1. USA TODAY Academic All Stars. This program is modeled after an all-star sports team, and judges look for students who have already demonstrated excellent academic achievement, leadership, and community service. Winners receive a $2,500 cash award, a trophy, and national recognition in USA Today magazine.
Applicants must be sophomores, juniors, or seniors, but do not need to be U.S. citizens. Because the award requires faculty nomination, interested students should ask a current UCI faculty member to provide a short nomination letter addressing what the student has accomplished. This letter should be on official school letterhead and signed. The postmark deadline for this scholarship is December 12, 2008.
Judges try to build a team of students who are universally outstanding and who excel in different ways. If you are a student who has demonstrated your passion for excellence, learn more about this scholarship at http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2008-10-20-all-usa-nomination_N.htm or at our website http://www.scholars.uci.edu/prestigiousweb.asp?pid=14 .
2. Are you a junior or senior who enjoys writing and is intrigued by the pull of principles on human actions? Enter the 2009 Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest to win up to $5,000 and the opportunity to meet Nobel Peace Prize-winning author and professor Elie Wiesel in New York City.
Three months after receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, professor and writer Elie Wiesel established The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity to advance the cause of human rights and peace throughout the world by creating a new forum for the discussion of urgent ethical issues confronting humankind.
Your previously unpublished essay should address ethical issues in 3,000-4,000 words. Complete the entry form at: http://www.eliewieselfoundation.org/entryform.aspx , then start writing! Ask a faculty member who has reviewed your essay to sign the form. (Any interested professor at UC Irvine may act as a faculty sponsor.) Find out more specific information about your eligibility and read past winners’ essays at the foundation’s website: http://www.eliewieselfoundation.org/ .
Send your entry form, 3 copies of your essay, and enrollment verification from the Registrar’s office by Dec. 19 (postmark date) to
Prize in Ethics Essay Contest,
The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity
555 Madison Avenue
20th Floor
New York, NY 10022
For more information, call 212-490-7788.
Be sure to let SOP staff know if you’ve applied! Email rharris@uci.edu.
3. Truman Scholarship for government and public service. DUE JAN. 2!
Are you a junior intending to pursue a career in public service or government? Would you like a scholarship for grad school? If yes, you should apply for the Truman Scholarship today! To find out more about the scholarship, visit: http://scholars.uci.edu/prestigiousweb.asp?pid=18 . Materials are due in the SOP office by Jan. 2.
To apply, please send us an email (sklrship@uci.edu) with your full name, email address, permanent home address, and whether you have been nominated for the Truman before. Our office will register you as a candidate for this scholarship, and you will receive personalized login information to access the application. Please note this deadline is BEFORE classes begin for Winter Quarter.
4. Goldwater Scholarship for sophomores and juniors who intend research careers in engineering, computer science, mathematics or the natural sciences. DUE JAN. 5!
If you are a sophomore or junior who has conducted research in mathematics, the natural sciences, engineering, or computer science, you could earn undergraduate funding through the Barry M. Goldwater scholarship. Winners receive up to 2 years of funding — up to $7,500 a year — that can be used to cover expenses such as tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Find out more about the scholarship at http://www.scholars.uci.edu/prestigiousweb.asp?pid=17.
To apply, visit http://www.act.org/goldwater/.
Materials due Jan. 5:
* Nominee Application – Submit online; SOP staff will be able to view/print it for editing.
* Nominee Essay – Email directly to rharris@uci.edu. This is a separate component from the application.
* 3 Faculty Letters of Recommendation – Once you list faculty recommenders on your application, the system will email each recommender with a login to upload a letter.
* Transcript from UCI, including fall semester if available. (Bring hard copy to SOP office.)
* Transcript(s) from other institutions attended. (Bring hard copies to SOP office.)
* High school transcript or documentation for home school in lieu of secondary school transcript, if applicable. (Bring hard copy to SOP office.)
* If applicant is a Permanent Resident: Copy of the nominee’s Permanent Resident card and letter of intent to become U.S. citizen.