Society Educational Scholarship Program

Scholarships allow students to attain their educational goals, meet their professional objectives and succeed to their fullest ability. The Society supports individuals furthering their education to play a more informed role in our world. This will be a work program under the EVP of Member Services.

Funding Available for Awards

During the preparation of its annual budget, the Society will confirm the available amount of money to be allocated in the current year and forecast an amount for the following year. The amount available to be paid annually in scholarships will be a maximum of $2,500 and a minimum of $1,000.

The target number of scholarships will be awarded for the 2010/2011 school year is as follows:

- 14 at $2,500 - Society future leaders award

- 15 at $1,000 - Society Performance excellence award

Eligibility

Any child of a society member is eligible to apply. Applicants must be enrolled in either grade 12 or be registered in a full-time, accredited post-secondary degree or diploma program at a recognized Canadian education institution. A recipient may only receive the scholarship once.

Categories for Scholarships

(14) Society future leaders award – 1 x $2,500

(15) Society Performance excellance award - 1 x $1,000

Pensioners’ Chapter Scholarships

Note: The Pensioners’ Chapter will annually fund two scholarships: one Society future leaders award in the amount of $2500 and one Society Performance excellence award in the amount of $1000. These two awards will only be available to children of Pensioner Chapter members.

The same conditions and terms apply to these scholarships as to the Society scholarships set out herein.

Each fiscal year, the Pensioners’ Chapter will inform the Society whether it intends to participate in the upcoming year’s Scholarship Educational Program.

While participating in the program, The Pensioners Chapter will be responsible for notifying its members of the Application procedure, and will provide the Society with the relevant information for each of the applicants for the Society Educational Program.

The Selection Committee will review the applications and will determine the award winners using the selection guidelines outlined below.

The Pensioners Chapter will be responsible for notifying the Pensioner Chapter award winners.

Selection Criteria

The selection criteria are the specific standards used to identify qualified applicants in each category and also include personal or family circumstances and awards/recognition received.

The selection committee will use the following information to help it make its decision:

High school or college/University transcripts.
Supporting documentations for community work
Student essay on a topic to be determined annually as part of the application process
A brief resume outlining non-academic interest and activities
Academic achievement, including grades, rank in class and standardized test scores will be used to determine academic score
Community/extracurricular involvement
Displaying leadership attributes in school/community activities
At least one of the 14 Future Leaders award will be awarded to the child of a society member for the highest scoring in the $2,500 awards from among the children of current elected representatives.

Application procedure

A notice to all Society members will be sent in December informing them of the start of the application period in January for the Society scholarships. This notice will be sent via e-mail by the Society office. Details regarding the scholarships will be posted on the society’s website and an on-line application will also be available to submit an application and attach any scanned pdf version of the documents the applicant is required to also enclose with the application. A reminder will be sent in mid-January.

The application period will close on the 2nd Friday in February.

The selection committee will meet and review all applications between February 16 and March 31. The selection committee will make its recommendations to the April Society board for approval. Winners will be notified in April and will receive their awards at a Society award dinner to be held in Toronto in late April/early May. (For the upcoming year)

Selection Committee

The committee will be appointed by Society council annually based on the recommendations of the Society board. The committee will have 5 members on it chosen from the unit directors, local VP’s and the principal officers of the Society. The EVP Member Services will chair the committee and be one of the 5 members of the committee.

The committee members will score each applicant in each category with a score between 1 and 20 based on the information in the application package and the individual with the highest score will be the winner of that award. All proposed winners will be announced to the Society board for notification at the April board meeting.

None of the committee members will have a child as an applicant.

Award ceremony

The names of each award winner will be published in the society’s newscast and on the society website. The winners will be invited to attend a special ceremony to receive their award.

Scoring

14 best scores will receive $2.5 k, Society future leaders award
Next 15 will receive $1 k, Society Performance excellence award

For the $2,500 and $1,000 awards the scoring will be as follows:

Academic                                     30%
Academic Leadership                30%
Community involvement            30%
Parent union involvement         10%

How will I know whether I am selected to receive a scholarship?

Notifications are sent approximately two months after the deadline. All notifications will be sent by e-mail.

How and when are cheques issued?

The intent is to issue the cheques to each recipient at dinner ceremony. If not, then send by mail.