Stoddard County, Missouri - Attention graduating high school seniors!  The James L. and Nellie M. Westlake Scholarship Program provided by the James L. and Nellie M. Westlake Foundation is offering a scholarship.

The James L. and Nellie M. Westlake Scholarship Foundation was established in 1981 pursuant to the provisions of the wills of James L. and Nellie M. Westlake for the purpose of assisting Missouri residents in pursuing a college education. Renewable scholarships are offered each year for full-time study at an accredited four-year institution of the student's choice.

This scholarship program is administered by Scholarship Management Services®, a division of Scholarship America®. Scholarship Management Services is the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarship and tuition reimbursement programs for corporations, foundations, associations and individuals. Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender, disability or national origin.

Eligibility

Applicants to the James L. and Nellie M. Westlake Scholarship Program must:

• Be Missouri residents.
• Be graduating seniors at Missouri high schools who plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study for the entire upcoming academic year at an accredited four-year college or university,
  OR
  Be students who have completed one or two full years at a Missouri community college with sufficient credits to transfer to an accredited four-year college or university at the sophomore or junior level, respectively.
• Demonstrate limited financial resources with a family adjusted gross income of $50,000 or less and an expected family contribution toward college of $7,000 or less, and
• Have at least a cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale except community college applicants with one year transferable credits must have 2.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

Awards

Scholarship awards will cover the cost of tuition, plus approximately $2,000 additional to cover the cost of fees, books, and supplies. For freshmen, awards may be renewed for up to three additional years or until a bachelor's degree is earned, whichever occurs first. Awards for community college students transferring to a four-year college or university are renewable up to two years for students entering at the sophomore level, up to one year for students entering at the junior level or until a bachelor’s degree is earned. Renewal is contingent upon full-time study, maintaining a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher on a 4.0 scale for college freshmen, and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for college sophomores and juniors, and continuation of the program by the James L. and Nellie M. Westlake Scholarship Foundation.

Awards are for undergraduate study only.

Application Process

• Start by clicking Register to Apply at the bottom of this page. You will need to read and agree to a consent statement, supply a unique and valid email address, and create a username and password.
• Correspondence throughout the application process will be by email. Email messages will be sent to the username and email address registered when you created your account. Students failing to use a valid active email account that will accommodate bulk mail may not receive consideration. Be sure to add westlake@scholarshipamerica.org to your contacts or address book and check your email regularly!
• Complete the application by entering data in the format described. Proper punctuation and standard capitalization (Jill Smith, 10 Main Street, New York, NY) must be used.
• During the application process, you may leave the site prior to submission by clicking on the Save and Log out link located on each application page. To return to the application, you must login using your username and password.
• Applications are evaluated on the information supplied; therefore answer all questions as completely as possible.
• Applications and all required documents must be submitted electronically by the deadline in order for your application to be processed.
• Once all application requirements are satisfied, the Lock and Submit button will be available to you near the bottom of the Review Application page.
• Carefully review your application before clicking the Lock and Submit button. Once submitted, you will no longer have access to your application.
• It is recommended that you print a hard copy of your application for your records.
• You will receive an email acknowledgment of your submitted application.

Required Documents

As part of your application, you must upload the following documents to Scholarship Management Services by February 1, 2016.

1. A completed Applicant Appraisal Form (click to view and print the form).
2. A current official transcript of grades. Grade reports and unofficial transcripts are not accepted.
   
   1. Students currently or previously enrolled in college or vocational-technical school must include all college or vo-tech transcripts of grades from each school attended.  (Completion of high school information below is not necessary.)
   2. High school seniors and students who have completed less than one full quarter or semester of postsecondary education must include a high school transcript of grades and have this section completed by the appropriate school official.  (A clear explanation of the high school's grading scale must also be submitted.)
3. (Copy of the first two pages of the most recently filed IRS Form 1040 used for the Financial Information Page, or documentation verifying your non-raxable status.) Ex: ward of court or social security document.

Your application is not complete unless all required documents are submitted electronically.

Program Deadline

Your application must be submitted by February 1, 2016 by 11:59 p.m. (Central Standard Time). 

Selection of Recipients

Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of academic record, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, statement of goals and aspirations, unusual personal or family circumstances, and an outside appraisal. The student must demonstrate limited financial resources with a family adjusted gross income of $50,000 or less and an expected family contribution of $7,000 or less as calculated by Scholarship Management Services to be eligible to receive an award.

Applications are evaluated and finalists are selected by Scholarship Management Services. The Westlake Scholarship Foundation Education Committee will select recipients. All applicants agree to accept the decision of Scholarship Management Services and the Westlake Scholarship Foundation Education Committee as final.

Notification

Applicants will be notified by email in mid-April. Not all applicants to the program will be selected as recipients.

Payment of Scholarships

Scholarship Management Services processes scholarship payments on behalf of the James L. and Nellie M. Westlake Scholarship Foundation. Payments are made in equal installments on August 15 and December 30. Checks are mailed to each recipient's home address and are made payable to the school for the student.

Obligations

Recipients have no obligation to the James L. and Nellie M. Westlake Scholarship Foundation. They are, however, required to notify Scholarship Management Services of any changes in address, school enrollment, or other relevant information and to send a complete transcript when requested.

Revisions

The James L. and Nellie M. Westlake Scholarship Foundation reserves the right to review the conditions and procedures of this scholarship program and to make changes at any time including termination of the program.

Questions? Contact us:

Email: westlake@scholarshipamerica.org

Call: 1-507-931-1682 (Toll Free 1-800-537-4180) and ask for the James L. and Nellie M. Westlake Scholarship Program