Awards, Fellowships, and Scholarships

Berea College is a unique institution, bringing together a top-notch student body that has limited available financial opportunities. Advisers should play a key role in encouraging students to apply for scholarships, fellowships, and grants. By taking the time to nominate a student and/or write a letter of support or recommendation for a student (either at the student’s request, a department’s request, or self-initiated), the Adviser can make a difference in the future educational and career goals of an exceptional student. Be aware that many advisees will lack the knowledge of these awards or the confidence in their ability to win such awards. If you know of exceptional advisees or other students, encourage them to explore the possibilities of scholarships, fellowships, and grants available to them and encourage them to pursue all such opportunities.

Administrative forms and guidelines for many on-campus and external scholarship opportunities are posted in the #Scholarships and Fellowships public folder on MS Outlook. Some application forms, such as for the Discovery Fund, New Horizons, and Experiential Education Fund grants, are available in the Student Service Center’s Self Serve Room (101 Lincoln Hall). There also are several campus offices that can help students learn more about funding opportunities and can help in the application process, including:

The Student Financial Aid Services Office can provide application forms and additional information about a broad range of academic funding opportunities available to our students. For students wishing to study abroad, the Center for International Education and the Education Abroad Adviser can provide information about the availability of funds for international-education travel. The Black Cultural Center maintains a list of scholarships available to African-American students. The Office of Academic Services (OAS) collects and disseminates information (primarily via #Scholarships and Fellowships public folder postings) about numerous graduate and undergraduate award opportunities for currently enrolled students, including several awards administered by OAS.

Other offices and departments may administer various funding programs or be aware of on-campus and external funding available to students. If you have information about undergraduate or graduate scholarships, fellowships, grants, and financial awards to share, please post the details in the #Scholarships and Fellowships public folder. Encourage advisees to check there often to find award opportunities they would like to pursue.

[See the 2008-2009 Berea College Catalog for many on-campus awards, prizes, and scholarship opportunities.]

Discovery Fund Grants

Grants from the Discovery Fund are awarded to students to help enrich their Berea College academic program through an off-campus, domestic educational experience. Students can apply for a grant for off-campus travel in the U.S. as part of a course, an internship, an independent study, a team-initiated study, a service-learning experience, a conference, or an exchange. Discovery Fund Grants are intended to serve as a supplement to the student’s own or other resources and will cover only a portion of the cost of the proposed off-campus travel.

Students on probation of any kind are not eligible for Discovery Fund Grants, with one exception. Students who are on academic probation and enrolled in GST 101: Strategies for Academic Success can be considered for a Discovery Fund grant during the probation term. Please be aware that students must return to Berea College for at least one regular term (Fall or Spring) following the term in which a Discovery Fund Grant is awarded.

A brief written report summarizing the experience must be submitted to Brandi Tauffener via e-mail or print copy within a month of returning to campus. If the report is not submitted by the due date, then a hold will be placed on the student’s account or the amount of the award will be charged to the student’s account. Also, the student will be ineligible for future awards from the Discovery Fund.

While Discovery Fund applications may be submitted throughout the year as special learning opportunities arise, there are special deadlines for certain types of courses. Please read the special deadlines in the guidelines posted in the #Scholarships and Fellowships public folder and available in the Self-Serve Room (101 Lincoln Hall).

Completed applications should be submitted at least two weeks prior to travel and forwarded to Brandi Tauffener, Student Financial Aid Services, 120 Lincoln Hall, or mailed to CPO Box 2172.

Experiential Education Fund Grants

Grants from the Experiential Education Fund are awarded to students to help enrich their Berea College academic program through an off-campus educational internship experience. Students can apply for a grant for off-campus travel in the U.S. as part of a minimum six-week, hands-on internship experience. Experiential Education Fund Grants are intended to serve as a supplement to the student’s own or other resources and will cover only a portion of the cost of the proposed off-campus travel. Application deadlines usually are in May.

Students on probation of any kind are not eligible for Experiential Education Grants, with one exception. Students who are on academic probation and enrolled in GST 101: Strategies for Academic Success during the Spring Term in which they apply can be considered for an Experiential Education Grant for the upcoming Summer Term. Please be aware that students must return to Berea College for at least one regular term (Fall or Spring term) following the term in which an Experiential Education Fund Grant is awarded.

A brief written report summarizing the experience must be submitted to Brandi Tauffener via e-mail or print copy within a month of returning to campus. If the report is not submitted by the due date, then a hold will be placed on the student’s account or the amount of the award will be charged to the student’s account. Also, the student will be ineligible for future awards from the Experiential Education Fund.

Completed applications and reports should be returned to Brandi Tauffener, Student Financial Aid Services, 120 Lincoln Hall, or mailed to CPO Box 2172.

Graduate School Travel and Application Fee Grants

Limited funds are available to assist qualified students with the cost of applying to and visiting leading graduate or professional schools. The purpose of these funds is to encourage and enable students to consider enrollment in the nation’s best graduate and professional programs, many of which are located some distance from Berea. Students are eligible for a maximum award of $550 during their tenure at Berea College, which may be used for more than one trip or application fee. Students should pick up the application in the Student Service Center’s Self Serve Room (101 Lincoln Hall), then submit it to Linda Avery in the Office of Academic Services (110 Lincoln Hall, 985-3207) as early in the term as possible.

New Horizons Grants

New Horizons Grants help students enrich their Berea College academic program through educational experiences abroad. These grants provide partial funding for participation in a variety of experiences, such as Berea International Short Term (BIST) course, a KIIS summer program, an Internship, an Independent or Team Initiated Study, or a Service-Learning project. Students are eligible for two New Horizons grants during their career at Berea College or one New Horizon grant and one regular-term program funded through Berea Term Abroad. (F-1 international students may receive one New Horizons Grant for a Short Term experience). Application deadlines are 1 October for Short Term and 1 March for summer. Please contact Soren Peterson, the Education Abroad Adviser, in the Francis and Louise Hutchins Center for International Education, at (859) 985-3924 for further information. Application forms and instructions are available at Here.

Departmental and On-Campus Opportunities

There are many more scholarships available at the College; see the Scholarships, Awards, and Prizes section in the Berea College Catalog and the #Scholarships and Fellowships public folder on MS Outlook. (Also watch for announcements inadvertently posted by various parties to the #Academics public folder.)

Annual Academic Awards Banquet

The annual Academic Scholarship Program, hosted by the Office of Academic Services, honors student achievement with an evening banquet each Spring. Students are recognized for their induction into honor societies and for their receipt of academic and service awards and scholarships. Encourage your advisees who have been invited to the banquet to attend. You also are encouraged to join us in celebrating their achievements. This year’s event is scheduled for Tuesday evening, March 17. For more information, contact Connie Gardner, Office of Academic Services, CPO 2205, 110 Lincoln Hall, or by e-mail at .