AAUW-State College Merit-Based STEM Scholarship
Scholarship awards fund the cost for recipients to attend a Science-U day camp of their choice!
Applications and STEM Teacher/Mentor Recommendation Forms are due on January 17, 2025!
The State College Branch of the American Association of University Women annually sponsors scholarships to Science-U day camps for girls and young women in Centre County. The mission of AAUW is to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education and advocacy. More information about the State College Branch of the AAUW may be found at its website.
www.aauwstatecollege.org
Who is eligible:
- Girls and young women entering grades 6 through 12 in the Fall
- Residence in, or attendance at, a school in Centre County, Pennsylvania
Selection Criteria:
- Sincere interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Math (STEM)
- Demonstration of a positive attitude and strength of character
-
Motivation to learn about STEM and academic effort
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Scholarship Timeline:
- All materials are due by January 17, 2025
- Scholarship applications will be reviewed by the AAUW State College Branch STEM Committee
- Applicants will be notified by January 31, 2025, which is before Science-U registration opens in February
Links to Scholarship Documents:
Below is a link to the entire scholarship document containing the Instruction Page, the Application Form, and the Teacher/Mentor Recommendation Form. Click the link to download the document. Tips for completing a fillable PDF are below, or you may print the document and complete it by hand. When returning the completed documents electronically, please add your name to the document title.
Instructions for Applicants:
1. Complete the Scholarship Application Form. The form requests contact information and a selection of your camp choice. Camp choices may be found on page 2 of the application. Please submit the completed application by January 17, 2025, along with a one-page essay. The essay (approx. 300-500 words) must answer the following questions:
- What area of science interests you the most and why?
- Which Science-U camp did you choose and how do you think attending this camp will benefit you?
- If selected, how will you use this experience to encourage others to be interested in STEM?
2. Ask a teacher from a previous or current science, mathematics, engineering, or technology class OR a STEM mentor (an adult who has supervised or mentored you in any STEM activity, e.g., coach of your robotics team or supervisor of a science club) to complete the STEM Teacher/Mentor Recommendation Form (available below). (Remind them to submit before the January 17, 2025 deadline!)
3. Submit your Application Form and essay by January 17, 2025 in one of the following ways:
Mail: Science-U Summer Camp Program
AAUW State College Branch STEM Scholarship Committee
201 Ritenour Building
University Park, PA 16802
Email: sciencecamps@science.psu.edu
For paper registration forms, questions, or more info, contact the Science-U office at: sciencecamps@science.psu.edu.
Quotes from past AAUW Scholarship Recipients:
What I like about Science-U and the scholarship is that it gives people an opportunity to do the camp who may not be able to afford it and be able to take advantage of this opportunity.
I liked Science-U because I learned many things about how to identify plants in the area. When I heard I had gotten the scholarship I was surprised and pleased.
As a scholarship recipient, I was able to attend a Science-U camp because otherwise my family wouldn't have had the money to send me. I felt proud knowing that I was chosen for the scholarship.
I like that I was able to learn so much in as little time as one week through fun activities and labs.
Follow these steps to complete a PDF Fillable Form:
1. Download and Install Adobe Reader Software.
To access, view, download, complete and print fillable forms you will need to use the latest Adobe Reader. Adobe Acrobat Reader is available for free and can be downloaded from https://get.adobe.com/reader/ if your computer does not have it currently. Follow the instructions from Adobe to properly install the software.
2. View the Form, then Save it to your computer.
Click the button or website link that leads to the form. When it is open, select the “Download” or “Save” icon. You might be given the opportunity to choose where to save your PDF form. Make note of where you are saving it so you can open it in a later step. If you are not able to choose the folder location, it will be saved to your "Downloads" folder.
3. Open the Form and complete it.
Locate the PDF file you saved in the last step in Windows and double click it to open.
When the form is open, proceed to fill out the form as required.
4. Save the PDF Form with a new name.
When the PDF form is complete, save it as a new document with your last name in the title. (example: “ApplicationForm_Science”). At this point you can attach the completed and saved document to an email and send it back for review. Alternatively, you may print it to be mailed or faxed.