Community Action Scholarship Eligibility and Application Process

Award: 1,000 Fall Semester 2016

 

To Apply: Email personal statements, including project proposal, and resume, to communityactionscholarship@luc.edu no later than 12 a.m., May 1, 2016.

Information Session: Learn more about the Community Action Scholarship at an Information Session held on February 22, 4-6pm in IES, Room 123.

Scholarship Description:

Loyola’s Office of Community Relations serves as one of Loyola's connections between the University and its surrounding neighborhoods. Through a series of partnerships with City of Chicago, local schools, community policing, block clubs, chambers of commerce, neighborhood organizations and nonprofits, our office has demonstrated a commitment to improving vitality and sustainability of our neighborhoods. Loyola’s Institute of Environmental Sustainability (IES) prepares baccalaureate and graduate students for socially responsible professions in environmental science, policy, education, business, and health. IES is a national leader in advancing the knowledge of environmental problems, and trains Loyola students to develop solutions through original research and community outreach.

Acknowledging both Loyola’s commitment to environmental sustainability and the long standing relationship our university has developed with its community partners, our offices have created a new Community Action Scholarship fund for Loyola. The beneficiary of this scholarship will have a history of community sustainability efforts and continue to carry out the mission of both Community Relations and the Institute of Environmental Sustainability, by designing and implementing a community-based project that improves the environmental, economic, and/or social sustainability of Rogers Park and/or Edgewater neighborhoods.

Example Project Idea 1: Student identifies school in local neighborhood and develops a proposal to “greenify” the school. Proposal includes new procedures and policies that would improve the school’s energy efficiency, reduce waste, and provide cost-effective environmental solutions to improving the school’s bottom line.

Example Project Idea 2: Student plants a series of Milkweed Monarch Butterfly habitats in the community, working with schools and park districts to host the project sites. Student provides hands-on educational workshop to elementary and high school students on the importance of Monarch Butterflies. (This example came from the 2015 recipient of this scholarship. Learn more about Marina Garcia’s Monarch Butterfly Project here.)

Example Project Idea 3: Student creates multi-media civics course for junior high and high school students, using music/theater platforms and debate exercises to engage students on local, state, and national politics. Course is delivered through series of one hour seminars in local schools, fostering increased social consciousness and sense of citizenship among local youth.

Application Process

Applications will be accepted beginning in February of 2016. Review and selections will take place in May 2016. Scholarship dollars are awarded directly to the recipient’s tuition dollars in Fall 2016. The recipient implements this project in Fall 2016 and/or Spring of 2017.

Personal Statement: Students will provide a written statement indicating why you feel the committee should consider you for this scholarship. The statement should be no more than 200 words in length.

 

 In this statement, please include a written proposal for a community-based project that directly benefits the Rogers Park and/or Edgewater neighborhoods. Students will include a rationale, budget, and project timeline in this proposal. Please be specific as to how this project proposal directly benefits the local neighborhoods of Rogers Park and/or Edgewater.

 Please indicate what grade school and high school you attended.

 Students must identify the name of a staff or faculty member in IES or Office of Sustainability who will serve as their project advisor (student may also identify Faculty and Staff from other academic departments who can serve as project advisor).

 Student may also identify a community organization or members of the community who will also advise student on project.

 Students are highly encouraged (but not required) to incorporate this project into their internship, practicum, or as part of their service learning requirement

 Applicants should consider the time commitment of at least 75-100 hours, depending on the nature and duration of the project.

 Up to $250 may be available for costs associated with project proposal.

 

Eligibility

To be eligible to participate in this scholarship competition, students must meet all of the following criteria:

 Enrollment in an undergraduate degree-seeking program.

 Full-time enrollment at any Loyola University Chicago campus in 2016 -2017 and expected full-time enrollment at any Loyola University Chicago campus in 2016 - 2017.

 Have not earned a bachelor’s degree by the beginning of the Fall 2016 semester.

 

Preference will be given to those students who:

 Have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement.

 Have demonstrated commitment to service/volunteer activities

 

Activities/Honors:

List your college, community activities, and community service activities. The list should include the following three points:

 A description of your duties and/or description of your responsibilities with each activity.

 The length of time and what years you have been involved with each activity.

 The length of time you usually commit to each activity on a weekly basis.

*If you are a second semester freshman, only list those activities from your senior year in high school and freshman year at Loyola. If you are a sophomore or a junior, only list activities from your time at Loyola.

There is no minimum grade point average required to apply, but due to the limited number of scholarship awards available, consideration will generally be given to those students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher by the end of the Spring 2016 semester.

Questions about the Community Action Scholarship? Please contact:

Mary C. Miro
mmiro@luc.edu
communityactionscholarship@luc.edu
Community Relations Specialist
Loyola University Chicago-Sherry Hall
6330 N. Sheridan Road, Floor 3 Chicago, IL 60660
Ph: 773-508-7436