FRS Scholarships

2013College Scholarship Program$95,000Available to Rural StudentsMake Sure Your Application Is Complete:3 Completed Application Form (2 Copies)3 Transcript (7 Semesters, 2 Copies)3 300-Word Essay (2 Copies)3 Educator’s Statement (2 Copies, Sealed)3 Letter of Recommendation (2 Copies, Sealed)3 Sponsor Signature From NTCA Member3 Postmark to FRS by March 1, 2013Must have all items on checklist to be considered.Please submit all materials together.

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION$95,000 Available to Rural High School SeniorsThe Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), in cooperation withthe National Telecommunications Cooperative Association(NTCA), seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of lifethroughout Rural America by advancing an understanding ofrural telecommunications issues. Through its various programsand initiatives, FRS strongly supports the continuing educationof rural youth.In 2013, FRS will award 30 $2,500 scholarships to ruralhigh school seniors, one per geographic region of theNTCA membership and one to a student sponsored by anNTCA associate member. The remaining 19 awards willbe distributed proportionate to the number of applicationsreceived per region. FRS will fund $2,000 of each scholarship,with the sponsoring organization of each winning studentproviding a $500 match.In addition, four $5,000 FRS Staurulakis Family Scholarshipswill be awarded. Students who are majoring in math, science,engineering or medicine will be given preference.EligibilityApplicants must:• Be a graduating high school senior.• Be a United States citizen.• Be sponsored by a current NTCA member 1 (except forstudents sponsored by an associate member company).• Be accepted by an accredited two- or four-year college,university or vocational-technical school.• Have at least a C grade point average (GPA).• Express an interest to return to a rural community followinggraduation.Application Instructions• Type (preferred) or print all requested information. Completethe scholarship application in full. If any information isincomplete, the application will be rejected.• Prepare a 300-word essay on one of the following topics:1. Describe your most significant accomplishment, andexplain why you believe it to be your most outstanding.2. Describe the community in which you live, and indicatehow it has influenced the person you are.3. What industry or opportunity would entice you to returnto a rural community after completing your education,and why?• The essay portion of the application is worth 35% ofyour total score. It is the most important section of theapplication; please make sure to use spell-check andgrammar-check before submitting your essay.• Have a high school teacher or guidance counselor completethe Educator’s Statement. Statements must be submitted ina sealed envelope from the author. Please ask the author toenclose two copies of his/her letter.• Submit one letter of recommendation from a localcommunity leader other than an educator (examplesinclude telephone company personnel, elected official,local business leader, etc.). Recommendations must besubmitted in a sealed envelope from the author. Please askthe author to enclose two copies of his/her letter.• Include two copies of your most recent grade transcript (allseven semesters must be represented). Transcript does nothave to be an official copy.• Have the manager, board president, or designatedemployee of your sponsoring company endorse yourapplication, and thus commit to the NTCA Member matchrequirement. Unsigned applications will not be accepted forconsideration.• Do not include any photographs with your application.• All signatures must be provided where indicated on theapplication.• All materials, including recommendation letters, must besubmitted together.Terms and Conditions• Thirty $2,500 scholarships will be awarded—one pergeographic region (10) of the NTCA membership and oneto a student sponsored by an NTCA associate membercompany. 2• The remaining 19 awards will be distributed proportionateto the number of applications received from each NTCAregion.• Four $5,000 FRS Staurulakis Family Scholarships will beawarded, with a preference to students who are majoring inmath, science, engineering or medicine.• All applications will be reviewed, and winners selected, by aqualified selection committee of educators.• Scholarships will be awarded on a one-time basis and willnot be renewable.• Awards will be paid upon proof of registration at an instituteof higher education, and will be issued in August 2013.• Scholarships will be awarded without regard to race,ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender or disability.• Incomplete applications will not be considered. Refer tothe checklist on the application form to ensure that allcomponents of the application have been fulfilled.• Winners will forfeit scholarship if mandatory paperwork isnot received by FRS within 60 days of winning notification.• Winners will be posted on the FRS website, www.frs.org, byMay 1, 2013.Applications must be postmarked to FRS byMarch 1, 2013. Mail completed application and allattachments to:Selection CommitteeFoundation for Rural Service4121 Wilson Boulevard, 10th FloorArlington, VA 222031 Please contact your local telecommunications provider to determine if it is an NTCA member and if it is participating in the FRS college scholarship program.2 Associate members include businesses that provide goods and services to the telecommunications industry and are current members of NTCA.

