NEW YORK – The Rev’d Canon James G. Callaway, D.D., General Secretary of the Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC) and the Association of Episcopal Colleges (AEC), announces the 2016-17 Episcopal Colleges William Randolph Hearst Service Learning Scholarships, sponsored by AEC in collaboration with the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES). Up to two $10,000 scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors graduating in 2016 and matriculating at an Episcopal college.

To qualify, applicants must be outstanding Episcopal students at an NAES-member high school, with a demonstrated experience in Service Learning and community service, and must be planning to apply to one of these eight institutions:

• Bard College (Annandale-on-Hudson, NY)
• Hobart and William Smith Colleges (Geneva, NY)
• Kenyon College (Gambier, OH)
• St. Augustine College (Chicago, IL)
• St. Augustine’s University (Raleigh, NC)
• The University of the South (Sewanee, TN)
• Voorhees College (Denmark, SC)
• Université d’Haiti (Port-au-Prince, Haiti, WI)

Students planning to attend the Université d’Haiti are eligible to compete for a $5,000 scholarship, distributed over four years.

Background and Criteria

The Episcopal Church has a rich, vigorous tradition of supporting educational institutions, with its Episcopal colleges complemented by over 1,200 Episcopal elementary and high schools nationwide. Established in 1997 as the William Randolph Hearst Scholarships, these awards emphasize learning through service supported by Episcopal schools and colleges and seek to recognize students who have been active Episcopalians in their high school and/or home parish.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate a strong record of Service Learning and community service, along with academic achievement in their junior and senior years, outstanding leadership, and a commitment to worship and community life in their school and home parish. Other requirements and instructions detailing the application process are listed on the application form, available for download here.

Scholarship Applications

Applications are to be submitted to the CUAC office and must include:

• an application cover letter
• a completed application form
• three letters of recommendation: from the head of the Episcopal high school the applicant attends; from a faculty member who has taught the applicant or from the school chaplain; and from the Rector or Priest-in-Charge of the applicant’s home parish. Each letter must be given to the applicant in a sealed envelope, signed by the submitter over the flap.
• a current transcript and a copy of SAT or ACT scores sent directly to CUAC, below.

The completed applications should be sent to:

Episcopal Colleges Scholarship Committee
Colleges & Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC)
815 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10017-4594

Application Deadline

Applications must be received by Monday, February 15, 2016, for students entering college in fall 2016. Award decisions will be announced in late March 2016.

Scholarship Award Process

Applications will be reviewed by a committee appointed by the AEC. The General Secretary of CUAC/AEC will inform each recipient of the scholarship and the school. Each scholarship recipient must be accepted by and matriculate at the Episcopal college listed in her or his application. Upon matriculation, a scholarship award will be prepared by the CUAC/AEC office and made payable to the college for tuition or residence fees. In order to receive payment in subsequent years, the college will be asked to send a letter each year to CUAC/AEC confirming that the student remains enrolled, has made satisfactory academic progress, and is in good standing.

Sponsoring Organizations

Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC) is a network of the Anglican Communion that seeks to support the mission and identity of some 130 Anglican-affiliated institutions of higher learning around the globe.  By encouraging exchanges of faculty, students, and ideas, and promoting opportunities for learning and fellowship--particularly the Triennial Conference, hosted by members in each global region on a rotating basis--CUAC helps its members see how their common Anglican identity and ethos is lived out within the various cultures in which it has taken root.  In 2012 CUAC also launched the Dr Rowan Williams Annual CUAC Lecture, which each year selects an Anglican luminary to address issues concerning religion, society, and higher education in the context of Anglican thought and praxis.  More information on CUAC can be found at www.cuac.org.

The Association of Episcopal Colleges (AEC) is a consortium of colleges with historic and present ties to the Episcopal Church. Founded in 1962 and with headquarters in the Episcopal Church Center in New York, the Association is committed to supporting academic excellence and linking faith and values with learning and service.  Diverse in curricula and constituency but united by common mission, the Episcopal Colleges represent some of the finest of the Church's work within the world.  Many are traditional liberal arts colleges; two have historically served the African American community; one was chartered to serve Hispanic immigrants; one is dedicated to health care; and three are overseas, in Liberia, Haiti and the Philippines.