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CHRIST FUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
In 2007, Trustee Beverly Smith volunteered to raise funds to establish a scholarship fund for the church. A banquet was held at the Murray Center in Norfolk, Va on July 14th, 2007. The banquet raised $10,000 to establish the fund. The Christ Fund Ministry was formed to develop the infrastructure to manage the scholarship. After five years of fundraising, the ministry is scheduled to award its first scholarship in April 2012.
MISSION STATEMENT
Provide financial support to the youth of our community and congregation who aspire to pursue a college education.
OAKWOOD CHAPEL CHURCH CHRIST FUND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
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The Oakwood Chapel Christ Fund Scholarship provides an opportunity to assist young people in our community to pursue worthwhile academic dreams. The Christ Fund Scholarship Ministry is now accepting applications for the 2024/2025 academic year from eligible high school seniors pursuing undergraduate study at an accredited two or four-year college or university and meeting eligibility criteria can apply. The program will award two $1000.00 non-renewable scholarships annually to a qualified recipient(s). Applications will be accepted from 5/5/2024-6/7/2024. All applications must be mailed to the church and postmarked by June 7, 2024. The scholarship award may be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for enrollment. Award will be paid directly to the college or university.
The scholarship program is administered by the Christ Fund Scholarship Ministry of Oakwood Chapel Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ. Consideration is given without regard to race, sex, or national origin.
Eligibility
Applicants to the Christ Fund Scholarship Ministry must
· be a resident of Virginia;
· be a high school senior accepted as a full-time undergraduate at a two or four year
accredited college or university;
· be an active member of Oakwood Chapel Church (DOC) for at least one (1) year at the
time of applying; if not a member, the applicant must have a church sponsor who is an active
member for at least one (1) year, and in good financial standing, as defined in the church
bylaws, Article XXIV, page 23; Note – sponsor must be age 18 or older.
· have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 grading scale
· complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine financial need
· Participate in at least two extracurricular activities (community service/church or school
related)
Application Process
Download and print the application. Complete the application. If any fields on the application are not completed, your application will not be considered. Please check for accuracy and completeness before mailing. The completed application and all required documents must be mailed together in one envelope and postmarked by June 7, 2024. We will NOT accept hand-delivered application packets, incomplete application packets, or application packets postmarked after 6/7/2024.
A complete Scholarship Application Packet consists of:
· Completed Application
· Official high school transcript
· Page 1 of Student Aid Report (SAR) showing Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from
FAFSA.
· A copy of acceptance letter to the college/university that will be attended
· A copy of the financial aid letter from college/university that will be attended
· One letter of recommendation from a teacher
· One letter of recommendation from a guidance counselor
· One letter of recommendation from church sponsor, if a non-member
· A 250 – 300-word essay ( typed & double spaced) on how you will use your Christian development or college education to transform your community.
Selection Criteria
The Scholarship Selection Committee appointed by the Christ Fund Scholarship Ministry will evaluate the following criteria using a Scoring Rubric to select the recipient(s):
· academic performance (determined by GPA)
· financial need (EFC Score)
· participation in extracurricular activities
· 250 – 300-word essay (typed & double spaced)
· letters of recommendation Recipient(s) will be notified via letter in June.