Alfred Street Baptist Church Scholarship Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide
Founded in 1803 in Old Town, Alexandria, the Alfred Street Baptist Church has a long-standing commitment to education. This commitment was further solidified in 2002 with the opening of the Alfred Street Baptist Church Foundation (ASBCF). The Foundation's primary mission is to provide college scholarships to high-achieving students with financial needs. Recognizing that education can be a great equalizer, but only if it is financially accessible, the ASBCF directs its efforts towards making higher education a reality for deserving students in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. The Foundation approaches this educational effort with a special sense of purpose due to its predominantly African American board.
The Alfred Street Baptist Church Foundation: Bridging the Financial Gap
The ASBCF operates as a separate 501(c)(3) organization, managed by a dedicated board of directors. It focuses on providing academic scholarships to graduating high school seniors from the Washington, DC Metropolitan area who have demonstrated both financial need and high academic performance. The Foundation's work is supported by the Spur Local network, which includes over 190 local nonprofits with budgets under $4 million. Spur Local utilizes a rigorous assessment process, involving over 170 community volunteers, site visits, and financial reviews, to select 76+ critical, local nonprofits for inclusion in its annual catalog. Since 2003, Spur Local has raised over $65 million for nonprofits across the Greater Washington region, operating without fees and relying on donations to support its work.
Since its inception in 2002, the ASBCF has awarded over $1.7 million in scholarships, ranging from $1,000 to $20,000, to over 400 students. In 2007, the Foundation awarded its first scholarships to eleven students from the Washington, D.C. area. The Foundation has grown in every area: student applicants, number of donors, number of available scholarships and the scholarship amounts. In addition to financial assistance, the Foundation offers ongoing mentoring to support students throughout their educational journey. The ASBCF recognizes that financial hurdles exist for many, including those in immigrant populations and actively reaches out to diverse ethnic populations.
Types of Scholarships Offered
The ASBCF offers two primary types of scholarships: Millennium Scholarships and Legacy Scholarships.
Millennium Scholarships
These scholarships are funded jointly by the Alfred Street Baptist Church and the ASBCF. The amount of these scholarships is $20,000 disbursed over four years ($5,000 per year for four years). Two Millennium Scholarships are awarded annually.
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Legacy Scholarships
Legacy Scholarships are funded by individuals or groups who may add their own criteria to Foundation requirements and determine the amounts to be awarded. Legacy scholarships awarded annually vary from $1,000 to $7,500.
General Eligibility and Application Requirements
To be eligible for a scholarship from the Alfred Street Baptist Church Foundation, applicants must meet specific criteria demonstrating both financial need and academic excellence. Applicants must have a low expected contribution from their families and high academic achievement. Many recipients attend Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs). While specific requirements may vary slightly depending on the type of scholarship (Millennium or Legacy), the general guidelines are as follows:
- Academic Performance: Applicants must maintain a solid academic record with a 2.5 or higher Grade Point Average (GPA).
- Online Application: All students must submit the application online.
- Supplementary Materials: All supplementary materials, including transcripts recommendations and test scores signed by a counselor or other school official, must be uploaded in the designated forms online.
- Application Deadline: The application deadline is April 15th at 11:59 pm.
The online application system allows applicants to save their progress and return to their draft application at any time prior to the deadline. Applicants can also edit their submitted application before the deadline. The application requires contact information that will be used to request a transcript from the applicant's counselor, a recommendation from a teacher, and possibly a copy of a tax return from their parents.
Tips for Scholarship Success
While the ASBCF scholarship is a valuable opportunity, it's important to remember that the scholarship landscape can be competitive. Marianne Ragins, who won over $400,000 in scholarships in her senior year of high school, is a testament to the possibilities. Ragins is the author of the highly successful Winning Scholarships for College: An Insider’s Guide, College Survival & Success Skills 101, and other publications. She is the president of The Scholarship Workshop and sponsor of the Leading the Future II and Ragins Braswell National Scholarships. Ragins graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science from Florida A&M University and received an MBA from George Washington University. Both her degrees were entirely funded by scholarships and other free aid.
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