Winter 2002 Vol. 11 No. 1

College Financial Aid

World's largest scientific society seeks minority students for scholarship program

The American Chemical Society is accepting applications for its 2002 Scholars Program. The program supports academically accomplished African American, Hispanic and Native American students in pursuit of undergraduate degrees in chemistry, chemical engineering, biochemistry, environmental science, and related disciplines in two-and-four year college and university programs. Robert Hughes, the program manager said the Society "expects to award $850,000 to current and new scholars over the next two semesters."

According to the Society's ChemCensus Report, relatively few minorities major in science-related disciplines at the college level. In 2000, for example, those of Hispanic heritage, or 12.5 percent of the U.S. population, represented 2.6 percent of the chemistry work force; African Americans, at almost 12 percent of the population, comprised less than two percent of the chemical work force; and Native Americans, representing one percent of the population, made up less than one percent of the chemical work force.

The Scholars Program was launched with a $5 million grant in 1995 and over 1,100 students have won scholarships based on a mix of academic achievement and financial need. Students in the program represent 390 colleges and universities in 48 states and territories, according to Hughes.

Under the program, students are eligible to receive between $2,500 and $3,000 per academic year, and many find out that top corporations are very interested to hire them upon graduation. A former participant, La'Techa Johnson was hired as a plant chemist by PPG Industries in Baton Rouge, LA. The company's interest in Johnson began when she was a chemistry major at Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge.

PPG and other firms including Astra Zeneca, Bayer, DuPont, Xerox and GlaxoSmithKline have all contributed $100,000 or more to the program. Many companies also offer mentoring and paid internships to selected program participants as an integral part of a students academic and career development plan.

For more details on the American Chemical Society and the Scholars Program, including an online application form, please visit http://www.acs.org/minorityaffairs or telephone 1-800-227-5558, extension 6250.

(The application deadline is March 1, 2002.)

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund

Founded in 1975, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund was established to help Hispanic-American college students complete their education. Scholarships are available on a competitive basis for community college, four-year college, and graduate students of Hispanic heritage. Awards generally range from $1,000 to $3,000.

ELIGIBILITY

Be of Hispanic heritage (one parent must be fully Hispanic or both parents must be half Hispanic)

Be a U.S. Citizen or a Permanent Resident (with permanent resident card)

Have earned at least 15 undergraduate college credits in the U.S. or Puerto Rico with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale (3.7 on a 5 point scale)

Be attending an accredited U.S. College full-time from Fall 2001 through Spring 2002 (undergraduates must carry at least 12 credits each term, graduate student must carry at least 6 credits each term

Selection Applications are eva- Luated on the following criteria:

Academic Achievement (including GPA, and past academic performance) >> Letter of Recommendation (from college professor/advisor on official school letterhead)

Personal Statement (writing skills, personal strengths & goals, professionalism, community involvement, and other qualities.) >> Financial Need (for educational purposes)

The selection criteria may also vary according to donor's requirements

Applications are available August 1 and October 15 by sending a business size envelope, stamped and addressed to yourself to: College Scholarship Program Application Hispanic Scholarship Fund One Samsone Street, Suite 1000b San Francisco, CA 94104

Each year, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) awards several million in scholarship money to Hispanic students. However, the HSF gets about 10,000 scholarship applications a year but can only provide assistance to 3,000. Students with Internet access should review additional information at the HSF website www.hsf.net.

If you do not have access to the Internet, students should obtain a free copy of the Hispanic Scholarship Guide published by Chrysler and VISTA Magazine. Please send a letter to Chrysler/Vista Hispanic Scholarship Guide, P.O. Box 3315, Livonia, MI 48151-3315 or call 800-521-0953 or Fax a request to 800-883-8338. You should begin using this list as early as possible. Your search for scholarship money can begin as early as your junior year of high school.

Other Scholarship Sources

Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) Comments: Undergraduate and Graduate Students One Samsone Street, Suite 1000 San Francisco, CA 94104 Phone: 415-445-9930 Fax: 415-898-6673 www.HSF.net

The Hispanic Outlook Scholarship Fund Comments: Undergraduate Only P.O. Box 68 Paramus, NJ 07652 Phone: 201-587-8800 E-mail: Outlook@sprintmail.com www.HispanicOutlook.com

FastWeb E-Scholarships Comments: On line scholarship information and financial aid opportunities www.FASTWEB.com

National Society of Hispanic MBAs Comments: Graduate Only P.O. Box 224747 Dallas, TX 75222-4747 Phone: 214-428-1622 www.nshmba.org

National Latina Organization (MANA) 1725 K Street NW, Suite 501 Washington, D.C. 20006 Phone: 202-833-0060 www.hermana.org

Jose Marti Scholarship Challenge Grant Fund Florida Dept. of Education Attn: Office of Student Financial Assistance 325 W. Gaines St. State Programs - 255 Collins Tallahassee, Fl 32399-0400 Phone: 888-827-2004

Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund 634 S. Spring Street, 11th Floor Los Angles, CA 90014 Phone: 213-629-2512, ext. 146

National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering Inc. NACME 350 5th Avenue New York, NY 10118 Phone: 212-279-2626

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Foundation (SHPE) 5400 E. Olympic Blvd., Suite 210 Los Angeles, CA 90022 Phone: 213-888-2080 Contact: Kathy Borunda Amount $500 - $7,000

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) HACU Student Support Systems 4204 Gardendale St., #216 San Antonio, TX 78229 Phone: 210-692-3805 Contact: Antonio Hernandez, director of special projects

The Gates Millennium Scholars

The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS), is a $1 billion initiative funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The GMS was established in 1999 to provide outstanding African American, American Indian/Alaska Natives, Asian Pacific Islander Americans, and Hispanic American students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education, in all discipline areas and a graduate education for those students pursuing studies in mathematics, science, engineering, education, or library science. The goal of the GMS is to promote academic excellence and to provide an opportunity for thousands of outstanding students with significant financial need to reach their fullest potential.

The program plans to induct 1,000 new scholars each year. As many as 4,000 Millennium Scholars could be in school at any given point during the program's 20 year span.

The GMS is administered through the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). To reach, coordinate, and support the constituent groups, UNCF has subcontracted with the American Indian Graduate Center Scholars, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the Organization of Chinese Americans to assist in implementing the initiative.

The Advisory Council is made up of six members: five members from higher education, and one member representing the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Advisory Council members include:

Dr. Gilberto Cardenas, Assistant Provost, Institute of Latino Studies at Notre Dame

Dr. David Chang, President of Polytechnic University >> Mr. James Larimore, Dean of Dartmouth College

Dr. Walter Massey, President of Morehouse College

Dr. Piedad Robertson, Superintendent/President of Santa Monica College.

Mr. Tom Vander Ark, Executive Director of Education of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

The Advisory Council will develop policy, make final funding decisions and administers the final nomination review.

For information contact: 1-800-690-GMSP