The Donald A. Strauss Scholarship
UCI Deadline: 1/23/2017 Noon (Due to SOP)
What
A scholarship given to sophomores, juniors, or 4th year seniors who will take a fifth year to graduate at 15 pre-selected 4-year California colleges or universities who have demonstrated an interest in public service, outstanding leadership potential, have developed and can demonstrate effective communication skills, and wish to “make a difference” in local, regional or national communities. UC Irvine is pleased to be one of these pre-selected universities.
Who is Eligible
Full-time second, third, or fourth year students (including DACA students) planning to take a fifth year of all majors who are in the upper 1/3 of their class and expect that a significant part of their lives will be devoted to public service.
Please note that external scholarship agencies will consider all of your credit-bearing coursework from any college or institution as part of the review process (including CSU, community colleges, private colleges or other UC campuses/Extension programs, and including units earned while in high school). Grades from other colleges will be included in calculation of your overall GPA for eligibility purposes.
Selection Procedure
Candidates are nominated by their college or university.
The heart of the application is a project proposal for a community or public service project to be carried out between the end of the Sophomore year and the spring of the Junior year (sophomores) or the end of the Junior year and the spring of the Senior year (juniors or seniors taking a fourth year). The proposal is limited to 4 pages typed and double-spaced. Please note that students may work together and submit a single project proposal, but must individually submit other materials. Other materials include a 1-page personal statement, a 1-page resume, 2-3 letters of recommendation, application summary, signed copy of acceptance agreement, and a transcript of college work. UCI may nominate 3 students.
Winners will be announced on April 18th, 2017 [PROJECTED].
PLEASE NOTE: MAKE SURE TO DROP OFF YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION TO THE SOP OFFICE. OTHER DEPARTMENTS ON CAMPUS ALSO OFFER STRAUSS SCHOLARSHIPS, BUT THIS ONE COMES TO SOP. THANK YOU.
Your faculty can submit their recommendations by email, campus mail (zot code 5695), or drop them off in person at our office (193 ASL, in the Writing Center). Please remind them to include their signatures on their letters. Your application materials do not have to be submitted as hard copies, electronic copies will be sufficient.
Who Wins
Scholars are selected on the basis of their proposals, demonstrated commitment to public service and leadership, and communication skills.
In 2017, Bhavesh Patel received the Strauss Scholarship.
In 2015, Anna Tran received the Strauss Scholarship.
Other winners include Christine Pham in 2014, Pichaya “Peach” Kositsawat in 2012, and Long-Co Nguyen in 2009.
Finances
The Donald A. Strauss Scholarship award is a $10,000 scholarship, which will be used to pay for some of the costs of the public service project as well as for tuition, fees, books, and room and board.
Comments
This scholarship promotes public service among its recipients. Recipients present the results of their projects to the Donald A. Strauss Foundation Board an annual event.
World Wide Web
Further information and applications are available at the Strauss website.
For applications and more information, contact the Scholarship Opportunities Program at 824-0189. We are located within the Center for Excellence in Writing & Communication, on the first floor of Ayala Science Library (Building 520).
SOP is able to advise competitive undergraduate candidates at UC Irvine only.