Academic Scholarships

January is the time to file applications for academic scholarships to be awarded for the 2004-2005 academic year. To be considered for an award YOU MUST APPLY. For many (see *next to award name) awards, you must have a documented financial need. This is determined from the FAFSA form. Procedures and deadlines are:

1. At the Office of Student Aid, 314 Shields Building
   
   By mid February: (to document financial need)
   
   Complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Renewal Application for student aid. Also available from www.fafsa.ed.gov.
   
   
2. At the College of Agricultural Sciences Resident Education Office, 101 Ag. Admn. Bldg.
   
   By mid to late March: (to be considered for a college-wide scholarship)
   
   Submit a completed "College of Agricultural Sciences Scholarship Application Form - 2004." See college home page.
   
   
3. At the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Office, 115 Ag. Sci. Ind. Bldg.
   
   By late March or early April obtain memo or other evidence supporting participation score as needed.
   
   By April 30, 2004: (to be considered for a Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Scholarship)
   
   Submit a completed "Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Scholarship Application Form", a copy of your most recent transcript, and a one page typed written vita describing your background, scholarly achievements, activities and work experiences, and your career aspirations and goals.
   
   A list of the departmental scholarships, scholarship donor stipulations, summary of selection procedure, and an Department of Crop and Soil Sciences application form are available from Darlene Berry in 115 ASI.

 

Crop and Soil Sciences Scholarships

	Donor & Stipulations	Awarded in 2003-2004
* 1.	Ag Limestone Standing Committee of PA Junior or Senior who must be in the upper 2/5 of the class. Should be a leader as indicated by participation in extracurricular activities. AGESS (integrated crop management option) only.	$1,000
2.	Alan F. Bilzi Scholarship in Environmental Science Undergraduate with academic focus in Agronomy or Soils and primary interest in a career in Environmental Science with superior academic record. AGRO, SOILS/ ESOILS, or AGESS mjors.	$12,905
* 3.	Buckwheat Scholarship Applicant must have achieved academic success and demonstrated promise of professional success. AGRO, AGESS, SOILS/ESOILS, or TURF majors.	$833
4.	Ethel Gearhart Memorial Scholarship in Agronomy Undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled or planning to enroll in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences AGRO, AGESS, SOILS/ESOILS, or TURF majors.	$5,686
5.	L. L. Huber Memorial Exemplary academic achievement. AGRO, AGESS, SOILS/ESOILS, or TURF mjors.	$1,511
*6.	L. F. Marriott Memorial 3rd semester standing or above. 3.00 or higher in courses directly related to major. U.S. citizen who has demonstrated high ethical standards. Must have SOILS, AGESS, or AGRO major and professional interests other than Turfgrass management.	$ 9,021
* 7.	W. L. McClellan Memorial An interest in studying insect or disease problems in conservation tillage. AGRO or AGESS majors only.	$ 3,161
*8.	PA Agronomic Education 3rd to 7th semester standing. Consideration based on scholarship, character, and interest in the field. AGESS majors only.	even years only ($1,500)
9.	M. Forest Randolph Memorial AGRO, AGESS, SOILS/ESOILS, or TURF majors who have achieved or manifest promise of academic success.	not yet awarded
* 10.	Harold W. Swartley Scholarship in Agronomy AGRO, AGESS, SOILS/ESOIL, or TURF majors who have achieved superior academic records or manifest promise of outstanding academic success.	$2,500
11.	Graduate Assistantships Available in Agronomy or Soil Science for students who have achieved superior academic records or manifest promise of outstanding academic success.	M.S. 1/2 time: $15,360 Ph.D. 1/2 time: $16,011

* Documented financial need required

Selection Procedure

Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Scholarships

Recipients will be selected within the scholarship donor stipulations and on the basis of these three criteria (weight in % allotted to each criteria):

1. academic achievement (75)
2. participation in departmental activities (25)
3. financial need (must be documented as greater than zero for need based scholarships)

Academic achievement will be measured using the Spring Semester cumulative GPA.

Departmental activities include Agronomy Club; Turf Club; Soil Judging Team; Weed Team; independent research and study (whether for credit or not); serving as a teaching, research, or extension assistant (paid or volunteer); and attending or making presentations at state, regional, or national meetings.

Participation in these activities will be awarded a score of 2 to 4 based on activity and on the leadership responsibilities assumed. An active Club member is a dues paying member who attends 1/2 or more of the meetings and 1/4 of the club sponsored activities. An active soil or weed team member is a person who has participated in a regional or national contest.

Participation score will be taken from the activity giving the largest score for which the applicant qualifies as follows:

1. no departmental activity: 2.00
2. paid departmental assistance: 2.50
3. departmental assistance for credit: 2.50
4. independent research or study: 2.50
5. volunteer departmental assistance: 3.00
6. active club membership (memo required from faculty advisor for club ): 3.00
7. representing department at state, regional or national levels (team contests, professional meeting attendance, etc.): 3.50
8. serving as club officer or chair of a club committee: 3.50
9. serving as a club president: 4.00
10. receiving high regional or national individual awards: 4.00
11. formal presentations at professional meetings (including presenting independent research results locally): 4.00

Financial need is determined from the applications available in the Office of Student Aid, 314 Shields Building. If no application is on file a score of 0 is assigned.

Applicants are ranked and the committee arrives at its decision for each scholarship using that ranking and its collective judgment. The committee attempts to balance donor stipulations and applicant eligibility so that the most deserving candidates receive the larger awards. Departmental scholarships are seldom awarded to students with a GPA less than 3.00.

(last revised January 2003)