, and other responsibilities is considered. Substantiated statements by references regarding potential is given prime consideration.

HOW FUNDS ARE DISBURSED

The scholarship awards are sent directly to the college or university indicated by the recipient and applied to registration, tuition and other on campus costs. In no situation do students receive the funds directly.

RULES

1. Applicants must have an ACT score of 18 or higher.

2. Applicants must be in a household where the combined family income does not exceed

$60,000 per year.

3. The Scholarship provides a maximum $16,000 total over a four-year period at the rate of up

to $4,000 per year.

4. To maintain the scholarship, recipients must maintain an overall 2.5 grade point average

(GPA).

5. Recipients must attend an accredited school in the state of Mississippi.

6. Recipients may choose to attend a 2 year community college or a 4 year college or university.

In the event that the student chooses a 2 year community college for the first two years of the

program, that person will be eligible for the third and fourth years if they choose to attend a 4

year college or university for the third and fourth years.

7. Each recipient will have a mentor from the Rotary Club of Jackson and must communicate

with the mentor monthly.

8. During each college semester each student must serve as a tutor in an elementary or

secondary school or provide supervised community service for a minimum of four hours

weekly. This commitment does not start until the second semester of college.

9. Transcripts of grades and documentation of tutoring must be received in the Rotary office

before a check for the following semester will be written.

APPLICATIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Application criteria are sent to the Guidance Counselors in all high schools, public and private, within the three-county Metro area. In addition to providing factual data, applicants must also make an appointment and meet with the non-profit organization called Educational Services Foundation. These counselors are specially trained to advise prospective college students about what they can expect in college, both financially and in every other way. Applicants must include a completed interview ESF form with their application.

CHECKLIST OF APPLICATION COMPONENTS

• Completed Educational Services Foundation Interview and Forms

• Completed application form

Essay (on one of two assigned subjects)
High School transcript with ACT or SAT scores
Three letters of recommendation (teacher or counselor, two others)
Copy of parent’s most recent federal income tax return or FAFSA (Financial Aid Form)
Photograph (wallet size if possible)

THE SELECTION PROCESS

Applications are reviewed by the committee and an interview schedule prepared. Interviews are scheduled for two consecutive Mondays in early May, and the committee is prepared to sit as a group for up to 3 hours each session. Applicants are scheduled to meet with the committee in 15-minute increments.
Each committee member is provided with a complete set of information for each applicant, and they ask a series of questions of the applicant in the interview process.
At the conclusion of the entire set of interviews, the committee meets again in closed session to select the winners. Discussion is free and complete. After winners and alternates are selected, the committee chair contacts the winners and discussed their mandatory appearance at the June Rotary meeting where they will be announced. Their parents are also invited to the luncheon meeting as guests of the club.

HOW IT’S WORKED

In a word, great. Since the inception of the program, the club has invested more than $1.5 million in the program. There have been nearly more than 100 graduates, and there are presently 17 students in school.
There have been very few dropouts. A couple could not maintain their grades. One or two decided, for good reason, not to continue in college. Mostly, though, they have participated and have been very grateful for the help.
At the June meeting when new recipients are announced, several “alums” of the program are asked to say a few words to the club and to the new recipients. Those have been some of the most heart-warming words any Rotarians ever heard. We have had recipients named to Phi Beta Kappa, one was student body president at a leading state university, all have been active in community activities, several have gone on to graduate school.
Instead of being a drain on society, these people are active participants in the world around them. As one recipient told us, this scholarship literally meant the difference between being in a neighborhood gang with a short life expectancy and being a productive member of society.
It’s the best thing we ever did. Nothing else is even close.