Northern New York Community Foundation Scholarship Program

The Northern New York Community Foundation annually awards scholarships to

• high school seniors for their freshman year in college or technical school
• college sophomores for their junior year and
• non-traditional students for any year in college or technical school.

Students must be enrolled in a full-time undergraduate program (12 credits per semester) and be residents of Jefferson or Lewis Counties. Since 1980, the Foundation has awarded more than $8.8 million in scholarships.

For the 2010-2011 academic year, the Foundation will award fifteen one-year freshman scholarships of up to $2,000 each to students in the following St. Lawrence County school districts: Canton, Clifton-Fine, Colton-Pierrepont, Edwards-Knox, Gouverneur, Hammond, Harrisville, Hermon-DeKalb, Heuvelton, Lisbon, Morristown, Ogdensburg and Potsdam.

The Foundation also awards the Rotary Purple Heart Scholarship to residents of Jefferson, Lewis or St. Lawrence County who were awarded the Purple Heart, or to their dependents (spouse or child). Applicants may be in any year of full-time undergraduate study.

Applications are available in February each year, and can be downloaded at that time as a PDF (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ) and filled out by hand or typewritten. Applications will also be available at high school guidance offices, the Jefferson Community College financial aid office, or the Community Foundation office. Completed  applications must be returned to the Foundation by April 1, by mail or hand delivered. They may not be submitted by email. Rotary Purple Heart Scholarship applications are accepted throughout the year until all funds available for the academic year are awarded.

The amount of many of the Foundation's individual scholarship awards is based on unmet financial need as determined by the student's college. To determine unmet need, students must complete the Free Application for Student Aid ( FAFSA ). For more information on determining financial need, click here.

Scholarship awards, which can average up to $3,000 annually, are available from four programs administered by the Foundation. The Herring College Memorial Scholarships are awarded to students in engineering, sciences, mathematics, and related fields. The Northern New York Community Foundation Scholarships are awarded to students in liberal arts, while the Visiting Nurse Association Scholarships are awarded to students in nursing and health related fields.

Designated scholarships go to students in specific school districts including Alexandria, Beaver River, Belleville-Henderson, General Brown, Indian River, Lowville, South Jefferson, Thousand Islands, and Watertown, and students in the towns of Rutland, LeRay, Pamelia and the Village of Black River. The Foundation also offers scholarships through funds established by the College Women's Club of Jefferson County, North Country Goes Green Irish Festival, and Watertown Morning Musicales.

Scholarships are available for current residents of North Pleasant Street, Watertown whose families have lived on North Pleasant Street for at least five years. Applicants may be in any year of full-time undergraduate study. Applications are available from the Foundation.

The North Country Human Resources Association has established a scholarship for Jefferson and Lewis County students who are pursuing programs in Human Resource Management, Business Management, Business Administration, Employee Health and Safety, and Labor Relations. Students should apply to the Foundation using the Foundation's regular scholarship application forms.

Planned Parenthood of Northern New York has established the Margot Rhode Nursing Scholarship for students entering the filed of nursing or pursuing advanced nursing degrees. Students should apply to the Foundation using the Foundation's regular scholarship application forms.

The Fort Drum Chapter of the National Association of the 10th Mountain Division, Inc. has established the 10th Mountain Division (Light) Scholarship for current and former 10th Mountain division (Light) members and their families (spouse or child). Applicants may reside anywhere and be in any year of full-time undergraduate study. Applications are available at http://www.10thmtndivassoc.org/Application10thDiv--2010-11.pdf and from the Army Education Center at Fort Drum (315-772-8580).

For a list of all current scholarship recipients, click here.

The Foundation is affiliated with Scholarship America's Dollars for Scholars program. Foundation scholarship recipients who attend colleges participating in the Dollars for Scholars matching grant program may be eligible for additional funding from their college. For this year, the program will provide over $16,500 in additional funding to Foundation scholarship recipients.

Qualifications at a glance...

• Applicants must be full-time undergraduate students (12 credits per semester). Graduate study is not funded.
• Students who will be attending technical schools are eligible to apply.
• New applications are accepted from high school seniors for the freshman year, from college sophomores for the junior year, and from non -traditional students for any year in college or technical school. High school juniors who are in an early graduation program may also apply.
• Selection for Freshman and Junior scholarships is based upon academic achievement and personal data. Any unusual hardships and special family or personal circumstances should be described in the application.
• Scholarship amounts are based upon unmet financial need as determined by the student's college and could total $12,000 over four years for freshman, $6,000 over two years for junior applicants, and varying amounts for non-traditional students depending on need.
• Students selected for a freshman or junior scholarship who have no unmet financial need will receive a one-time merit award of $500.

St. Lawrence County students:

• Applicants must be students in the following school districts:
  Canton, Clifton-Fine, Colton-Pierrepont, Edwards-Knox, Gouverneur, Hammond, Harrisville, Hermon-DeKalb, Heuvelton, Lisbon, Morristown, Ogdensburg and Potsdam.
• Applicants must be high school seniors who will be full-time freshmen (12 credits per semester).
• Students who will be attending technical schools are eligible to apply.
• Selection is based upon academic achievement and personal data. Any unusual hardships and special family or personal circumstances should be described in the application.
• Scholarship amounts will be up to $2,000 for one year, based upon unmet financial need as determined by the student's college.
• Students selected for a scholarship who have no unmet financial need will receive a one-time merit award of $500.

For the Rotary Purple Heart Scholarship...

• Applicants (or their dependents - spouse or child) must provide documentation of a Purple Heart Award.
• Applicants must be residents of Jefferson, Lewis or St. Lawrence County.
• Applicants can be entering any year of full-time undergraduate study (12 credits per semester).
• Scholarship awards will be up to $2,500 for one year.

For more information

If you have questions about our scholarship program, please call or write our office, or click here.

Northern New York Community Foundation
HSBC Building • Suite 400
120 Washington Street
Watertown, NY 13601
(315) 782-7110