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONCommunity and Volunteer Activities: List all nonpaid community activities in which you have participated inthe last four years (i.e., volunteer efforts, church work). Attach additional page if necessary.Activity (i.e., Soup Kitchen)Years(1, 2, 3, 4)Average HoursPer WeekCommentsAwards and Honors: List all awards and honors received in the last four years (including academic awards orhonors). Attach additional page if necessary.YearsAward or Honor (i.e., Eagle ScoutBadge, National Merit Scholar)Comments(Describe the Honor – Why Given)Special Circumstances: Describe any additional information you feel the Selection Committee shouldconsider in the selection process (i.e., family need or hardships overcome). Please provide this information inan attachment to this application, typed (preferred) or printed in blue or black ink. Do not answer this questionif you feel that there are no special circumstances or important facts to relay.Submit essay as attachment: Essay should be approximately 300 words, typed (preferred) or printed,12-point font, double-spaced with one-inch margins. Please address one of the following statements:1. Describe your most significant accomplishment, and explain why you believe it to be your most outstanding.2. Describe the community in which you live, and indicate how it has influenced the person you are.3. What industry or opportunity would entice you to return to a rural community after completing youreducation, and why?Applicant CertificationI hereby certify that all of the information provided in this application is complete and true to the best of myknowledge. I hereby grant permission to the Foundation for Rural Service to contact my references and/orschool if necessary, and to use my name and likeness in promotional materials in the event that I am selectedto receive a scholarship award.Signature of ApplicantNTCA Member Sponsor CertificationI hereby commit(name of company) to provide the $500 scholarship match requiredin the event that our sponsored applicant is selected a winner in theFRS scholarship program. Said commitment is for this applicant onlyand does not commit the company to any ongoing participation in, orsupport of, this program or the Foundation for Rural Service.Signature of Manager, Board President,or Designated EmployeePrinted Name of Sponsoring Manager,Board President, or Designated EmployeeTelephone Number of NTCA Member CompanyDateCity State NTCA RegionDateMake Sure Your ApplicationIs Complete:3 Completed Application Form(2 Copies)3 Transcript (7 Semesters, 2 Copies)3 300-Word Essay (2 Copies)3 Educator’s Statement(2 Copies, Sealed)3 Sponsor Signature From NTCAMember3 Postmark to FRS by March 1, 20133 Letter of Recommendation(2 Copies, Sealed)Must have all items on checklist to beconsidered.Please submit all materials together.

EDUCATOR’S STATEMENTThis Page Is To Be Completed by One of Your Teachers or Your High School Guidance CounselorTo Be Submitted by Student With Completed Application in Sealed Envelope.*Teacher/Counselor: Please fill out, make one copy, and place both copies in a sealed envelope beforereturning to student.Applicant’s NameHigh SchoolTeacher/Counselor’s NamePositionDatePlease describe whatever you think is important about this student, including a description of academic andpersonal characteristics. We are particularly interested in a candidate’s intellectual promise, motivation, relativematurity, commitments to service, integrity, special talents and enthusiasm, hardships overcome (if applicable)and initiative. We welcome any information that will help distinguish this student from others. Please submityour comments below. Attach additional page if necessary.Personality & Character EvaluationCompared with other high school seniors, how would you rate this student in the following areas?Positive AttitudeXX Average Good Very GoodEnthusiasm & Supportof the SchoolRespect for OthersLeadership QualitiesAcademic AchievementSense of ResponsibilityPrinciples and ValuesExcellent(Top 10%)One of theBest That IHave EverEncounteredSignature of EvaluatorDate

Mail your completed application, attachmentsand additional copies of all materials to:Selection CommitteeFoundation for Rural Service4121 Wilson BoulevardTenth FloorArlington, VA 22203All applications must be postmarked to FRS byMarch 1, 2013.QuestionsPlease contact your local telecommunicationsprovider to see if they are participating in thescholarship program. FRS cannot distribute a listof NTCA Members.If you have questions about the application form,please contact FRS at foundation@frs.org.www.frs.org