John M. Etzel

APPLICATION

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Center you plan to attend:  Fort Dodge

Semester you are applying for:  self-explanatory

Residency Status:  self-explanatory

Resident Foundation Scholarships Applying for: John M. Etzel Scholarship

 

First Name: self-explanatory

Middle Initial: self-explanatory

Last Name: self-explanatory

Maiden Name: self-explanatory

Birthdate: self-explanatory

Phone Number: self-explanatory

Permanent City: self-explanatory

Fort Dodge Permanent County: self-explanatory

Permanent State: self-explanatory

Permanent Zip Code: self-explanatory

Local Street: self-explanatory

Local City: self-explanatory

Local County: self-explanatory

Local State: self-explanatory

Local Zip Code: self-explanatory

Email: self-explanatory

Proposed Major: self-explanatory

Filed FAFSA? (Yes or No)

Returning Student? (Yes or No)

 

Explain how a scholarship will help you financially. Feel free to share any unusual circumstances.

This should be a concise and informative paragraph about how the John M. Etzel Scholarship would help you further your educational goals. NOTE: You'll have an opportunity to expand on this topic further in your essay, scroll down for more on that.

 

Explain any school, community, volunteer or church activities in which you have participated.

All volunteer efforts are of interest to the scholarship board, however, self-initiated volunteer work is especially well-received. (By self-initiated, we mean volunteer and community work that is not a requirement of a school group/organization.) Examples of self-initiated volunteer work might be organizing a caroling group for senior centers or hospitals; giving the sick or elderly rides to and from the doctor or church; walking dogs at the local animal shelter; coat or food drives for the less fortunate, etc. (Extra points if you are the organizer of said efforts—definitely something you should note.)

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List any honor(s) or special recognition(s) you have received.

Academic honors and recognition are, of course, noted by the scholarship board. However, recognition can come from other areas of your life. Think about whether you’ve been singled out at your job, volunteer organization, church or other community group for any of your efforts. (I.e., “employee of the year,” “hardest worker,” “most volunteer hours” etc.).

 

List work experiences and dates of employment.

If you have been employed over the course of high school (or prior to applying for this application), please be thorough in listing your work history. This could be relevant to the scholarship board if  you’re among those who were not able to show participation in school/extra-curricular activities due to the need to earn money for yourself or your family (something you might elaborate on in your essay.) Note: We also understand that some students choose not to work in order to focus on academics, and encourage you to expand on that decision in your essay if applicable.

 

If you are a non-traditional student (age 21 or older), please share your experiences between high school and now.

This is an important criteria that is sometimes overlooked by non-traditional applicants. If you have taken time away from pursuing education, it’s helpful to talk about what you’ve been doing in your life in the interim. (Feel free to give us the short version here and the longer version in your essay.) For instance: how has your work/life struggles and experiences affected your desire to receive a degree? Why have you decided to return/start your higher education now? What are your future goals?

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Please indicate the activities and/or athletics you plan to participate in: Music? Arts? Debate? Sports? Etc.

 

Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics: List any

Men’s Intercollegiate Athletics: List any

 

High School:  self-explanatory

High School City: self-explanatory

High School State: self-explanatory

Graduation Year: self-explanatory

High School GPA: self-explanatory

Class Rank: self-explanatory

Cumulative GPA: self-explanatory

 

ESSAY (200 – 500 WORDS)

PLEASE DO NOT SIMPLY COPY AND PASTE THE EARLIER PARAGRAPH IN YOUR APPLICATION HERE AS YOUR “ESSAY.” This is an additional space for you to express something deeper about your hopes, dreams, roadblocks--the things you dream about achieving--and how help from the JME Scholarship would get you to your academic goal. Most applicants have financial hardship and we want to know if that’s the case for you, however, this essay is a chance to discuss other challenges that you’ve faced, and how your takeaway from those situations may have impacted your willingness and drive to earn an education. Perhaps you have chosen not to fill out a FAFSA, or you feel your corresponding EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) does not accurately reflect your need for assistance? Your essay is a good place to explain why. Or maybe you wanted to be more active in extra-curricular activities at school or wanted to hold a job but were hampered by an obligation to babysitting or medical care for loved ones? Tell us about that. One of the few requirements John Etzel left for this scholarship was for the awarded student to demonstrate a “desire to learn.” This section of your application is your best opportunity to speak to that and to tell us who you are.

 

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION (optional)

Going the extra mile to get an outside recommendation shows strong initiative on the part of an applicant and sets you apart from the crowd. Teacher-based recommendations are always great, but if you feel you excel more in non-academic settings (work, volunteer groups, social organizations, etc.), consider approaching those team leaders to write a letter of referral for you.

 

Good luck!

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