J.M. Rubin Foundation Scholarship: A Comprehensive Guide to Requirements and Application

The J.M. Rubin Foundation offers scholarships to residents of Palm Beach County attending any recognized educational institution. Established in 1973 by J.M. (Jake) Rubin, the foundation has a rich history of supporting local students and organizations. This article provides a detailed overview of the J.M. Rubin Foundation scholarship, its requirements, and the application process.

Foundation Background

The J.M. Rubin Foundation, a Florida not-for-profit charitable corporation, was founded in 1973 by J.M. (Jake) Rubin. Rubin, a general contractor with a focus on heavy and highway construction and land development, established the foundation, which was fully funded upon his death in 1993. The foundation's current assets are approximately $38.7 million. It has distributed over $17.5 million in individual college scholarship grants to Palm Beach County students and over $12 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations. The foundation's primary mission is to provide scholarships to Palm Beach County residents attending any recognized educational institution, with discretionary charitable support for local organizations.

Scholarship Overview

The J.M. Rubin Foundation's primary focus is to provide scholarships to residents of Palm Beach County at any recognized educational institution. Scholarships are renewable, and amounts may vary depending upon available funds.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the J.M. Rubin Foundation scholarship, applicants must meet certain criteria:

Residency: Applicants must be residents of Palm Beach County. Furthermore, to renew the scholarship, the student must remain a Palm Beach County resident.
Citizenship: Applicants must be U.S. citizens for at least two years to qualify.
Enrollment: Applicants must be candidates for certification or a degree at a recognized educational institution. The scholarship currently provides funding for undergraduate work only.

Selection Criteria

The recipients will be selected on the basis of academic and/or athletic achievement or promise as the basic criterion. Financial need is an additional factor, however, it is not required. The recipients will be selected from applicants on an objective and nondiscriminatory basis, including personal interviews if deemed necessary.

Application Process

To apply for the J.M. Rubin Foundation scholarship, applicants must submit an online application no later than March 1st for the following academic year.

Key Application Components

The online application consists of several sections, each requiring specific information and documentation:

Overview: This section provides a summary of the application status, including the date created and whether each section is complete or incomplete. It also indicates whether the applicant's transcript and tax returns have been received. The application status will remain pending until all sections are complete. Upon completion of all sections, a "Submit Application" button will appear.
Renewal Info: This section applies only to current J.M. Rubin Scholars who are applying for renewal of their scholarship.
Personal: This section gathers personal background information, such as name, address, gender, etc.

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Education: This section collects information regarding high school and college attendance and achievement. All fields marked in red are required. For test scores, applicants should enter all that apply. If entering an SAT score, use the current three-part score (maximum total of 2400) unless the test was taken before the conversion to the three-part test. Applicants should enter costs for the school year for which they are applying. The "Residence" field requires applicants to select where they will be living while at college. If applicable, applicants can enter a second and third choice of school they would like to attend. At least one school activity or volunteer community activity that the applicant has participated in must be listed.
Financial: This section gathers information regarding the applicant's expected financial situation in college. The "Funds from Parents" field should be filled in with the amount the applicant's parents can and expect to contribute to their college education per year. Applicants should list any grants (federal, etc.) and scholarships they are planning to receive each year, indicating whether these scholarships will be recurring or one-time only. Any loans that the applicant expects to take out, at least for the first year, should also be listed. If the Net Financial Need number is greater than $10,000, the applicant must explain how they would obtain these funds or pay for their college education.
Essay/Recommendations: This section requires an essay outlining the applicant's personal goals and objectives. There is no required length for the essay. The applicant must also provide at least two recommendations from someone in their school, community, or employment. A recommendation letter can also be uploaded if available.
Other Required Information: In the sibling information section, applicants must enter information about their siblings or check "No Siblings" if applicable.

Required Documents

Transcripts: An official high school and college transcript must be sent to the foundation. These must be received or postmarked by March 1st. If selected as a J.M. Rubin scholar, the student must send an official transcript to the office at the close of each semester.
Tax Returns: Two complete consecutive years of tax returns must be submitted. If the current tax return is not yet complete, the prior two most recent consecutive years will be accepted. The tax returns must be complete, including all pages as filed with the IRS, including all Schedules such as Schedule A, Schedule B, etc. Social Security numbers should be blacked out or removed from the tax returns before submitting.

Important Dates and Deadlines

Application Deadline: Applications must be filed online by midnight on March 1st.
Transcript and Tax Return Deadline: Official high school and college transcripts, as well as complete tax returns, must be received or postmarked by March 1st.
Scholarship Selection: Scholarship applications are reviewed, processed, and selections are made in May.

Submission

Upon completion of all sections, a "Submit Application" button will appear. Click this button to indicate that the application is complete and the applicant would like to be considered for the scholarship.

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Additional Programs

J.M. Rubin Foundation Distinguished Internship in Government

The J.M. Rubin Foundation offers a merit scholarship of up to $3,000 for a gifted student interested in political science and law to engage in a substantive and rewarding internship in state or federal government.

Application: Complete the online internship form for an internship in government at either the state or national level.
Deadline: Students are urged to apply as early as possible. Review will begin April 1 and will continue until the scholarship is awarded. The award will be issued only upon receipt of the signed internship contract from the onsite internship supervisor. Applications must be received by March 1st.

Scholarship Renewal

Selected scholars can renew their scholarships annually if they maintain good standing at their educational institution. To renew, current J.M. Rubin Scholars must complete the "Renewal Info" section of the application and update any other sections as needed.

Additional Information

Payment of Funds: All payments must be made through the educational institution, in accordance with the Internal Revenue Service approved program.
Interviews: Interviews are at the discretion of the staff and Board of Trustees of the J.M. Rubin Foundation. Being called for an interview is not an indication of whether you have been selected.
Frequently Asked Questions: Refer to the frequently asked questions section on the foundation's website for answers regarding the application process, eligibility, renewing applications, and more.
Sample Application: Review the sample application page on the foundation's website to view an example of the online scholarship application.

J.M. Rubin Foundation Board of Trustees

The J.M. Rubin Foundation is governed by a Board of Trustees, which includes:

J.M. Rubin (1902-1993)
David S. Meisel (1939-1996)
Charles M. Carpenter (1921-2000)
Robert T. Owens (1942-2015)
Mary S. Harper, Trustee Emeritus
Kimberly L. Harris
Edward R. Griffin
Barbara S. Noble
Laurel T. Baker
Darline M.

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