Helen M. McLoraine Opportunity Scholarship (UA)

This scholarship program was created to provide educational scholarships for individuals who have had to face extraordinary or challenging circumstances, have actively taken steps to improve their lives, and are committed to advancing their education. This program is open to clients and former clients of select nonprofit agencies.

Eligibility

• Applicant must be a current or former client/participant of one of the eligible nonprofit organizations (see full list HERE)
  • Former clients/participants must have received services within 15 years of the application deadline to be eligible
• Must complete the criteria associated with the eligible nonprofit organization they were a current or former client/participant of (see full list of organizations and criteria HERE)
• Applicant must be able to provide confirmation that they were a client/participant of the selected nonprofit organization
• Applicant must have been accepted into or be currently enrolled at an accredited post-secondary institution in the U.S.

Selection criteria

Applications will be reviewed based on:

• Academic performance
• Essay response(s)
• Resilience and persistence
• Financial need

Award details

• Scholarship Range: $2,500 – $10,000
• Typical Number of Awards: 2 – 10
• This scholarship is a one-time award. However, past recipients and applicants are encouraged to reapply each year in a competitive process. Previous recipients are not guaranteed an award upon re-application. An individual may only receive an award from this fund up to a total of four times.
• Award amounts may be used toward the recipient’s tuition, fees, books and supplies, and other required educational expenses
• All scholarships will be paid directly to a recipient’s post-secondary institution. Award disbursement is contingent upon the outside scholarship policies of a recipient’s post-secondary institution
• Award must be used for the upcoming academic year

How to apply 

1. Read through the eligibility criteria above to confirm you meet the requirements for this scholarship
2. Log into TDF Scholarship Manager and apply for the Universal Scholarship
3. Prepare and submit the following items:
   1. List of all extracurricular activities, community volunteering opportunities, and paid/unpaid work experiences you have had
   2. Transcript 
   3. A letter of confirmation from nonprofit organization
   4. Email address for one recommendation(s)
      1. One community recommendation
   5. Response to the following prompt(s):
      1. Please provide a personal statement that focuses on your life experiences, particularly any extraordinary or challenging circumstances you have faced, and the steps you took to improve your life. (5,000 characters or approximately 800 words)
      2. What would you like to study after high school OR are currently studying at a college-level? What inspired your interest in this area? What do you hope to achieve with a degree in this field? Be sure to address each prompt in your response. (5,000 characters or approximately 800 words)