MARION, OH – Marion Community Foundation’s 2021 Scholarship Program is making its online application available early for area high school seniors and graduates. The Foundation’s scholarship program includes more than 130 funds and will award more than $400,000 to area students for the 2021-22 academic year.
“We were pleased to have conducted last year’s scholarship program right on schedule, despite the challenges of the pandemic,” said Marion Community Foundation Vice President Julie Prettyman, who coordinates the Scholarship Program. “We hope that by opening the application early, it helps this year’s students and they can use winter break to get a jump start on their applications.”
The application process is entirely online and starts with a visit to www.MarionCommunityFoundation.org. Visitors will find the application link on the homepage. The deadline to apply is noon on February 25.
According to Scholarship Committee chair and retired educator Kathy Goodman, Marion Community Foundation’s program offers scholarships to both high school seniors and area college students. Each scholarship has its own selection criteria, based on the donor’s preferences, and one application allows students to be considered for all of the scholarships for which they are eligible.
“The scholarship page on Marion Community Foundation’s website includes a complete list of the scholarships available and their individual selection criteria,” said Goodman. “Students can review this list and match their qualifications to the requirements and get a good idea of their eligibility. Our donors have established scholarships for very personal reasons and these are reflected in each scholarship’s unique criteria.”
Many of the funds, Goodman noted, memorialize loved ones and are awarded to help students attend the donor’s alma mater or pursue a degree in the same field of study as the person the scholarship honors. Scholarships are available to reward academic skills, as well as extracurricular activities, community activities, and more.
Awarding for the first time this year are the Altrusa Club of Marion Scholarships I & II, Civitan Club of Marion Scholarship, Jerry Hamilton Memorial Scholarship, Allyson M. Haycox Memorial Scholarship, Tasha Jones Memorial Scholarship, Cynthia Smith Karon Scholarship, Janet Palm Memorial Scholarship, Brian & Denise Spires Scholarship, and the David G. Wilhelm Memorial Scholarship.
The online application requires documentation such as personal recommendations, financial details, and essays to be attached. According to Prettyman, students can save the application in progress while they gather the supporting documentation and return to finish the application, including making updates and corrections, before filing.
Applications are available now through February 25 (2021) at Noon. This deadline is absolute. The review process continues for several weeks, culminating in the Board’s final decisions in late April.
Additional information and access to the online scholarship application is available at www.MarionCommunityFoundation.org. Updates will be posted to Marion Community Foundation’s social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn) throughout the application period.