The Rotary Club of St. John is again awarding a need- and merit-based scholarship to a St. John student heading off to college. Applications are due April 30. The successful applicant will receive $5,000 toward his education.
The Rotary Club has awarded scholarships for about a half-dozen years, Rotarian John Fuller said. So far five college-bound students have received assistance.
“The St John Rotary Club has made the welfare and education of the youth of our island our highest priority. The achievements of previous recipients of the St. John Rotary scholarships are a testament to the worth of this program,” the club’s co-vocational director, William Willigerod, added.
The applicants must live on St. John and be graduating from a high school in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Students must have a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average, must be accepted to an institution of higher education and must demonstrate financial need by submitting a parent’s or guardian’s tax return from the previous year. All financial information provided will be held in strict confidence.
Applicants must also submit a 300- to 500-word essay regarding excellence. Fuller said the essay shows that the students can write and demonstrates their creativity in approaching the subject.
“It’s not ‘what I did last summer.’ It’s wide open,” Fuller said.
Application forms are available at high school guidance counselor offices, at Connections Cruz Bay and Coral Bay locations or by email from william@willigerod.comwilliam@willigerod.com or jfuller@rotarystjohn.org.
With the application form, students must submit a transcript of credits, their SAT scores and a record of extracurricular activities. Additionally, they must include three letters of reference. One must be an academic reference. The other two may be selected from a previous employer or guidance counselor or be a character reference.
All applicants meeting the eligibility requirements will be interviewed. The interviews will be conducted in May. Eligible applicants will be notified of the date, time and place of their interview.
Applications should be submitted to the Vocational Services Committee of the St. John Rotary Club, delivered to Connections in Cruz Bay or Coral Bay, or mailed to William Willigerod, 16213 Spring Garden, St. John, V.I. 00830.
