Revised 6-11-2009
Here are some steps that might help in setting up your scholarship:
Where does the money come from?
- If your classmates and/or
friends donate directly to the SHS Alumni Association, our 501 (c) (3) status allows them to deduct
the amount from their taxes. We send a thank you note back to them (or you can do this paperwork using our standard
form and your computer) noting the amount received and date received for their tax records. (They must note the
name of the scholarship in the memo area of their check.)
- If YOU collect the donations and YOU send
the appropriate paperwork back to the donor, make sure you provide the Alumni Association with the donor's
complete name, mailing address and dollar amount donated. (We need this information for audit purposes.)
How do you know how much money has been collected by the Alumni Association?
-
The SHS Alumni Association creates a separate line item on their monthly income statement with your scholarship name, the
dollars received, the dollars expensed and the balance in your account. We hope you will join our monthly meetings
(7pm-second Wednesday of each month Sept-June) so you can keep track of discussions involving the scholarships that we administer
as well as other goings on of the Alumni Association.
Who decides the scholarship
criteria and who chooses the recipient?
- You set up the criteria (or
put a committee together) and develop an application form that answers questions as to whether the applicant falls within
your criteria. Gail Bisceglia (SHS 1955) has developed a rating system, that makes the selection process very easy for
the scholarships which we administer. This system allows committee people to rate applications on their own
and forward the results to whomever is your chairman. Christina Manos
manosclark@verizon.net will be happy to share that information and process with you.
- Your committee would determine who
the recipient will be.
Who determines the dollar amount of the scholarship
award?
- Your committee would determine the dollar amount of the award - not to
exceed the dollars received by the Alumni Association.
What's the estimated timing of this process?
NOVEMBER - Get your committee together and work out your
Selection Criteria to define to all applicants how you will select your "winner".
Application
Form (easy: rework SHS's "common" application form to your needs)
Keep in mind specific wording of questions that can be answered on your form if we put it on our website.
We
can develop your form so students can submit their answers directly to a number of email addresses.
(We need time to develop this process with you to make sure it works.)
Develop
the wording that describes your scholarship. (This information will be given to the SHS Guidance Dept and placed
on the top section of your framed award.) (You can find samples of existing scholarship wording on our website.)
Develop a name for your Scholarship.
DECEMBER - Submit your Criteria, Application Form and scholarship description
to the Alumni Association for fine tuning.
Start working
with the Alumni Association in finalizing your information on their website
www.shrewsburyalumni.org so SHS students have a place to learn about your criteria and "pick up" your application form.
If you are not computerized, you'll need to specifically state where completed application forms should be mailed
(include name and mailing address) or state email addresses.
Start working with the Alumni Association in developing your wording, pictures or logos (.JPG format) that would make
your scholarship award special.
JANUARY
- We will submit the written description of your scholarship, criteria and your Application Form to the Shrewsbury High
School Guidance Department. They will list your particulars on information provided to SHS Seniors.
FEBRUARY - Continue working with
the Alumni Association in developing your award.
MARCH -
xx = Deadline for SHS students to return their completed application
forms to your designated "readers".
xx = Develop your own time-line to circulate the application
forms so your committee will have time to score them.
APRIL
- xx = (Two weeks before the award ceremony
that is set by the Alumni Association.)
Deadline for your committee to make a decision as to who will be the Recipient of your Award.
Email the name (correct spelling is important) to the Alumni Association.
Email the written biographical information that the Alumni Association will put on your award.
The Alumni Association will finalize this information with you before printing the award.
We will need your signature on the award. The Alumni Association President will also sign your award unless you advise
us otherwise.
Advise the Alumni Association on the dollar amount of the award. (Make sure the Alumni Association has received your funds
to support the check that you would like generated.)
xx = Alumni
Association Scholarship Ceremony
The Alumni Association will:
Provide you with a framed award (that you have helped to develop).
Provide you with an Alumni Association check made out to your recipient.
Provide name tags of all of your recipient's guests at the awards ceremony.
Secure a time, date and location for you to award your scholarship.
(Other Alumni Association scholarships will be given at this event.)
Report all financial transactions to the appropriate authorities at tax time.
Provide
publicity to local newspapers.
You will be asked to:
Help the Alumni Association's Scholarship Committee in developing an awards ceremony to be held at a certain location.
Notify your recipient of the date, time and location of the award ceremony.
(When you notify your recipient that he/she has been awarded your scholarship, you might want to advise them that he/she, family
members and friends are requested to attend a ceremony that will recognize them for their accomplishments.
Give them the date of the ceremony, the time and place as soon as possible so they (and their
families
can plan their schedules).
Notify your recipient that he/she needs to ask a special person to participate in the ceremony. We have asked recipients
to bring a "special person", that has made a major impact on their life, to the ceremony. We have
asked the recipient to briefly explain to the group why this individual has made an impact on their life. In turn,
your recipient needs to ask their special person if they would say something about the recipient.
Notify
the Alumni Association (via email if possible) the correctly spelled names of your recipient, their guests and
their special person. (We will use this information not only to help create your award but to make name tags.)
If you are representing an SHS Class, ask your classmates to attend the ceremony. (We can provide name tags if you'd like.)
If you are creating a scholarship in memory of someone, ask family members if they would like to be part of the ceremony or
if they would like to attend. (Provide these names to the Alumni Association for name tags.)
Present your award to your recipient.
