UofI Boosters to award $500 scholarships

Published by admin on Wed, 03/13/2024 - 8:00pm

Large crowds typically attend the West Treasure Valley Chapter of the UofI Vandal Boosters’ annual Summer Fest fundraiser. A portion of the money raised at the 2023 event was reserved to fund three $500 scholarships. The chapter’s event is intended to contribute to the University of Idaho athletic scholarship program, but the chapter’s newly established scholarship will be awarded to anyone attending, or planning to attend, the UofI. Photo by Philip A. Janquart
By: 
Philip A. Janquart
The West Treasure Valley Chapter of the UofI Vandal Boosters has announced it will be awarding three $500 scholarships to students living in Washington or Payette counties.
 Applications for the 2024 West Valley Vandal Scholarship are being accepted until Friday, April 26 at 5 p.m. and can be obtained through high school counselors or by contacting Sally Bouvia at sbouvia@ncce.org or Joya Hill at joyamhill@gmail.com.
 The scholarship program aims to assist students in furthering their education at the University of Idaho. It is open to current UofI students or those who have been accepted and plan to attend the university.
 Funds for the scholarships were raised through the chapter’s 2023 UofI Summer Fest, an annual event intended to raise money for student-athlete scholarships. 
 Since it was launched in 2021, Summer Fest, usually held in July, has raised a total of $60,000 for the UofI athletic scholarship program.  Last year, the group raised $30,000 alone.
 But West Treasure Valley Chapter representatives told the Signal American that the funds for the first annual 2024 West Valley Vandal Scholarship, are not intended to benefit the UofI athletic scholarship program.
 “This has nothing to do with athletics,” said Board Chair Marg Chipman. “This is separate from our regular pursuit of funding athletic scholarships.”
 Chipman said members of the group’s board came up with the idea. They decided to reserve money raised from the purchase of one auction item during last year’s Summer Fest specifically to fund the new scholarship.
 “It was a spa package for Shore Lodge in McCall,” Chipman noted. “It went for enough to fund three scholarships.”
 Board member Joya Hill added, “The package went for $1,600, leaving us with $100 that will go for next year’s scholarships.”
 To be eligible, applicants must live in Washington or Payette County and be enrolled for the 2024 semester, have at least a 3.0 grade point average, and submit an essay describing his/her short-term goals (What do you plan to study at the UofI? What are you interested in?). 
 Also required are high school transcripts, and at least  one current written recommendation from the applicant’s instructors, employers, community leaders, and/or other significant adults who are unrelated to the applicant and in a position to comment on abilities, character, and personality.
 The letter must include the name, occupation, phone number, and signature of the person writing the recommendation letter. Letters should be submitted with the application in a sealed envelope.
 The complete application, response to questions, letter of recommendation, school transcript, and essay must be received in a hard copy packet by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 26, 2024. Please mail or deliver the packet to Margie Chipman at 315 McGinnis Dr., Weiser, ID 83672.
 A scholarship committee will review all applications and winners will be announced in early May 2024. 

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Signal American

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