With our rich history of student support, Dollars for Scholars has decades of alumni achievement to be proud of. Two scholarship recipients have been in the national spotlight recently. We encourage you to share successes of your students, too! Use the hashtag #DFSAlumni on social media and we’ll help spread the word!
In December, we learned from CSF of Bedford Dollars for Scholars that 1988 scholarship recipient, Neera Tanden, has been nominated by President Biden to head the White House Office of Management and Budget, a key cabinet post. Tanden credits the support of her Bedford community, including CSF of Bedford Dollars for Scholars, as instrumental in starting her educational path at UCLA.
On December 3, violinist, Kristin Weber, a former South Dearborn Dollars for Scholars recipient, performed with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Carrie Underwood on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Enjoy Kristin’s performance here, and don’t forget to celebrate your #DFSAlumni.
Dollars for Scholars Connect is coming your way, virtually!
Many of you have asked for more opportunities to connect with fellow Dollars for Scholars volunteers and leaders. We are excited to announce our new quarterly virtual meetups, where volunteers can share and learn what other Dollars for Scholars are doing in their local communities.
To keep the timing convenient, we’re hosting two regional sessions of each meetup, starting with our first event on Tuesday, February 11. Come and share best practices that are working for you, or learn how other Dollars for Scholars are meeting similar challenges. RSVP below for the first session by clicking on your Engagement Director’s name. (Not sure who your Engagement Director is? Find the state-by-state listing here.)
Save the dates for future meetups on Thursdays--April 1, August 26, and October 7.
Help your students access financial aid during COVID-19
As of January 1, US Department of Education data is tracking an 11.4% drop in FAFSA completions by high school seniors. This is a vital step in the financial aid process – and it could eventually mean a drop in scholarship applications. Fortunately, there is still time to get proactive for the Class of 2021 applicants.
With in-person meetings and events scaled back, now is an excellent time to collaborate with your high school and other student support groups on their financial aid and scholarship application messages, or pivot to a virtual event of your own. Here are some steps you can take now:
If you haven’t already, contact your high school counselors and request to join their FAFSA completion virtual events to announce your scholarship opportunity, or co-host an additional virtual event to help students complete your Dollars for Scholars application; similar to Gananda Dollars for Scholars’Facebook Live Session.
Ask the managers of school websites and social media channels to include announcements about your application timelines and any assistance you are offering. If you do not have an active social media account, look at our Social Media Guide inAffiliates Resources.
Partner with schools, college campuses, or community groups hosting FAFSA completion activities (such as College Goal Sunday or Cash for College).
Invite former scholarship recipients to share their stories and/or go over steps to complete your application. This can be done by video andshared out on social media, or you can invite them to speak at your virtual event.
You can also find sample student instructions, videos and more inAffiliate Resources.
Program Prep for 2021
With COVID still affecting education, the start of a new year is an ideal time to review your scholarship program setup and make adjustments based on its impact to your students and community. To help you get started, consider the following questions:
Were our students able to take the ACT or SAT?
Were our students able to participate in community and/or school-related extracurricular activities?
Is full-time enrollment an eligibility requirement for any/all of our scholarships?
What does our Awards Policy say about deferments?
Have more questions than answers after you review? Check out the ‘Dollars for Scholars COVID-19 Information and Resources’ and ‘COVID-19 Unusual Circumstances Rubric with Examples’ documents available in Affiliate Resources for more information and reach out to your Engagement Director with any remaining questions.
