Background
Our youth are at risk. They are at risk of dropping out of high school, failing to move on to higher education, and failing to meet their highest potential. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated’s Alpha Lambda Chapter in conjunction with the Alpha Lambda Education Foundation is initiating a scholarship program that will address one of the main reasons given by our youth for not attending college: financial constraints. The Purpose of this communication is to introduce you to our newest program, the West Louisville Community Scholarship.
It is our goal to provide up to five $1,000 renewable scholarships each semester. This is where we need your help! We are asking all members of the community to pitch in and donate monthly to the fund. We are only asking that you commit to sharing a small monthly donation. We consider EVERY child from the West Louisville community as a potentially eligible student.
The scholarship will be funded by individuals, businesses, churches, and community groups (primarily from the West end of Louisville). The funds will be distributed to eligible children in the West Louisville community. Scholarship eligibility will be based on a combination of grades, financial need, scholarship essays, and community service. The renewable scholarship will be given to entering freshman who have applied for and been admitted to a 4 year institution of higher education, and will be renewed based on their academic performance and the completion of 16 hours of community service per academic year.
It is time that we stop waiting for others to do the work that we must do. No one will help us if we do not first help ourselves. We must lift ourselves and our youth up and start to create a community sustained by its very own people. This program is a revolutionary idea in our community; we need support from everyone to make it work! The Alpha Lambda Education Foundation is the non-profit charitable arm of the Fraternity, which focuses on scholarship, programs, and training and development of the membership. The Alpha Lambda Education Foundation has a 501(c)(3) charitable tax exemption status, making your contribution tax deductible.
Currently the Scholarship is in its fundraising stage and we are collecting the seed capital necessary to begin.
Who is eligible for the scholarship?
• High School Seniors who apply at community church, online through the Alpha Lambda website, or at a school located in the west end (a neighborhood as defined above).
• High School Seniors (residing within the eligible communities) with a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.7 on a 4.0 scale. The student must maintain this cumulative GPA each semester in order to remain eligible for their scholarship renewal. A transcript must be submitted to the scholarship committee each semester in order to be considered eligible for renewal.
• Eligible students must demonstrate financial need; i.e. no other large scholarships. Large being defined as a scholarship that covers 80% or more of the cost of tuition. Student’s must submit a copy of their FASA report or an official copy of their financial aid report (from their accepted University/College), along with their scholarship application before funds will be distributed (and each semester thereafter in order to be considered eligible for renewal).
• Recipients must log at least 16 hours of documented Community Service each year to remain eligible for the continuing scholarship renewal. A documented log must be submitted each semester to the scholarship committee.
• Eligible students must have been admitted into a 4 year institution with plans to attend prior to submitting their scholarship application. In order to be considered eligible for renewal students must submit official correspondence from your institution stating you are enrolled for the following semester.
• Eligible students must attend two mandatory meetings (conference calls for those students in school outside of Louisville) with Scholarship Committee each semester in order to remain eligible for the continuing scholarship renewal.E
Eligible Communities of West Louisville
Scholarships
It is our goal to provide a $1,000.00 renewable scholarship to each eligible student; for up to five (5) new students per year. It is our goal for the scholarships to renew (an additional $1,000) each semester. A Scholarship banquet will be held two weeks prior to each Fall semester. Dignitaries, corporate sponsors, family, friends, parents, and members of NPHC organizations will be invited. Tickets to the banquet will be sold at a low nominal amount and all funds received (after covering the cost of the banquet) will be added to the running total of scholarship funds collected.
