The September 11 Scholarship Alliance, a group of funding organizations and scholarship administrators, has developed a common registration and application procedure designed to help families of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks obtain scholarships for postsecondary enrollment. The procedure is designed to make the process as simple and seamless as possible for applicants. The Alliance has already implemented a centralized telephone number (877-862-0136) to handle inquiries from prospective scholarship recipients, and is developing a centralized Web site to provide registration and application information. The Web site could be launched as early as March 2002.
The Scholarship Alliance met on January 30, 2002 in New York City. At that meeting, the Alliance's Application Committee reported on the proposed registration and application procedure. Connie White, director of scholarship and recognition programs at Educational Testing Service (ETS) and Application Committee chair, explained that registration allows families to become part of the scholarship providers' database. By registering, families will be notified of scholarship opportunities and application procedures.
Because of privacy concerns, agencies providing scholarships will not have access to the centralized registry of September 11 victims. Instead, the Scholarship Alliance is working with a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations to ensure that all families become aware of scholarship opportunities and are encouraged to register immediately. (The Alliance will, however, develop and maintain a centralized database of scholarship applicants and recipients.)
Most September 11 scholarship funds have been set up to provide scholarships to students enrolling over the next twenty years. As such, the application process will begin at different times for different students, depending on age and enrollment plans.
The Alliance's Application Committee drafted common registration and application forms with assistance from the Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America (CSFA). Ms. White distributed the proposed forms at the January 30 meeting for review and comment. When the revision and approval process is completed, the forms will be made available on the Alliance's Web site (in Adobe pdf format) and distributed in response to inquiries to Alliance members. The Web site will also describe eligibility requirements for each of the scholarship programs represented in the Alliance. Details of the registration and application process will be provided in NASFAA's Today's News as they are finalized.
Current September 11 Alliance members include the Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America; Citigroup Relief Fund; Educational Testing Service; Institute for International Education; International Youth Foundation/Nokia Education Fund; New York State Higher Education Services Corporation; The Children's Aid Society; September 11, 2001 Children's Fund; US Freightways Corporation; Jack Kent Cooke Foundation; and the United Negro College Fund. Advisory members include the September 11th Fund, FEMA, and American Jewish World Service. A number of additional organizations participate in the Alliance's meetings as well, and some will likely become Alliance members in the future. NASFAA serves in a consulting capacity to the Alliance on financial aid-related issues.
Families of Freedom Fund Nearing Goal
Also at the January 30 meeting, CSFA President Bill Nelsen reported that the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund had made great progress toward its fundraising goal of $100 million. The fund, launched with a major gift from the Lumina Foundation for Education, has raised more than $65 million to date and received commitments for substantial additional sums. It is the largest of the scholarship funds dedicated to helping families of the victims of the September 11 attacks.
NASFAA's September 11 Scholarship Listing Available to the Public
NASFAA's listing of September 11 scholarship opportunities continues as the sole comprehensive source of such information, and is available to the public on NASFAA's Attack on America Resource Page. The scholarship listing includes programs generally available to families of the September 11 victims as well as institution-specific programs. NASFAA members and other information providers are encouraged to link from their sites to this page and to check back regularly for updates. Institutions that have not already submitted information on their own September 11 scholarship programs are urged to complete an information form and submit it to NASFAA as soon as possible.
By Tim Christensen, NASFAA
Posted February 21, 2002 on the NASFAA Web Site www.nasfaa.org
Copyright 2002, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
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