VALLEY TELECOM GROUP

SCHOLARSHIP OBJECTIVES & GUIDELINES

(Valley TeleCom Group includes Valley Telephone Cooperative Foundation and Copper Valley Telephone)

OBJECTIVE:

To select scholarship recipients and if determined by the Board, alternates, from scholarship applications submitted. All eligible applications will be evaluated and scored.

In the event the scholarship recipient is unable to enroll for the fall or spring semester, or if the recipient does not meet the scholarship requirements, or if Valley TeleCom Group does not receive the required documentation from the recipient to issue the scholarship monies, the scholarship will be issued to the next qualifying alternate or will be voided.

APPLICATION DISTRIBUTION:

  1. Telephone subscribers will be notified by a bill message in telephone bills for the January, February and March bill cycles. A deadline reminder will be inserted into the March telephone bills.
  1. A notification, poster and packet will be sent to high school counselors by mid-January.
  1. Applications must be returned to Valley TeleCom Group at least 4 weeks before the date of the Valley Telephone Cooperative Annual Meeting to allow time for the Scholarship Committee to grade and score applications prior to the Annual Meeting.

SELECTION PROCESS

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

  1. Scholarship recipients from previous years will be eligible to re-apply and will be considered along with other applicants. There is a four-year maximum for any one student to receive a Valley TeleCom Group scholarship.
  1. Applicant must be a member of Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc. or a customer of Copper Valley Telephone, or a minor child or legal minor dependent of a member of Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc. or a customer of Copper Valley Telephone (Dependants must have been claimed on the customer’s last tax return).
  1. Applicant must be in graduating class of, or have graduated from, an accredited public, parochial or private high school or must have obtained a G.E.D. Must have plans to enter, or presently be enrolled in a college, university or trade school for the next year.
  1. Applicant must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a scale of 4.0 and be a full-time, continuing education student, and must enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
  1. Application must complete scholarship application in its entirety and return to Valley TeleCom Group by the date specified on the application. Copies faxed to Valley TeleCom Group will not be accepted.
  1. Scholarship monies must be utilized in two consecutive semesters during the year awarded (monies will not be deferred).
  1. Applications will be graded equally among the following areas: Academic Achievement, Involvement in School and Non-School Extra-Curricular Activities, Essay, Need for Scholarship and the Application.
  1. Graduating High School Students are REQUIRED to submit a transcript of a national test score taken within the last 12 months. Continuing Education Students must supply their most recent transcript of a national test score.
  1. Packets of scholarship materials may be viewed at high school counselors’ offices, however students must obtain an original application from a Valley TeleCom Group office, by mail or from the Valley TeleCom Group website (www2.vtc.net).
  1. There are not restrictions or limitations in the selection procedure based on race, age, gender, religion, national origin or the employment status of the prospective recipient.

AWARD PROCEDURE:

A qualified committee will score and grade all applications. The Board of Directors makes the final selection of scholarship winners based on scores and recommendations made by the Scholarship Committee. Scholarships will be awarded without regard to race, age, gender, religion, national origin or the employment status of the prospective recipient. If a person is selected, they will be required to submit a photograph that will be used for publicity purposes.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR EVALUATION:

1Academic Achievement including: (Documentation must be included)

  • Grade Point Average
  • Class Rank
  • National Test Score
  • Transcript

2Extra-curricular activities (school and non-school related)

3Essay composition

4Letters of recommendation

5Extenuating circumstances

6Financial need

7Completion of application

SCHOLARSHIP DISTRIBUTION & REGULATION:

Scholarships are distributed and monitored between two (2) consecutive semesters during the year awarded.

1First Semester

  • After student verifies enrollment and submits proof of registration in classes totaling 12 credit hours or more, one-half the awarded amount will be sent directly to the school in the name of the recipient and the school, requiring dual endorsement.

2Second Semester

  • Recipient sends grade reports of first semester to the Executive Assistant / Scholarship Administrator of Valley TeleCom Group. A 2.5 GPA must have been maintained to qualify for the second half of their scholarship as well as completion of a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
  • Recipient sends documentation of registration for the spring semester to the Executive Assistant / Scholarship Administrator of Valley TeleCom Group. Registration must be for a minimum of 12 credit hours.
  • Second half of scholarship is awarded directly to the school in the name of the recipient and the school, requiring dual endorsement.